// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Dee Dee Sharp a good singer? Sharp as can be.
Dee Dee Sharp | |
|---|---|
| Born | Dione LaRue September 9, 1945 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B, soul |
| Occupation | Singer |
| Years active | 1961–present |
| Labels |
|
| Website | deedeesharp |
Dione LaRue (born September 9, 1945),[1] known professionally as Dee Dee Sharp, is an American R&B singer. She was one of the first Black female teenage pop stars to achieve mainstream national success in the early 1960s.
At the age of 16, Sharp achieved her breakthrough with the duet "Slow Twistin'" alongside Chubby Checker in 1962. Her debut single "Mashed Potato Time" (1962) reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold more than one million copies. She followed it with several additional top 10 hits, including "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" (1962), "Ride!" (1962), and "Do the Bird" (1963). A frequent performer on American Bandstand, Sharp also appeared on Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars tours. She later had dance hits with the songs "Share My Love" (1975) and "Breaking and Entering" (1981).
Early life and education
[edit]Dee Dee Sharp was born Dione LaRue in Philadelphia on September 9, 1945.[2] She began playing the piano from an early age and directed church choirs for her grandfather's church and other congregations in her hometown.[3] She grew up in North Philadelphia and graduated from Overbrook High School.[4]
Career
[edit]Career as a session vocalist
[edit]When she was 13, her mother was seriously injured in a car accident.[1] After overhearing her grandparents discuss the severity of her mother's injuries, Sharp decided to find work to help support her family.[5] With her grandmother's approval—on the condition that she continue her education—she answered a newspaper advertisement seeking a singer who could sight-read music, play piano, and sing.[5] Sharp was hired by gospel singer Willa Ward Moultrie, who employed her as a backing vocalist.[5] Soon, Sharp began recording with artists including Lloyd Price, Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon, and Jackie Wilson while continuing to attend school.[6][1]
Rise to fame and mainstream success
[edit]By 1962, singer Chubby Checker had become Parkway Records' biggest star, having charted nearly twenty singles in his first two and a half years with the label, and popularizing the twist dance craze.[7] According to Sharp, Checker discovered her while she was providing backing vocals during one of his recording sessions and recommended her to Bernie Lowe, head of Cameo-Parkway Records.[4] Seeking to extend the success of his dance-oriented recordings, Sharp was paired with Checker o a recording.[5][8] The result was a duet, although Sharp was not credited on the original single release.[7] Released in February 1962, "Slow Twistin'" entered the Top 10 within three weeks.[7]
She was immediately signed by Cameo Records as a solo artist Mann and Lowe renamed her Dee Dee Sharp—a nickname derived from her brother's habit of calling her "Dee" and because she sang in the key of D-sharp.[6][3] The same say that she recorded "Slow Twistin'," she also recorded her debut solo single, "Mashed Potato Time," which was released in February 1962.[7][9] The song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, sold more than one million copies, and earned a gold disc.[10] At the age of 16, this success made Sharp one of the first Black female teen idols.[11][12][3] Sharp was offered "The Loco-Motion", a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, but declined to record it.[13] The song was subsequently recorded by Little Eva and became a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962.[13]
In April 1962, Sharp accompanied Checker on the road as his opening act at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair.[4][14]
Sharp followed her breakthrough with a string of Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits: "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" (No. 9), "Ride!" (No. 5), and "Do the Bird" (No. 10).[1] "Ride!" also sold more than one million copies and received a gold disc.[10] "Do the Bird" became her only entry on the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 46 in April 1963.[15]
Cameo marketed Sharp as a pop artist, and as a result she made relatively few appearances on the Chitlin' Circuit.[3] The label also sent her to modeling and charm school.[3][5] From 1962 to 1981 she appeared several times on American Bandstand, the ABC Television Network music-performance and dance series hosted by Dick Clark.[3] She was also a regular feature on Clark's Caravan of Stars tours.[3] In 1965, Sharp performed the jazz song "Steady, Steady" on The Ed Sullivan Show. Unhappy with record sales, she switched to Atco/Atlantic Records in 1966.
