I am all inlets you This Isn't Old Man Music with Scott Patterson everything You've ever wanted to know about the music of Gilmore Girls. Hey Everybody, Scott Patterson, imall and Podcasts One of Love Productions, iHeartRadio Media, iHeart podcast We are beginning a new segment called This Isn't Old Man Music, and our very first guest Episode one is the one and only iconic Grammy winning Sister Sledge. We
have Camille Sledge and we have Debbie. How you doing, Debbie and Camille, thank you for joining us.
Hi.
Sister Sledge is blasted and honor to have provided the soundtrack to Countless Lives. Hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the great state of Sisters, Debbie, Joni, Kathy and Kim became household names and a symbol of unity with their nineteen seventy nine worldwide smash it an iconic album, We Are Family, or better known as We.
Are Family all Right, All.
My sisters and me. Jony unfortunately passed away in twoenty nineteen. God Rest her Soul. The multi lead vocal group were responsible for some of the biggest dance anthems of all time. Lost in music. He's the Greatest Dancer and Thinking of You are universally cherished songs that bring people together in love, life and a very very soulful groove. Sister Sledge has performed on some of the world's most prestigious stages and
this is impressive. Listen up including Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, London's Royal Albert Hall, glaston Berry's iconic Pyramid Stage. Wow, that must have been some experience, as they have also performed for the Clintons at the White House and even before the Honorable Pope Francis himself during the twenty fifteen World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, PA, the Great State of Over the years, the Family Group was a massive string of gold and platinum HiT's, generating total sales of
over twenty million worldwide and earning hundreds of awards and commendations, including Grammy nominations for Record of the Year, Best R and B Duover Group, Best Produced CD for Joni SLID's works on their Africa Eye's album. Their worldwide anthem We Are Family, was entered into the prestigious Library of Congress in two thousand and seventeen. Ladies welcome, just so honored to have you. Your music has been such a part
of the soundtrack of my life. I specifically remember the Pittsburgh Pirates run what was in nineteen seventy nine and they adopted that song in their clubhouse and they won the whole ball of wax.
Thank you so much for having us.
You've touched so many people's lives, even making your songs onto shows like Gilmore Girls. What's it like to see your music still living in the pop culture atmosphere and television all these years later.
It's amazing. I think we're all we're all amazed and thrilled that you know that song that God has used us in such a powerful way too, and that song just keeps going and that just keeps us amazed, and the audiences are still so alive, and so there's just a great energy every time we perform that song. And yeah, so we're very thrilled. And you know, even now we're
working with the second generation Sister Sledge. So this is Camille my daughter, Camille Sledge, my daughter, and we are performing as Sisters Ledge featuring Slegendary, so that you have a whole new other surge of Sister's Ledge coming along. I'm so very proud second generation.
Just like Gillmore Girls, it just doesn't stop. It keeps getting bigger and better. When Laurel, I and Rory joke about being like we are family in season three, it really shows how that song has become part of everyday language. But did you ever manage?
Do you?
Do you ever imagine it would grow into such a cultural phenomenon.
We had no idea, Damil, did you I have no idea? Camille actually grew up when that song was first coming out.
I remember you just being my mom.
I'm at home, I'm like, oh, this is on the video. My mom thinks that most kids thought I was lying.
And then you know, we would just dance to it and that was it.
Well, take us back to the beginning. How did the four sisters from Philadelphia first aside de formacy group?
Was?
It was the music always in the house?
Growing up, music was always in the house. I mean we had aunts and uncles. That's saying we found a bunch of and my mom early in our lives, we moved to a house that had a bunch of jazz records left in the basement and we were we That's my first, uh introduction to the world of jazz. So we have and we have so many genres of music that we've been exposed to, and we love all kinds
of music. We just love all kinds of music. So we started out as just singing for fun, just the four of us singing, and we've we learned that we could harmonize very early. My sister Carol there are you know, there are actually five sisters. My sister Carol actually started us out playing around, you know, pretending to be a singing group. And that was fun. You know, she had us singing her background.
