Dee Dee Sharp
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Dee Dee Sharp (born Dione LaRue, September 9, 1945, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States) is an American R&B singer, who began her career recording as a backing vocalist in 1961.
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Career
In 1962 she began a string of successful Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits: "Slow Twistin'" (with Chubby Checker) (#3), "Mashed Potato Time" (#2), "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" (#9), "Ride" (#5) and "Do the Bird" (#10). In 1967 she married record producer Kenny Gamble and has since recorded under the name Dee Dee Sharp-Gamble.
She had a brief career resurgence during the disco era: as a member of the Philadelphia International All Stars (which also included Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays and Archie Bell) she 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.
Recent appearances include a performance at Pontin's in the UK for the Northern Soul Show and the 2008 Detroit Jazz Festival. May, 2009 is a scheduled appearance in Belgium at the Salle De L'Hotel de Ville.
Discography
Studio albums
- 1962: Biggest Hits
- 1962: It's Mashed Potato Time
- 1962: Songs Of Faith
- 1962: Down To Earth with Chubby Checker
- 1963: Do The Bird
- 1963: Down Memory Lane
- 1975: Happy Bout The Whole Thing
- 1977: What Color Is Love
- 1980: Dee Dee
Compilations
- 1963: 18 Golden Hits
- 1963: All The Hits
- 1963: Biggest Hits
- 2005: Best Of Dee Dee Sharp 1962-1966
See also
- List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart
- List of disco artists
- List of people from Philadelphia
- List of acts who appeared on American Bandstand