Sarah Dash
Encyclopedia
Sarah Dash is a singer and actress. Her first notable appearance on the music scene was as a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles
. Dash has had a full career, moving from singer, to songwriter, session musician
, sideman
for famous bands that include LaBelle
, The Rolling Stones
, and Keith Richards
.
in the mid-1950s where she got reacquainted with fellow adopted Philadelphian Nona Hendryx
and Philadelphian natives Patricia "Patsy" Holte
and Sundray Tucker
. In 1959, following the break-up of a rival girl group, Hendryx and Dash joined Holte and Tucker in "The Ordettes". In 1961, Tucker was replaced by Philadelphia-born Cindy Birdsong
and the quartet
became The Bluebelles in 1962. The group changed their name again to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles
after Holte was advised to adapt the stage name
of Patti Labelle. Among the Bluebelles hits including the doo-wop
classic, "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman
" and doo-wop-esque R&B
ballads "You'll Never Walk Alone
" and "Danny Boy
", the top forty classic, "Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)
", the soul
standard "All or Nothing" and their now-legendary rendition of "Over the Rainbow
", which LaBelle later transformed into a tour-de-force in her 1981 solo cover. Dash sings with a sharp soprano
.
and four years later, The Bluebelles changed their name to Labelle and began recording material that set them apart from other girl groups including songs of political, social and sexual matters transforming them into a "hard-rocking, sexually and politically-outspoken group". Much like The Supremes' Mary Wilson
, Dash was often the "middle" of two of the group's extremes, Nona Hendryx
and Patti LaBelle
, who often had differed in the group's change of direction before LaBelle eventually agreed to "go along with it". After a tour of England
where they changed managers hiring Vicki Wickham
, in 1971, the group ditched their bouffant wigs and dresses for Afros
and jeans releasing transitional records such as Labelle
(which included the Hendryx-penned sexual "Morning Much Better") and Moon Shadow
(which featured the group's gospel-fueled renditions of the Pete Townshend
penned, "Won't Get Fooled Again
", and Cat Stevens
' "Moonshadow").
During this period, the group got notice by the mainstream after opening for blue-eyed soul
singer-songwriter Laura Nyro
and British
rock group The Who
during their tours, leading up to the 1973 release of Pressure Cookin'
, which featured more songwriting from Hendryx and a more unified group effort in which Dash sung co-lead on including the group's memorable ballad, "Can I Speak to You Before You Go to Hollywood?", where Dash sings most of the song with Hendryx singing in the beginning and LaBelle bringing up the rear near the end of the song. Dash was a major vocal force for the group. Dash's strong vocals in the group provided for balance and stability when LaBelle and Hendryx occasionally went off on vocal tangents or were pulling audience members up onto the stage to dance. Dash also functioned as songwriter for several songs. It also marked a political consciousness in the choice of cover songs and lyrics chosen on original compositions. One song, for example, was a medley of psychedelic styled "Something in the Air
", a mixture of a Townshend inspired album of songs written by a roadie, John Keen, who had written a track on his band's album, The Who Sell Out
, and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
" by African-American activist, Gil Scott-Heron
.
Despite the group's cult raves
of their early material, their critical success didn't translate to commercial acclaim until the releases of 1974's Nightbirds
(which featured the group's biggest smash single of their careers, "Lady Marmalade
") and 1975's Phoenix
. Following the release of 1976's Chameleon
and a 1977 tour, the group agreed to split after the trio failed to come to terms with material (the group were working on an album titled Shaman when they split) and had finally "rocked and rolled themselves out".
classic, "Sinner Man" and vocals on several stunning ballads, notably "You," and "We're Lovers After All," and "I Can't Believe Someone Like You Could Really Love Me," (with a full gospel choir backing), she also had another minor disco
hit with "(Come and Take) This Candy from Your Baby". Dash enjoyed much success and television and public appearances with "Sinner Man." At this time, she was asked to compose and sing "For The Love of You" (the theme song for the 1980s PBS show Watch Your Mouth
) and "Bringing It All Home." She also guest-starred on an episode of the Watch Your Mouth, and played a fictional character
, a super diva
with an attitude, "Tessie Bright," to the hilt.