So what do you think? What do you think of your biggest musical influences where when you were just starting out, what were they or growing up?
Of course on the Philly Sound, there was some great music coming out of Philly. And there's some iconic artists out of Philly. There's there's Patty LaBelle, let's see. I was also I love Choka Khan. I don't know if she's from Philly, but she often came to Yeah, she often came to Philly. These are iconic artists that there was every They could do everything with their voices and they just moved people and you know, and you could see the power, not only the power, but the passion
with which they sang. They were giving of themselves, and that's one of the great things that we learned. Just give what you have, freely, give it, and everybody's going to enjoy the way you're enjoying it. Yeah, and that's why I'm also teaching these guys my kids. Our group is now we have Jonie's son, Thaddeus. Joni passed away in twenty seventeen, and we have her son who is a powerhouse singer. He's a powerhouse like his mom, and he's honoring her the way he's performing. And then there's
my son David, and of course my daughter Camille. And then there's Miss Tanya Tia, who is she's a slegendary sister because she's been with us for a long time. She was with us when Joanie was singing with us. And all of them are powerhouses. So I am more having fun than I am working when I'm performing with.
Them, and we have these great mentors, you know, right.
But let's talk a little bit about that Philly sound. I think it's sort of not getting its due in the business. I know a lot of musicians, you know, David Bowie and Springsteen and a lot of big names come to Philly to get that sound. They you know, they go to Detroit, obviously they go. But Philly is one of the unsung heroes in the soul and rhythm and blues ocean that people are dipping into. It doesn't really get the credit that it should, right, I mean, it's a phenomenally influential sound.
I agree, there's something very very unique about Philly and Philly artists, the Philly musicians, Philly artists. One of the things that I think is unique is the that it's real. It's really. Yeah, they're giving something that they have that, you know, something of themselves that is real. I don't know a lot of a lot of music is today to me in comparison, is in some cases contrived. But and I'm not I'm not putting it down because you know,
it's beautiful music, it's great. But there's something about that, the music that's coming from the real you.
Right, the way it's, the way it's made, the way it's recorded, the way it's.
Yeah, I agree, Yeah, there's something soulful about it.
It can't be duplicated because you're getting real.
Let's get everybody in the same room and just light it up right, capture that. Yeah, I don't do that anymore. Yeah, yeah, Well every band has to pay its dos, right. Do you remember one of the toughest gigs you played in the early days and how it helped to shape you.
Well, it's tough working with sisters, I'll say that because everybody, you know, we're all we're all fully Yeah, my sisters are. They're they're so talented, and they're they're so strong. We have a We grew up in a house of strong women. I know. We had no brothers. Okay, my mom, uh, she kind of raised us by herself when we was from a very young age. I mean my parents separated early, but she had a lot to deal with because women are girls. You have a young lady, you have a
young girl. Girls are harder to raise than boys. Boys. Okay, you can you can predict, but girls are unpredictable. So we had some very strong, willed women, very creative. All have their ideas of what the music should be. So rehearsals would take longer because everybody's idea had to be heard. But it paid off, you know, it paid off, right, And so I would say, right now, I'm experiencing something different than I have been, which is joy. There's just
so much joy. Everybody's so happy to be doing what they're doing. And we were under the pressure to be perfect, you know, we felt like we have to do this perfect. We were new at this, we were doing it for fun, and all of a sudden, we have to do that.
We're doing this with pay. It's like, yeah, on on a scale that, Okay, somebody has hired us to do something, so we really want to do it well, we really want to please them, we really want to please the audience, and we still have that, but we don't have that pressure.
Story though.
I'm just gonna say that, Okay, missed flights, missing luggage, you know, all kinds of really want like crazy stuff. Oh yeah, that's It's just like, this is gonna be tough, it's gonna be I heard stories and it's fun. I mean, it's still something that I choose to do even still.
Yeah, what about your first record deal. You remember that day when you get your first record deal. How excited you were.
