Showbiz Analysis: Kathy Sledge on ‘We Are Family’ and the Gift of Music

I’ve been to a lot of parties with Grammy-nominated singer Kathy Sledge—or so it seems. It’s been a few years since Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” topped the charts in 1979, but Kathy Sledge’s vocals and performance with her legendary sisters have been front and center at more parties than any of us can count, thanks to the decades-long staying power of the timeless hit. So I was thrilled when Sledge joined me for the 300th episode of my podcast Whine At 9 to discuss her musical legacy, new tour, and “Keep It Movin’“—her new tune with Aristofreeks.

Kathy Sledge wasn’t surprised when I confessed that I felt like putting on a party dress and glow necklace before our interview. “I’m at every party, trust me,” laughs Kathy Sledge. “I love to hear that, because it just keeps it [the Grammy-nominated song ‘We Are Family’] timeless.” The song was recorded when Sledge was just 16 years old (She sang lead vocals.), but would hit the top of the charts when she was 19.

“To me, I feel like it’s a huge blessing that I got a chance to literally grow up on stage,” says Sledge who, along with her sisters, enjoyed global success even before their music was setting records in the U.S. Today, that global influence and collaboration has resurfaced in her work with the Ibiza-based Aristofreaks. The new single, “Keep It Movin’’’ reflects Sledge’s philosophy on life and gratitude (And of course you can dance to it!). Notes Sledge about the lyrics, “They sound like a love song, but they’re actually about life…I feel like God gives you gifts. And what are you going to do with it?…Are you going to waste it, or are you going to use it?… [Are] you going to share them and are you going to keep them moving?”

Listen to Keep It Movin’.

Kathy Sledge also continues to hit the stage. In addition to her critically acclaimed show The Brighter Side: A Tribute to Billie Holiday, Sledge is the producer behind the new concert tour Kathy Sledge Presents: My Sisters and Me. The show features performances by Kathy Sledge, Deniece Williams, Karyn White and Cece Peniston. “They’re some of my favorite artists,” beams Sledge.

“‘’We Are Family,’ exudes sisterhood and I’m always proud of that—my sisters and I leave that mark,” says Sledge. So the concert seems to be a natural extension of Kathy Sledge’s legacy. The show intersperses hits and artists, and there isn’t a diva on the stage. “One thing we stress,” adds Sledge, “is it’s not about sister power, it’s about sisterhood.” Do they need a fun-loving “sister” with a glow necklace and awesome party dress to play the tambourine? Kathy Sledge says she’s holding a spot for me on the tour. After all, we are family.

Listen to Nancy’s interview with Kathy Sledge on iTunes and follow the podcast on Facebook.