However, on the Kirshner albums, and especially Ooh La La, Sarah Dash, (1980) she was given substandard material to work with, although she wrote "I Feel Good Being Me" for this album. It featured one strong disco track, "Ooh La La, Too Soon," which was used in a Sassoon jeans commercial, and the late Phyllis Hyman
provided backing vocals to the album. But by 1980, disco was dying, and many talented divas such as Dash, Linda Clifford
, Pattie Brooks
, Cheryl Lynn
, and even Donna Summer
, were at a loss as to how to proceed musically. After releasing one more musically stronger album Close Enough, for Kirshner, which features standout ballads like "Somebody's Angel" and "God Bless You," and the rocker, "Paradise," Dash left Kirshner
for other opportunities.
In 1983, Dash released two dance singles for Megatone Records in San Francisco, both produced by the late Patrick Cowley
. The first, "Low Down Dirty Rhythm" was basically ignored, but the second single "Lucky Tonight" (featuring background vocals by Sylvester), was much more successful, even rising to the #5 spot on Billboard
s Dance Chart, and was even a Billboard "Pick of the Week." Dash was excited about her career again and went on an extensive tour of major U.S. dance clubs. There was supposed to be an album, but because of the untimely death of Cowley, the album was never recorded.
Dash's most experimental musical endeavor was the recording she made on the Rap
record, Satisfaction, for High Fidelity Three in 1985. This single was groundbreaking because it was one of the first (if not the first) rap records that combined a rapper with a vocalist. It was not given much attention at the time, since rap was still in its early stages, but today it is considered a classic, especially with New York DJ
s.
Also during this time, Dash did a great deal of session work for The O'Jays
, Nile Rodgers
of Chic
(duetting on a beautiful ballad with Rodgers, "My Love Song for You" from, The Adventures in the Land of the Good Groove - a collector's item now), The Marshall Tucker Band
, and David Johansen
.
In the later 1980s, she teamed up with musician Dr.York for the duet It's Too Late (for which York even took out ad space on the cover of Billboard
magazine, alas to little success).
Then in 1988 she was signed to Manhattan Records
, (via EMI
) and released the album entitled You're All I Need. This set included a title track duet with Patti Labelle
; a further duet "Don't Make Me Wait" with Ray, Goodman & Brown; and "To Tell You The Truth". The album was overproduced for some reason, and kept Dash's vocals hidden in the background. The outstanding cuts on the CD are "It's Over," where Dash really belts out and makes full use of her vocal range, and the sweet ballad, "After Love." Once again, unluckily, EMI decided not to promote the album, and it was met with only moderate success. Dash has not recorded an album since.
Subsequently, Dash released another unnoticed dance single in 1990, "When You Talk to Me/ Manhandled," with Disc jockey Jellybean Benitez
.
album in 1989. With Richards, she guested on Live At The Hollywood Palladium
in 1988, and Main Offender
, in 1992. In the early 1990s, Sarah developed her own one-woman show, "Dash Of Diva," performing at different club venues
, as well as doing a more jazz-flavored set that resulted in various appearances. In 1995, she reunited with Patti Labelle and Nona Hendryx to record the track "Turn It Out" for the movie soundtrack, "To Woo Fong: Thanks For Everything" garnering a No. 1 dance music hit in the process.
Also in 1988, Dash was asked to add her strong backing vocals to the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels
album, which eventually led to a tour with her old friend Keith Richards
. They became close when Dash was still performing with Patti Labelle and The Blue Bells
, who opened for Stones in the early 1960s. She recorded the duet "Make No Mistake" with him, and she took the lead vocal on "Time Is on My Side
", showcasing her powerful delivery and vocal range
, which, Keith has said in his autobiography, is 'the best version of that song he's ever heard'. She also recorded as lead vocalist for "Rock Awhile". For his next album, Dash wrote and sang another track, "Body Talk". Another highlight during her tour with Richards was her singing the female vocal on "Gimme Shelter
." Dash starts the song with the her silvery "Oohs' and then really cuts loose on her solo in the middle of the song. Another contribution is only available on the Keith Richards song "Eileen", a CD single from his album Main Offender
on the Virgin Records label
. In 1992, Dash added her background vocals on the collaboration between Bo Diddley
and Ronnie Wood's Live at the Ritz
album.
/blues shows in small clubs on the east coast.
Sarah took a break to work on her autobiography, Dash of Diva. She decided with her friend and confidante
the late Pam Johnson scripted excerpts and wrote a musical
with the same title debut at The Cross Roads Theater in New Brunswick.
, for her work and efforts in the underprivileged New York City community, where she raised funds for homeless single women with children
. With her generous time, Dash collected donations and funds she acquired for these mothers and their children which included clothing, toys, books, after-school activities, excursions to amusement parks, theater in the parks, and food.