Yeah, we we we've been in shotgut since we went in and did a did a an audition and just a cold audition. We just sang a cappella in front of a record executive and the next thing we knew we were hired, and that's like wow wow. And they put us with producers of course, you know, and we had some great producers and really very talented producers, but it was all music that whenever we heard the music, it was like, Okay, we want to do this the
very best we can possibly do this. So we'd learned everything as much as we could learn stay time in the studio. We knew studio was costing money, but when we met Nile and Bernard, it was totally different. We didn't know what the songs were. We had never heard the tracks. We stepped into the studio and we'd learned the song right there. And that was their way of producing it was they wanted it fresh, wanted it, you know,
us hearing it for the first time. They wanted the fresh recording of this new song, which great, a great, a great way of producing. So my mom had the she had the job of protecting these four young girls. So all of a sudden she became a manager and that was something. But we had an it was an adventure. The whole time has been an adventure. So we had we were put together with producers, we had to she
found lawyers that could help us with contracts. But it was all very new to us and a huge adventure we had. We were put together with different producers. They all had their different ways of producing, so we learned a lot through all that experience. And of course one of the most challenging, I guess and most successful would be probably the Sheik organization with Nile and Bernard very different. We weren't used to their way of producing, but it paid off.
You're talking about Niles Rogers and Bernard Edwards.
Yes, yes, wow, giants, Yeah, giants.
Before the microphone cut out, she was saying that they always used to rehearse and have the music beforehand, right, And then you're saying when they finally got with Nile and Bernard, their production their producing style was that they couldn't hear the songs first.
That that was interesting.
Because the mic must have cut out on that bar, because that was interesting to me. And then they had to hear it for the first time when they got to the studio.
Not like that it was difficult, right, but that it was different. It was different and so it was it was their way of coming up with a very fresh sounding performance from the artist, which would you love that I'm going to really meat?
Yeah, so they trusted their initial instincts in the moment and they went with that's that's great. Yeah, it's kind of Rick Rubenesque if you get the rest, if you get the reference. But Camille, what was it like watching your mom and her sister build such a strong cultural family presence together?
Oh? It was. It was beautiful.
I'm also thrilled to watch all of these strong women in my family. You know, they discontinue a legacy for decades after decades, I.
Was always so.
In awe of watching them on stage to where it became my dream as well.
I was like, I want to be just like you.
And then it was you gotta read this book called The Business of Music. It's like this big read it, then you can be a singer. I'm like, oh, I tried to read it, but I think I fell asleep on top of it and ruled on the pages. But I tried, But that book is still lingering in my life to this day.
Anyway, it changed a lot, and I think you know a lot.
More well, glad that you told me that, because I started to pay more attention to the business side. I think instead of saying, oh, I'm an artist.
You know, show show business.
Yeah, but smart women.
We are Family is I mean, it's so much more than a hit record. It's an anthem. Let's just call it that. What it is. What do you think it is about that song that makes it timeless across generations?
The message?
Yeah, that message and the fact that it's simple, simple truth. M h. Everyone can relate to those words. Yeah, and it's easy to Yeah.
I got all my sisters and me. I mean it's there, it is. We are family. I got all my sisters in me. Boom done. What a what a hook?
Yeah?
What a hu. So when was the first time you heard the song on the radio? Your first song? What was your first song? When was the first time you heard it on the radio? Do you remember that?
Okay, so I will say that the most Well, the first time we saw and I actually saw an album was a huge thrill. Okay, just just oh here it is. But the first time that we actually heard we Are Family. That really stands out is we're listening to it on the radio in Germany and they are. They are recording. There's a live recording of the Pittsburgh Pirates, you know, the game, and the whole audience is singing, we are family and they and the announcer is saying, I can't
believe this. The entire audience is singing, we are family and we were a made We were in a taxi listening to it on the radio. It's like, oh wow, that really impressed us. It really that was so exciting for us.
Let me take you back to this. Let me take you back to the studio when you're creating that song. Are you in there with Niles and Bernard when you're creating that song?
Yes, okay, so studio I love.
