Шэрон Редд: Американская певица и бэк-вокалистка.

American singer (1945–1992)

Sharon Redd (October 19, 1945 – May 1, 1992) was an American singer from New York City. She was the half sister of Snap! singer Penny Ford.

Redd was born on October 19, 1945, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Gene and Katherine Redd. Gene Redd was a producer and musical director at King Records, and her stepfather performed with Benny Goodman's orchestra. Her half sister Penny Ford is also a singer with two solo albums to her credit and known for her work as the main singer for Snap!, Soul II Soul, and the S. O. S. Band. She began her recording career with four singles in 1968 for the United Artists label, three written and all four produced by songwriter and record producer Bobby Susser. Susser chose the Hank Williams song "Half as Much" to be Redd's first single. Redd's vocals, against Susser's heavy bass track, made her presence very quickly known to R&B radio stations. Redd, as a budding actress, got a major break when she starred in an Australian production of the rock musical Hair. Aside from Hair, Redd also appeared in Ti Jean and His Brothers and, in 1974, traveled to London to star in an American production of The Wedding of Iphigenia. 1978 also saw Redd feature as a guest in the musical Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. In the mid 1970s, Bette Midler was looking to replace Merle Miller and Gail Kantor, both of whom had left after Midler's 1973 tour to pursue their own interests. Midler auditioned over 70 performers, but Redd landed the job, becoming one of Bette's Harlettes. Aside from performing as a Harlette, Redd also provided backing vocals for Carol Douglas ("Burnin'" and "Night Fever") and Norman Connors ("You Are My Starship"). Following the success of this new version of "Can You Handle It", she recorded a single entitled "All the Way to Love", The virus had weakened her immune system, which had become ineffective following the singer stepping on broken glass on stage. In 1993, Redd's vocals featured on the duet track "Under Pressure", as found on her half sister Penny Ford's self titled album.

Despite not being as recognized as other stars, Redd was able to establish herself as a Diva on the disco scene in the late 70s and early 80s. Redd was honored by the National AIDS Memorial, in an online exhibit to commemorate Black History Month along with other celebrities like Sylvester and Arthur Ashe.

Year Album Label Format Peak chart positionsUS DanceUS R&BNLNZ 1967 "Half as Much" ― ― ― ― ― ― 1968 "I've Got a Feeling" ― ― ― ― ― ― 1969 "Easy to Be Hard" ― ― 32 ― ― ― 1980 "Can You Handle It" 5 57 ― 31 ― ― "Love Is Gonna Get Ya" ― ― ― ― ― ― 1981 "You Got My Love" ― ― ― ― ― ― 1982 "Never Give You Up" ‡ 1 ― ― 20 ― ― "Beat the Street" ‡ 41 ― ― ― ― "In the Name of Love" ‡ ― ― 31 11 ― "Takin' a Chance on Love" ‡ ― ― 91 ― ― 1983 "Love How You Feel" 16 ― ― 39 ― ― "You're a Winner" ― ― ― 83 ― ― "Liar on the Wire" 33 ― ― ― ― ― 1985 "Undercover Girl" ― ― ― ― ― ― 1988 "Second to None" ― ― ― ― ― ― 1992 "Can You Handle It" (DNA's re recording) ― ― ― 17 62 41 "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. ‡ Denotes tracks from US Dance charting LP Redd Hot which included all cuts.