, having reunited for television a few times over the years and sporadic recordings, recorded in January 2006, a tribute to civil rights leader
Rosa Parks
tentatively titled, "Dear Rosa." In 2008, the long-awaited new album from Labelle
founders; Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx & Sarah Dash, Back to Now
, was released to rave reviews. Dash sings Lead vocals in the group's political song, "System", which featured LaBelle and Hendryx singing side by side to Dash in autotone, resurrecting songs that didn't make the final cut from earlier recordings, including Cole Porter
's composition, "Miss Otis Regrets
" amongst other songs. Dash's voice had taken a while to return after an injury on the New York subway and hospital
ization, but she recovered her voice by the time of the recording. Producers on the project included rock superstar Lenny Kravitz
, hip hop icon Wyclef Jean
, plus legendary classic Philadelphia soul writer/producers Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff.
Dash headlined for a month in the San Francisco Cirque du Soleil
influenced Teatro Zinzanni
and performed at the 2007 Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender parade. She was also busy at work on a gospel album at the time.
Dash was honored by her hometown of Trenton, NJ by being the Grand Marshall in the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade was held on Saturday November 22, 2008. The honor was presented to Dash during a time when her hometown of Trenton is at a point where morale is at an all time low and violent crimes such as murder have reached an all-time high. The hope is that such honors will spark encouragement in the city and show that people from Trenton can reach a measure of success with hard work.
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
. Dash has had a full career, moving from singer, to songwriter, session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, sideman
Sideman
A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform or record with a group of which he or she is not a regular member. They often tour with solo acts as well as bands and jazz ensembles. Sidemen are generally required to be adaptable to many different styles of music, and so able to fit...
for famous bands that include LaBelle
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, and Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
.
Early career
Born in Trenton, New Jersey in 1945, she later moved to Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
in the mid-1950s where she got reacquainted with fellow adopted Philadelphian Nona Hendryx
Nona Hendryx
Nona Hendryx is an American vocalist, producer, songwriter, musician, author, and actress.Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Marmalade." Her music has ranged from soul, funk, dance, and R&B to hard rock, art...
and Philadelphian natives Patricia "Patsy" Holte
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
and Sundray Tucker
Sundray Tucker
Sundray Tucker is an American singer. She is the eldest daughter of the late Ira Tucker and Louise Tucker...
. In 1959, following the break-up of a rival girl group, Hendryx and Dash joined Holte and Tucker in "The Ordettes". In 1961, Tucker was replaced by Philadelphia-born Cindy Birdsong
Cindy Birdsong
Cynthia Ann "Cindy" Birdsong , better known by her stage name, Cindy Birdsong, is an American singer, most famous for singing with the legendary soul groups Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles and The Supremes.-Early life:...
and the quartet
Quartet
In music, a quartet is a method of instrumentation , used to perform a musical composition, and consisting of four parts.-Western art music:...
became The Bluebelles in 1962. The group changed their name again to Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
after Holte was advised to adapt the stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
of Patti Labelle. Among the Bluebelles hits including the doo-wop
Doo-wop
The name Doo-wop is given to a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music that developed in African American communities in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It emerged from New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and...
classic, "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman
I Sold My Heart to the Junkman
"I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" is a 1962 hit single by The Blue Belles, written by Jimmie Thomas. The song is notable for having been originally recorded by another group and conflicting schedules leading the future Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles group to claim the song as their own...
" and doo-wop-esque R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
ballads "You'll Never Walk Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone (song)
"You'll Never Walk Alone" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.In the musical, in the second act, Nettie Fowler, the cousin of the female protagonist Julie Jordan, sings "You'll Never Walk Alone" to comfort and encourage Julie when her husband, Billy Bigelow, the...
" and "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
", the top forty classic, "Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)
Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)
"Down the Aisle " is a doo-wop ballad recorded and released by girl group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles in 1963. The song became a hit success for the Philadelphia-based vocal group following the controversial release of their "debut hit", 1962's "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman".-Background:By...
", the soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
standard "All or Nothing" and their now-legendary rendition of "Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...
", which LaBelle later transformed into a tour-de-force in her 1981 solo cover. Dash sings with a sharp soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
.