In 1967, Sharp married Kenny Gamble of the songwriting and production duo Gamble & Huff.[16] Sharp recorded for Gamble Records and Philadelphia International, and she worked with Gamble & Huff behind the scene at various iterations of TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) Records.[16]
Resurgence and later years
[edit]As Dee Dee Sharp Gamble, she had a career resurgence during the disco era and hit the charts again with her version of 10 CC's "I'm Not In Love." She also joined Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays and Archie Bell as a member of the Philadelphia International All Stars, who had a minor hit with "Let's Clean Up the Ghetto." In 1980 she spent four weeks at number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart with "Breaking and Entering" / "Easy Money," from her album Dee Dee.[1]
Sharp has continued to perform into the 21st century. She appeared at Pontins in the United Kingdom as part of the Northern Soul Show, performed at the 2008 Detroit Jazz Festival, and appeared at the Salle de l'Hôtel de Ville in Belgium in May 2009.[citation needed] In 2017, she performed at Jerry Blavat's Gospel, Soul and Doo Wop Reunion in Philadelphia.[17]
Personal life
[edit]In a documentary film, Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story (1996), Sharp revealed that she was engaged to boxer Muhammad Ali—then known as Cassius Clay.[18] They had met when Sharp had a residency at the Knight Beat nightclub in Overtown, Miami in 1963.[19] According to Sharp, Ali proposed to her before his first heavyweight champion fight Sonny Liston in Miami Beach in 1964.[20] Sharp accepted, but Ali said he first needed to consult Malcolm X before making final arrangements.[20] Sharp recalled that Malcolm X told her they could marry only if she converted to the Nation of Islam.[20] After learning of the conversion requirement, Sharp's mother refused to give her approval, ending the engagement.[20]
Sharp was married to Kenny Gamble from 1967 to 1980, during which time she was known as Dee Dee Sharp Gamble.
Sharp and her husband Bill Witherspoon reside in Medford, New Jersey.[21]
Legacy
[edit]In 2017, harp was inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance's Walk of Fame.[22]
In pop culture
[edit]In 1992, Sharp's 1962 hit "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" was featured in a scene in the American movie comedy Sister Act which starred Whoopi Goldberg.[17] It was also included as part of the film's soundtrack album.
Discography
[edit]Dee Dee Sharp has released 9 studio albums and 14 compilation albums.
Studio albums
[edit]| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [23] |
US R&B [23] | |||||||||||||
| 1962 | It's Mashed Potato Time | 44 | — | |||||||||||
| Songs of Faith | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Down to Earth (with Chubby Checker) | 117 | — | ||||||||||||
| 1963 | Do the Bird | — | — | |||||||||||
| Down Memory Lane | — | — | ||||||||||||
| Wild | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 1975 | Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing | — | 48 | |||||||||||
| 1977 | What Color Is Love (as Dee Dee Sharp Gamble, in association with Kenneth Gamble) |
— | — | |||||||||||
| 1980 | Dee Dee | — | 59 | |||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||
Compilation albums
[edit]- 1963: 18 Golden Hits
- 1963: All the Hits
- 1963: Biggest Hits
- 1979: Cameo-Parkway Sessions
- 1993: All the Hits & More
- 1995: All the Golden Hits
- 1998: What Color Is Love / Dee Dee
- 2004: Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Dee Dee Sharp – Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker and Down to Earth
- 2005: Best of Dee Dee Sharp 1962–1966
- 2006: Sharp Goes Wild
- 2010: It's Mashed Potato Time / Do the Bird
- 2010: Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing + What Color Is Love + Dee Dee
- 2015: Hurry On Down, It's Mashed Potato Time
- 2020: The Queen of Rhythm & Blues
Singles
[edit]| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated |
Label and number | Chart positions | Album *Wyncote label compilations of various Cameo-Parkway artists | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [23] |
US R&B [23] |
US Dance [23] |
CAN [24][25] |
UK [26][27] | ||||
| 1962 | "Slow Twistin'" (Chubby Checker & Dee Dee Sharp) b/w "La Paloma Twist" (by Chubby Checker, non-album track) |
Parkway 835 | 3 | 3 | — | 18[28] | — | It's Mashed Potato Time |
| "Mashed Potato Time" b/w "Set My Heart at Ease" (Non-album track) |
