THEY ARE FAMILY

What music are you currently grooving to? Kim Sledge (right): James Brown. Also Marvin Sapp, a gospel singer. Joni Sledge (centre): Everything – ’70s disco to Tchaikovsky to Seal. Debbie Sledge (left): My daughter Camille Sledge, she leads a really impressive Afrobeat band called the Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra.

What, if push comes to shove, is your all-time favourite album? DS: We’re all Stevie Wonder fanatics, so it has got to be Songs In The Key Of Life. It captures the spirit of the man and the spirit of life itself; it has the ability to heal and his singing brings light, clarity, precision.

What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it? KS: There was a record store in downtown Philadelphia where all the cool teens went, I can’t remember the name, but it was a real funky place, and it was there that I got James Brown’s I Got The Feelin’. JS: I got a Mother’s Finest 45 there, because the record store guy, who was really cool, recommended it. DS: I got given my first records by my mom, this amazing jazz collection, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan…

Which musician, other than yourselves, have you wanted to be? DS: We could all be Kiri Te Kanawa – she is just amazing in her vocal range, she has amazing class and stature.

What do you sing in the shower? JS: Beatles songs like Yesterday. KS: Praise songs. DS: Whitney, she’s brilliant !

What is your favourite Saturday night record? JS: We all love Me And Mrs Jones by Billy Paul, it’s great for a slow dance.

And your Sunday morning record? KS: The Tabernacle Choir. Also John Legend, Frank Sinatra, Aretha, Michael Bublé and India Arie too.

Listen out for Sister Sledge’s Women Are The Music Of The World in April.