Labelle
In 1967, Birdsong left the group to join The SupremesThe Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
and four years later, The Bluebelles changed their name to Labelle and began recording material that set them apart from other girl groups including songs of political, social and sexual matters transforming them into a "hard-rocking, sexually and politically-outspoken group". Much like The Supremes' Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
, Dash was often the "middle" of two of the group's extremes, Nona Hendryx
Nona Hendryx
Nona Hendryx is an American vocalist, producer, songwriter, musician, author, and actress.Hendryx is known for her work as a solo artist as well as for being one-third of the trio Labelle, who had a hit with "Lady Marmalade." Her music has ranged from soul, funk, dance, and R&B to hard rock, art...
and Patti LaBelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, who often had differed in the group's change of direction before LaBelle eventually agreed to "go along with it". After a tour of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where they changed managers hiring Vicki Wickham
Vicki Wickham
Vicki Heather Wickham is an English talent manager, entertainment producer, and songwriter.-Career:She is most known for producing the 60s British television show Ready Steady Go!, and managing well known pop/soul acts Labelle and Dusty Springfield....
, in 1971, the group ditched their bouffant wigs and dresses for Afros
Afros
Afros may refer to*People with an Afro hairstyle, a Panamanian and Cypriot cargo ship in service 1968-71...
and jeans releasing transitional records such as Labelle
Labelle (album)
Labelle is the debut album of American singing trio Labelle, formerly a four-girl group known as Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles. This was Labelle's first release for Warner Bros...
(which included the Hendryx-penned sexual "Morning Much Better") and Moon Shadow
Moon Shadow (Labelle album)
Moon Shadow is the second album by American singing trio Labelle. This release was their second and last album for Warner Bros. Records. The album is notable for their soulful rendition of The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again", the socially conscious "I Believe That I've Finally Made It Home" and the...
(which featured the group's gospel-fueled renditions of the Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
penned, "Won't Get Fooled Again
Won't Get Fooled Again
"Won't Get Fooled Again" is a song by the rock band The Who which was written by Pete Townshend The original version of the song appears as the final track on the album Who's Next...
", and Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens
Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam....
' "Moonshadow").
During this period, the group got notice by the mainstream after opening for blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul
Blue-eyed soul is a media term that was used to describe rhythm and blues and soul music performed by white artists, with a strong pop music influence. The term was first used in the mid-1960s to describe white artists who performed soul and R&B that was similar to the music of the Motown and...
singer-songwriter Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro
Laura Nyro was an American songwriter, singer, and pianist. She achieved considerable critical acclaim with her own recordings, particularly the albums Eli and the Thirteenth Confession and New York Tendaberry, and had commercial success with artists such as Barbra Streisand and The 5th...
and British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
rock group The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
during their tours, leading up to the 1973 release of Pressure Cookin'
Pressure Cookin'
Pressure Cookin is the third album by American singing trio Labelle. This release was their first and only for RCA Records. The release of the album was critically raved due to the songs that songwriter and member Nona Hendryx composed...
, which featured more songwriting from Hendryx and a more unified group effort in which Dash sung co-lead on including the group's memorable ballad, "Can I Speak to You Before You Go to Hollywood?", where Dash sings most of the song with Hendryx singing in the beginning and LaBelle bringing up the rear near the end of the song. Dash was a major vocal force for the group. Dash's strong vocals in the group provided for balance and stability when LaBelle and Hendryx occasionally went off on vocal tangents or were pulling audience members up onto the stage to dance. Dash also functioned as songwriter for several songs. It also marked a political consciousness in the choice of cover songs and lyrics chosen on original compositions. One song, for example, was a medley of psychedelic styled "Something in the Air
Something In The Air (song)
"Something in the Air" is a song recorded by Thunderclap Newman, a band created by Pete Townshend for The Who's former roadie John 'Speedy' Keen who wrote and sang the song, from their only album Hollywood Dream. It was a UK #1 single for three weeks in July 1969...
", a mixture of a Townshend inspired album of songs written by a roadie, John Keen, who had written a track on his band's album, The Who Sell Out
The Who Sell Out
-Track listing:All songs written by Pete Townshend except where noted. The between song jingles apparently have no official titles and are not listed anywhere on the original album packaging, though they are listed in the inner booklet of the 1995 remaster.Side one...
, and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" is a poem and song by Gil Scott-Heron. Scott-Heron first recorded it for his 1970 album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, on which he recited the lyrics, accompanied by congas and bongo drums...
" by African-American activist, Gil Scott-Heron
Gil Scott-Heron
Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron was an American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author known primarily for his work as a spoken word performer in the 1970s and '80s...
.