Cameo 212 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | — | ||
| "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" b/w "Baby Cakes" (Non-album track) |
Cameo 219 | 9 | 11 | — | 12 | — | ||
| "Ride!" b/w "The Night" (Non-album track) |
Cameo 230 | 5 | 7 | — | 15 | — | All the Hits by Dee Dee Sharp Volume II | |
| 1963 | "Do the Bird" b/w "Lover Boy" (from Hullabaloo with the Stars*) |
Cameo 244 | 10 | 8 | — | 32 | 46 | Do the Bird |
| "Rock Me in the Cradle of Love" b/w "You'll Never Be Mine" (from Hullabaloo with the Stars*) |
Cameo 260 | 43 | — | — | 36 | — | Biggest Hits | |
| "Wild!" b/w "Why Doncha Ask Me?" (from Do the Bird) |
Cameo 274 | 33 | 25 | — | 27 | — | All the Hits with All the Stars* | |
| 1964 | "Where Did I Go Wrong" / | Cameo 296 | 82 | — | — | — | — | Shindig with the Stars* |
| "Willyam, Willyam" | 97 | — | — | — | — | Hullabaloo with the Stars Vol. 2* | ||
| "Never Pick a Pretty Boy" b/w "He's No Ordinary Guy" (Non-album track) |
Cameo 329 | — | — | — | — | — | Hits a Go-Go with the Stars* | |
| "Deep Dark Secret" b/w "Good" |
Cameo 335 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks | |
| "To Know Him Is to Love Him" b/w "There Ain't Nothin' I Wouldn't Do for You" |
Cameo 347 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1965 | "Let's Twine" b/w "(That's What) My Mama Said" |
Cameo 357 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "I Really Love You" b/w "Standing in the Need of Love" |
Cameo 375 | 78 | 37 | — | 28 | — | ||
| 1966 | "(It's Wonderful) The Love I Feel for You" b/w "Willyam, Willyam" |
Fairmount 1004 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "It's a Funny Situation" b/w "There Ain't Nothin' I Wouldn't Do for You" |
Cameo 382 | 126 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "My Best Friend's Man" b/w "Bye Bye Baby" |
Atco 6445 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1967 | "What Am I Gonna Do" b/w "(Heart and Soul) Baby I Love You" |
Atco 6502 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1968 | "We Got a Thing Going On" b/w "What 'Cha Gonna Do About It" Both tracks: Ben E. King & Dee Dee Sharp |
Atco 6557 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "A Woman Will Do Wrong" b/w "You're Just a Fool in Love" |
Atco 6576 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Help Me Find My Groove" b/w "This Love Won't Run Out" |
Atco 6587 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "What Kind of Lady" b/w "You're Gonna Miss Me (When I'm Gone)" |
Gamble 219 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1970 | "The Bottle or Me" b/w "You're Gonna Miss Me (When I'm Gone)" |
Gamble 4005 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1971 | "Conquer the World" b/w "We Got a Thing Going On" Both sides: Dee Dee Sharp Gamble with Bunny Sigler |
Philadelphia International 3512 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1974 | "Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing" b/w "Touch My Life" |
TSOP 4776 | — | — | — | — | — | Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing |
| 1975 | "Share My Love" | Album cut | — | — | 6 | — | — | |
| 1976 | "I'm Not in Love" b/w "Make It Till Tomorrow" |
TSOP 4778 | — | 62 | — | — | — | |
| 1977 | "Nobody Could Take Your Place" b/w "Flashback" |
Philadelphia International 3625 | — | — | — | — | — | What Color Is Love |
| "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" b/w "What Color Is Love" |
Philadelphia International 3636 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978 | "Just as Long as I Know You're Mine" b/w "I Believe in Love" |
Philadelphia International 3638 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "I Wanna Be Your Woman" b/w "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" |
Philadelphia International 3644 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | "Easy Money" b/w "I Love You Anyway" |
Philadelphia International 70058 | — | — | — | — | — | Dee Dee |
| "Breaking and Entering" | Philadelphia International 02041 | — | — | 1 | — | — | ||
| "I Love You Anyway" | — | 79 | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. | ||||||||
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 Hamilton, Andrew. "Dee Dee Sharp Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
- ↑ "Artists' Biographies". Billboard Music Week. 74 (15): 34. April 14, 1962.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bogdanov, Vladimir (August 1, 2003). All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 609. ISBN 979-8-216-34234-2.