To talk about this type of stuff. Did you know it was going to be a big song? Did Niles and Bernard just go, Wow, we've got something here and you and they played it back and you you know, you heard it a million times and pieces in a whole and you know, and a second part of the questions, did you ever get sick of hearing the song in the studio? But let's let's take the first part of that. Did you know that it was and I know you knew his sisters Wow, this is good stuff. You don't know.
You can't predict how it's gonna you know, the marketplace is gonna accept it. But did you know you had something? Did everybody know?
No, everybody didn't know. I believe that Now and Bernard knew what they were doing. And but they were new, new producers. They were new producers coming out, and they probably didn't know what to do with these four sisters. They were like they were. We were assigned to them from the record company because they had new they had new artists, and so they had these new producers, so they were putting, you know, putting things together. When we
met Nile and Bernard, they had these great tracks. They were also working on their Chic their own album coming out, so they were also still figuring out which tracks are we going to use for this group and which tracks are we going to use for our own album. So we we got a chance to hear some of the great tracks that are now on the Chic album as far as we Are Family goes. We heard this great this great track, but there were no there was no
singing on it. And in the studio, I believe that Nile and Bernard were writing as they went, so I believe that we are Family is actually a true picture of what they were seeing in the studio from this family group of sisters, and they're so simple. We are family. Have got all my sisters with me. Everyone can see where together as we walk on by don cute. That's you know, that's such a happy, truthful song. And and
we were also learning the melodies as we went. You know, one of the things that my younger sister Kathy says is Nil and Bernard are not singers, so so they're they're trying to give us what they're singing, and we're trying to hear a tone in it, which was funny, which was funny. But I think that you know, especially on those lead vocals, Kathy did an awesome job. She did an awesome job, and we're all we're all very proud of the project, very happy with it, and we
had no idea. I think they were shocked as to how far that song has gone. I remember doing some television shows with Nylon Bernard and we could see them like on the side stage and they look like they shock and how how worldwide this song was going. Right, So and that's that's that's a that's a story that just makes me smile.
So every time you play it live, and since the song was recorded and you start performing it live, do you see a perceptible change in the audience's energy and engagement, Not that they aren't already like into it already, but.
I think yes, I see the audience is very genuine, genuinely people are having fun and they know the song and they're they're singing the top of their lungs. There is no holding back. This is a song I know, this is my song.
Yeah, I can sing every word.
Yeah, and there is no holding back.
Did you ever step back from the microphone and just let the audience sing part of the song?
Definitely exactly what we do. And the music even our band knows to cut off so they can hear themselves and they just get louder. So it's just awesome. And we're still doing that to this day. And it's just so Yeah.
So many of your songs like Lost in Music, thinking of you, He's the greatest dancer. They're still popular day. You feel the same energy performing them now as you did in the late seventies and eighties.
Always, and we've had so many memories that goes with that, you know, like my sister Jelly, she was the lead singer for Lost in Music, and every time we performed that song, it just brings back good feelings that we can just remember all that she was to us and all that she brought to us and all that she brought to the audience, and now we have her so on that is singing with us, and thadd is, yeah, yeah.
You can tell me what does this nice little like He'll talk to the audience about who his mom was and say, you know that she has the best seat in the place tonight, you know, and I'm going to do my best.
To honor her.
She's up and having And then he says, I have one.
Question for you.
You know, it gets all quiet and everybody's like, oh my gosh.
He goes, are you ready to get Lost in Music in the band?
Not then? And so he is absolutely, he's absolutely a performer just like she was. I mean, he commands the audience.
He's a very strong boy, just like his mom. Yeah it's awesome all that energy is there. Yeah, it's just beautiful.
Here's a question, Uh, if you could give advice to your younger selves just starting out as sister Sledge, what would it be?
Yeah, tell me.
Okay, well I've been trying to. I've been trying to. I've been trying to teach them that from from day one. Well no, well for now, the main thing is be true to yourself. Really find what is what is yours and give that and share that freely. And what I mean by that is you're not holding back because you have a gift, and that gift is for sharing, forgiving, and enjoy yourself because all of us have the individual we have. We have all we all have gifts, but
we won't if we don't share them. We're not going to bless others. Others are are going to be blessed by your sharing what you have. And we're learning this all your unique gifts. You know, you can't be true to Yeah, you can't copy someone. You can learn from someone, but you have to find out what what is it that you have to give and then develop that. I think that was Joey's gift too.