Despite the group's cult raves
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
of their early material, their critical success didn't translate to commercial acclaim until the releases of 1974's Nightbirds
Nightbirds
Nightbirds is an acclaimed album by the all-female singing group Labelle, released in 1974 on the Epic label. Notable for their biggest hit, the number-one song, "Lady Marmalade", it became the group's most successful album to date.-Background:...
(which featured the group's biggest smash single of their careers, "Lady Marmalade
Lady Marmalade
"Lady Marmalade" was also covered by Italian pop star Sabrina. It was released in 1987 as the album's second single by Baby Records. In some countries, including France and the Netherlands, the song was known as "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi? " and was released in 1988.-Track listings:7" maxi#...
") and 1975's Phoenix
Phoenix (Labelle album)
Phoenix is the fifth album by American rock singing trio Labelle. The album was moderately successful peaking at #44 on the pop charts and #10 on the R&B charts. Only one minor hit was released and that was "Messin With My Mind" which was written by Nona Hendryx...
. Following the release of 1976's Chameleon
Chameleon (Labelle album)
Chameleon is the sixth album by American singing trio Labelle. Though Patti LaBelle's autobiography Don't Block The Blessings revealed that LaBelle planned a follow-up to Chameleon entitled Shaman, the album never materialized. The trio would not release another new recording until 2008's Back to Now...
and a 1977 tour, the group agreed to split after the trio failed to come to terms with material (the group were working on an album titled Shaman when they split) and had finally "rocked and rolled themselves out".
Solo career
In 1978, Dash released her self-titled debut album, which included the discoDisco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
classic, "Sinner Man" and vocals on several stunning ballads, notably "You," and "We're Lovers After All," and "I Can't Believe Someone Like You Could Really Love Me," (with a full gospel choir backing), she also had another minor disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
hit with "(Come and Take) This Candy from Your Baby". Dash enjoyed much success and television and public appearances with "Sinner Man." At this time, she was asked to compose and sing "For The Love of You" (the theme song for the 1980s PBS show Watch Your Mouth
Watch Your Mouth (TV series)
Watch Your Mouth is an American comedy-drama television series which aired on Public Broadcasting Service public television in 1978. The series focused upon Mr. Geeter , a resourceful language skills teacher, and his ethnically diverse group of high schoolers...
) and "Bringing It All Home." She also guest-starred on an episode of the Watch Your Mouth, and played a fictional character
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
, a super diva
Diva
A diva is a celebrated female singer. The term is used to describe a woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, and, by extension, in theatre, cinema and popular music. The meaning of diva is closely related to that of "prima donna"....
with an attitude, "Tessie Bright," to the hilt.
However, on the Kirshner albums, and especially Ooh La La, Sarah Dash, (1980) she was given substandard material to work with, although she wrote "I Feel Good Being Me" for this album. It featured one strong disco track, "Ooh La La, Too Soon," which was used in a Sassoon jeans commercial, and the late Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Linda Hyman was an American soul singer and actress.-Early years:Phyllis Hyman was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the St. Clair Village, the South Hills section of Pittsburgh...
provided backing vocals to the album. But by 1980, disco was dying, and many talented divas such as Dash, Linda Clifford
Linda Clifford
Linda Clifford is an American R&B, disco and house music singer and actress, who scored hits from the 1970s to the 1980s, most notably "If My Friends Could See Me Now", "Bridge over Troubled Water", "Runaway Love" and "Red Light"....
, Pattie Brooks
Pattie Brooks
Pattie Brooks is an American singer most frequently associated with the disco era. She was born in Fort Riley, Kansas to a military family. Her first break came in 1968 when she auditioned for the chorus on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour". In the next decade she became a sought-after backing...
, Cheryl Lynn
Cheryl Lynn
Lynda Cheryl Smith , known better by her professional name Cheryl Lynn, is a female African-American disco, R&B and soul singer known best for her 1978 disco song, "Got to Be Real".-Early career:...
, and even Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
, were at a loss as to how to proceed musically. After releasing one more musically stronger album Close Enough, for Kirshner, which features standout ballads like "Somebody's Angel" and "God Bless You," and the rocker, "Paradise," Dash left Kirshner
Don Kirshner
Don Kirshner , known as "The Man With the Golden Ear", was an American song publisher and rock producer who is best known for managing songwriting talent as well as successful pop groups, such as The Monkees, Kansas and The Archies.-Early life:Don Kirshner was born to Gilbert Kirshner, a tailor,...
for other opportunities.