- 1 2 3 Lloyd, Jack (February 22, 1981). "Her music makes them feel like dancing—again". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. 10-H. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Gary James' Interview With Dee Dee Sharp". www.classicbands.com. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
- 1 2 Charleston, Rita (May 3, 2019). "Singer DeeDee Sharp recalls early days in Philly as an 'overnight sensation'". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 Betrock, Alan (1982). Girl Groups: The Story of a Sound. New York: Delilah Books : Distributed by the Putnam Pub. Group. pp. 20–21. ISBN 978-0-933328-25-9.
- ↑ Bacas, Harry (March 23, 1962). "Dee Dee Sharp's "Mashed Potato Time" Is a Mixture of an Old Song and Dance". Evening star. pp. D-15. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ↑ "Spotlight Singles of the Week". Billboard Music Week: Singles Reviews: 23. February 17, 1962. ISSN 0006-2510.
- 1 2 Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 152. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ↑ "'Mashed Potato Time' Sweet Music to Teens". Evansville Press. April 19, 1962. p. 25. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ "What Young People Think Are: Top Records of Week". Press and Sun-Bulletin. April 22, 1962. pp. 9-C. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- 1 2 Edwards, Clayton (August 25, 2025). "On This Day in 1962, a Babysitter Became a One-Hit Wonder When "The Loco-Motion" Hit No. 1". American Songwriter. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ Roedell, Michelle (April 19, 2026). "Twist Party Held on April 20, 1962 for the Century 21 World's Fair Opening - Northwest Prime Time". northwestprimetime.com. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 494. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- 1 2 Smith, Danyel (February 14, 2023). Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop. Random House Publishing Group. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-593-13273-9.
- 1 2 Charleston, Rita (January 20, 2017). "Dee Dee Sharp brings doo wop to the Kimmel". The Philadelphia Tribune. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- ↑ Condor, Bob (September 3, 1996). "A Real Knockout". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ↑ Cosgrove, Stuart (2022). Cassius X : the making of a legend. Edinburgh: Polygon. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-84697-579-0.
- 1 2 3 4 Fernandez, Bernard (September 3, 1996). "It's not the greatest, but Ali documentary packs punch". Philadelphia Daily News. p. 55. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
- ↑ "For Dee Dee Sharp, a good life moves on", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 24, 2008. Accessed October 24, 2011. "Over the next 20 years, that spotlight would shine on a career that took her around the world and finally back to Medford, NJ, where she spends most of her time keeping house for her husband, attorney Bill Witherspoon."
- ↑ "Dee Dee Sharp | Walk of Fame". Philadelphia Music Alliance. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Dee Dee Sharp – Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 1, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ↑ "CHUM Hit Parade results". Archived from the original on July 17, 2006.
- ↑ "RPM Play Sheet - December 20, 1965" (PDF). Collectionscanada.gc.ca.
- ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 494. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ "DEE DEE SHARP – full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 23, 2022.
- ↑ "CHUM Hit Parade - April 16, 1962". Chumtribute.com.
External links
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