Yeah, that's so simple and it's so powerful because you know it's as a you know, I write a lot of songs and I used to perform and all that, and you find trying to find your voice. And you know where my voice sits, and you know what I do best, it's just blues.
Well really that's powerful.
I can do other types. I just I struggle a little bit with it, and I take vocal lessons and strengthen my muscles in my throat, the whole thing. You go through that every day. I know how it works to go on tour and the whole thing. You've got to really have that strong voice and sustain it. But it's it's my voice. It's in the blues, and that's where I can have fun and be free.
Mm hmm.
And once you learn that, find it right, it's like Goya all this time there it is.
Write me too.
I'm like what do I say?
So, you know, you finally get there and it's like.
This is yeah, this is me, this is what this is what I have. I can't give it. This is what I always.
Told you, and that's what I tell young acting students is you know, when I was going to acting school in New York, everybody wanted to be Marlon Brando and they were imitating Brando, they were imitating John Malkovich, and it's you know, it's the guys, the guys were copycats more than the girls. The women were more original in their interpretations of things. They weren't trying as much to
be Meryl Streep or whomever you know. And it's just and so I tell you, I say, find out who you are, what your voice is, and that can't be copied. That's the original thing that casting people want, that producers want exactly because that's unique. It's so simple.
Probably your best version, right, And I tell them you have you have the gold. So don't worry about uh, somebody recognizing you. Just keep developing your gold because it it'll come out. Yeah, it'll come out.
Put the time, put the time in.
Yeah.
And now, Camille, you're part of this group of legends. Huh. How does how does it feel to fill such big shoes? Well, you know, also, you're bringing in your own flavor, right, You're bringing on your.
Own That's all I can do. I can't be my mom.
I can't be my mom. I know that I would have some huge shoes to fill because they were powerful. They're all still amazing.
These are me artist. Yeah.
So, and that's true. I have learned to just sort of bring my own thing to the stage and try my best to give.
That and not hold back.
And uh, you know, I think we all are getting even better and better. It's like you have the best mentor and the best training, so I'm.
Really really and you've got real audiences.
Yeah, this is not a game, you know.
So yeah, yeah, I.
Love it absolutely, adore my mom is being able to spend some really quality time with you.
You know, when we're at home, it's almost like I never see you come over, you know.
Plan you know, so.
Still a lot of touring, a lot of projects. Tell us about your touring schedule and uh, yeah.
Come back a couple of days ago.
Yeah, where where were you?
We were in Manchester you gay and then uh Lucern.
Yeah yeah, and then we came back home so we could rest up so we wouldn't look like we have bags under our eyes for you. For you, but because we were done data, it was really bad. We were like, it's crazy, We're so glad they scheduled it out until October.
When you had when are you head and back out?
So we've got we're in preparation right now on the month of October, if that starts, we have a few weeks in October, uh to prepare for November and November show with Live with an Orchestra in in Belgium. In Belgium, will also be in the Bahamas, right, Yeah, and then to the Bahamas. And it's not a cruise.
I'll bet you can't wait for that.
Gig.
Yeah, I hope it's nice, you know, I just I really never. I want to have a chance to see this beautiful water. Yeah, we're looking forward to that. We could use a couple of day. We're like, we can use some water out here.
Well, it has been an honor getting to talk to you a little bit, uh, Camille and Debbie and continued success and stay out there giving the people all that gold and all that love.
Ye.
And it's truly truly an amazing legacy that you were laying down for your fans still and we really appreciate you coming on.
Thank you, thank you so much. Yeah, feel very blessed.
Take care, ladies, So grateful, Thank you again, and thanks.
For the stories and the conversation really. Uh, And that's going to wrap us up, folks. Remember best fans on the planet. Keep those cards and letters come and remember where you lead, we will follow.
Stay safe everyone, Hey, everybody, and don't forget.
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