In 1983, Dash released two dance singles for Megatone Records in San Francisco, both produced by the late Patrick Cowley
Patrick Cowley
Patrick Joseph Cowley was an American disco and Hi-NRG dance music composer and recording artist. He recorded in a style that has drawn comparisons to that of Giorgio Moroder and is often credited with pioneering electronic dance music.-Early life:Patrick Cowley was born in Buffalo, New York to...
. The first, "Low Down Dirty Rhythm" was basically ignored, but the second single "Lucky Tonight" (featuring background vocals by Sylvester), was much more successful, even rising to the #5 spot on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Dance Chart, and was even a Billboard "Pick of the Week." Dash was excited about her career again and went on an extensive tour of major U.S. dance clubs. There was supposed to be an album, but because of the untimely death of Cowley, the album was never recorded.
Dash's most experimental musical endeavor was the recording she made on the Rap
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
record, Satisfaction, for High Fidelity Three in 1985. This single was groundbreaking because it was one of the first (if not the first) rap records that combined a rapper with a vocalist. It was not given much attention at the time, since rap was still in its early stages, but today it is considered a classic, especially with New York DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s.
Also during this time, Dash did a great deal of session work for The O'Jays
The O'Jays
The O'Jays are an American R&B group from Canton, Ohio, formed in 1963 and originally consisting of Eddie Levert , Walter Williams , William Powell , Bobby Massey and Bill Isles. The O'Jays were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004, and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005...
, Nile Rodgers
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers is an American musician, producer, composer, arranger, and guitarist.-Biography:...
of Chic
Chic (band)
Chic was an African American disco and R&B band that was organized during 1976 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards. It is known best for its commercially successful disco songs, including "Dance, Dance, Dance " , "Everybody Dance" , "Le Freak" , "I Want Your Love" , "Good Times"...
(duetting on a beautiful ballad with Rodgers, "My Love Song for You" from, The Adventures in the Land of the Good Groove - a collector's item now), The Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band is an American Southern rock band originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. The band's blend of rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, country, and gospel helped establish the Southern rock genre in the early 1970s...
, and David Johansen
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
.
In the later 1980s, she teamed up with musician Dr.York for the duet It's Too Late (for which York even took out ad space on the cover of Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine, alas to little success).
Then in 1988 she was signed to Manhattan Records
Manhattan Records
Manhattan Records is a United States record label, owned by EMI and operates as a subsidiary of The Blue Note Label Group.-Company history:Manhattan Records was formed in 1984 by Bruce Lundvall, and was later renamed EMI Manhattan Records after absorbing EMI America Records imprint...
, (via EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
) and released the album entitled You're All I Need. This set included a title track duet with Patti Labelle
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
; a further duet "Don't Make Me Wait" with Ray, Goodman & Brown; and "To Tell You The Truth". The album was overproduced for some reason, and kept Dash's vocals hidden in the background. The outstanding cuts on the CD are "It's Over," where Dash really belts out and makes full use of her vocal range, and the sweet ballad, "After Love." Once again, unluckily, EMI decided not to promote the album, and it was met with only moderate success. Dash has not recorded an album since.
Subsequently, Dash released another unnoticed dance single in 1990, "When You Talk to Me/ Manhandled," with Disc jockey Jellybean Benitez
John Benitez
John Benitez, better known as "Jellybean Benitez" is an American drummer, guitarist, songwriter, DJ, remixer and music producer of Puerto Rican descent...
.
Reunited with the Rolling Stones
In 1988, Keith Richards invited Dash by Keith Richards to accompany him on tour: her association with him led to another world tour, a tour with Richards' X-pensive Winos, appearances on two of his albums, and on The Rolling Stones' Steel WheelsSteel Wheels
Steel Wheels is the 19th British and 21st American studio album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1989. Heralded as a major comeback upon its release, the project is notable for the patching up of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' relationship, a reversion to a more classic style of music and...
album in 1989. With Richards, she guested on Live At The Hollywood Palladium
Live at the Hollywood Palladium, December 15, 1988
Live at the Hollywood Palladium, December 15, 1988 is a live album by Keith Richards and was released on 10 December 1991, in the United States and 24 February 1992, in the United Kingdom...
in 1988, and Main Offender
Main Offender
Main Offender is the second studio album by Keith Richards and the last to date. Released in 1992 in between The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge projects, Main Offender remains to date Richards' most recent offering as a solo artist.Regrouping with his group of musician friends known...
, in 1992. In the early 1990s, Sarah developed her own one-woman show, "Dash Of Diva," performing at different club venues
Music venue
A music venue is any location used for a concert or musical performance. Music venues range in size and location, from an outdoor bandshell or bandstand or a concert hall to an indoor sports stadium. Typically, different types of venues host different genres of music...
, as well as doing a more jazz-flavored set that resulted in various appearances. In 1995, she reunited with Patti Labelle and Nona Hendryx to record the track "Turn It Out" for the movie soundtrack, "To Woo Fong: Thanks For Everything" garnering a No. 1 dance music hit in the process.
Also in 1988, Dash was asked to add her strong backing vocals to the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels
Steel Wheels is the 19th British and 21st American studio album by The Rolling Stones and was released in 1989. Heralded as a major comeback upon its release, the project is notable for the patching up of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards' relationship, a reversion to a more classic style of music and...
album, which eventually led to a tour with her old friend Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
. They became close when Dash was still performing with Patti Labelle and The Blue Bells
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, who opened for Stones in the early 1960s. She recorded the duet "Make No Mistake" with him, and she took the lead vocal on "Time Is on My Side
Time Is on My Side
"Time Is on My Side" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy . First recorded by jazz trombonist Kai Winding and his Orchestra in 1963, it was covered by both soul singer Irma Thomas and The Rolling Stones in 1964.-History:Winding session arranger Garry Sherman "Time Is on My Side" is a song written by...
", showcasing her powerful delivery and vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
, which, Keith has said in his autobiography, is 'the best version of that song he's ever heard'. She also recorded as lead vocalist for "Rock Awhile". For his next album, Dash wrote and sang another track, "Body Talk". Another highlight during her tour with Richards was her singing the female vocal on "Gimme Shelter
Gimme Shelter
"Gimme Shelter" is a song by English rock band The Rolling Stones. It first appeared as the opening track on the band's 1969 album Let It Bleed. Although the first word was spelled "Gimmie" on that album, subsequent recordings by the band and other musicians have made "Gimme" the customary spelling...
." Dash starts the song with the her silvery "Oohs' and then really cuts loose on her solo in the middle of the song. Another contribution is only available on the Keith Richards song "Eileen", a CD single from his album Main Offender
Main Offender
Main Offender is the second studio album by Keith Richards and the last to date. Released in 1992 in between The Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels and Voodoo Lounge projects, Main Offender remains to date Richards' most recent offering as a solo artist.Regrouping with his group of musician friends known...
on the Virgin Records label
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. In 1992, Dash added her background vocals on the collaboration between Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley
Ellas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
and Ronnie Wood's Live at the Ritz
Live at the Ritz
Live at the Ritz is a 1988 live album by The Gunslingers . It was a chart hit in Japan peaking at #40 and selling over 11,000 copies...
album.
Later career and Labelle reunion
Lately, Dash has made a few guest appearances on albums, including Temptation and Persuasion's cut "Greener." From time to time, she also does jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
/blues shows in small clubs on the east coast.
Sarah took a break to work on her autobiography, Dash of Diva. She decided with her friend and confidante
Confidante
A confidante is a type of sofa, originally characterized by a triangular seat at each end, so that people could sit at either end of the sofa and be close to the person sitting in the middle...
the late Pam Johnson scripted excerpts and wrote a musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
with the same title debut at The Cross Roads Theater in New Brunswick.
Charity work
Dash received a citation from the deputy Mayor of New York City, Ruth MessingerRuth Messinger
Ruth Wyler Messinger is a former political leader in New York City and a member of the Democratic Party as well as the Democratic Socialists of America. She was the Democratic nominee for Mayor of New York City in 1997, losing to incumbent mayor Rudy Giuliani. She is married to Andrew Lachman, her...
, for her work and efforts in the underprivileged New York City community, where she raised funds for homeless single women with children
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
. With her generous time, Dash collected donations and funds she acquired for these mothers and their children which included clothing, toys, books, after-school activities, excursions to amusement parks, theater in the parks, and food.
Reunited Labelle with a cause
The biggest news for Dash and her fans lately is that LabelleLabelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
, having reunited for television a few times over the years and sporadic recordings, recorded in January 2006, a tribute to civil rights leader
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African-American civil rights activist, whom the U.S. Congress called "the first lady of civil rights", and "the mother of the freedom movement"....
tentatively titled, "Dear Rosa." In 2008, the long-awaited new album from Labelle
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
founders; Patti Labelle, Nona Hendryx & Sarah Dash, Back to Now
Back to Now
Back to Now is the seventh and latest studio album by American R&B female group Labelle, released on October 21, 2008. The album is the group's first in over thirty years though they had sung on songs together on occasion....
, was released to rave reviews. Dash sings Lead vocals in the group's political song, "System", which featured LaBelle and Hendryx singing side by side to Dash in autotone, resurrecting songs that didn't make the final cut from earlier recordings, including Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
's composition, "Miss Otis Regrets
Miss Otis Regrets
"Miss Otis Regrets" is a song by Cole Porter from 1934. It was first performed on stage by Douglas Byng in Hi Diddle Diddle, which opened October 3, 1934 at the Savoy Theatre, London...
" amongst other songs. Dash's voice had taken a while to return after an injury on the New York subway and hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
ization, but she recovered her voice by the time of the recording. Producers on the project included rock superstar Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
, hip hop icon Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician, record producer, and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country...
, plus legendary classic Philadelphia soul writer/producers Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff.
Dash headlined for a month in the San Francisco Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
influenced Teatro Zinzanni
Teatro ZinZanni
Teatro ZinZanni is a circus dinner theater that began in the neighborhood of Lower Queen Anne in Seattle, Washington. It has since expanded to a site on the waterfront at Pier 29 on the San Francisco, California The Embarcadero....
and performed at the 2007 Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Transgender parade. She was also busy at work on a gospel album at the time.
Dash was honored by her hometown of Trenton, NJ by being the Grand Marshall in the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade was held on Saturday November 22, 2008. The honor was presented to Dash during a time when her hometown of Trenton is at a point where morale is at an all time low and violent crimes such as murder have reached an all-time high. The hope is that such honors will spark encouragement in the city and show that people from Trenton can reach a measure of success with hard work.
Albums
- Sarah Dash, 1978, Kirshner Records
- Ooh La La, Sarah Dash, 1980, Kirshner Records
- Close Enough, 1983, Kirshner Records
- You're All I Need, 1988, EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
Singles
- Sinner Man, 1978, Kirshner Records
- (Come and Take This) Candy from Your Baby, 1978, Kirshner
- Ooh La La Too Soon, 1980, Kirshner
- Leaving Again, 1983, Kirshner
- Low Down Dirty Rhythm, 1983, Megatone Records
- Lucky Tonight, 1983, Megatone Records
- Satisfaction (with High Fidelity Three), 1985, Cutting Records
- It's Too Late (with Dr. York), 1985
- Feel Good, 1988, EMIEMIThe EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
- When You Talk to Me, 1990, EMI-Manhattan
Film and television
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club BandSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (film)Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is a 1978 American musical film. Its soundtrack, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, features new versions of songs originally written and performed by The Beatles. The film draws primarily from two of their albums, 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club...
, 1978, MCAMusic Corporation of AmericaMCA, Inc. was an American talent agency. Initially starting in the music business, they would next become a dominant force in the film business, and later expanded into the television business... - Midnight Special, 1978
- Merv Griffin Show, 1978
- Dinah Shore Show, 1978
- Soul Train, 1978
- Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, 1978
- Watch Your Mouth (acting as character 'Tessie Bright'), 1978, PBS
- Soul Train, 1978
Sources
- Lewis, Pete. "Labelle in-depth interview by Pete Lewis, Blues & Soul May 2009" http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/408/3_into_1_does_go/
- Dillinger, Tim. "Interview with Sarah Dash" June 2007. Available: iTunes.
- "Gals Too Big for Broadway." PlanetOut.com http://www.planetout.com/msgbrd/read.html?board=14&id=284985 (2006)
- LaBelle, Patti, with Laura B. Randolph (1996). "Don't Block the Blessings: Revelations of a Lifetime." New York, NY: Riverhead Books. ISBN 1-57322-039-6.
- Pratt, Paul E. "Zinzanni Adds Dash of Diva to 'Ceative Fantasy'" San Fanciso Bay Times. July 5, 2007 http://www.sfbaytimes.com/?sec=article&article_id=6595
- Schaefer, Stephen. "Sarah Dash: RED." Disco World. March 1979, p. 32.
- Taraborrelli, Randy J. "Sarah Dash: The Next Group I Join Will Be Group Health Insurance." Inside Gossip. March 1989, p. 32.
- Teatro Zinzanni website "Bio" May, 2007. Available: http://love.zinzanni.org/cast.htm
- West, Damon. "Sarah Dash: One Hot Lady." In Touch Magazine. June 1990, p. 18.