# Dee Dee Sharp

Dee Dee Sharp (born Dione LaRue; September 9, 1945) is an American R&B singer.
After beginning her career as a backing vocalist, Sharp had a string of hit records as a solo artist in the 1960s: "Mashed Potato Time" (1962), "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" (1962), "Ride!" (1962), and "Do the Bird" (1963). She later had dance hits with the songs "Share My Love" (1975) and "Breaking and Entering" (1981).

## Life and career
### Early life and education

Sharp began playing the piano from an early age and directed church choirs for her grandfather's and other congregations in her hometown of Philadelphia.
She grew up in North Philadelphia and graduated from Overbrook High School.

### Career

When Sharp was thirteen, her mother suffered a car accident, which spurred her to find a singing job to help support the family while her mother recovered from her injuries. After Sharp promised to keep up with her schooling, she received her grandmother's blessing. Sharp responded to an ad in the daily news for backup singers. Her first job was with Willa Ward Moultrie and was soon singing backup vocals for the likes of Lloyd Price, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon and Jackie Wilson.
According to Sharp, Chubby Checker discovered her. When she was providing backing vocals during one of his recording sessions, he suggested her to Bernie Lowe, head of Cameo-Parkway Records. After she sang with Checker on his hit single "Slow Twistin'," (1962) Lowe was keen to make her a solo artist. She was later asked to accompany Checker as his opening act when he was scheduled to appear at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair.
In 1962, she was signed by Cameo-Parkway and was re-christened Dee Dee Sharp by producers Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe. At the time, her brother called her "Dee" and since she sang in "D sharp" she was given this new identity. She produced a string of successful Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits: Mashed Potato Time" (#2), "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" (#9), "Ride!" (#5) and "Do the Bird" (#10). Both "Mashed Potato Time" and "Ride!" each sold over one million copies, and were awarded gold discs. "Do the Bird" provided her only entry in the UK Singles Chart, where it peaked at #46 in April 1963.
From 1962 to 1981 she appeared several times on American Bandstand, the ABC Television Network music-performance and dance series hosted by Dick Clark. She was also a regular feature on Clark's Caravan of Stars tours. In 1965 Sharp performed the jazz song "Steady, Steady" on the Ed Sullivan show. Unhappy with record sales, she switched to Atco/Atlantic Records in 1966.
In 1967, Sharp married Kenny Gamble of the songwriting and production duo Gamble & Huff. Sharp recorded for Gamble Records and Philadelphia International, and she worked with Gamble & Huff behind the scene at various iterations of TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) Records.
As Dee Dee Sharp Gamble, she had a career resurgence during the disco era and hit the charts again with her version of 10 CC's "I'm Not In Love." She also joined Lou Rawls, Billy Paul, Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays and Archie Bell as a member of the Philadelphia International All Stars, who 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.
In 1992, Sharp's 1962 hit "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" was featured in a scene in the American movie comedy Sister Act which starred Whoopi Goldberg. It was also included as part of the film's soundtrack album. More recent appearances included a performance at Pontins in the UK for the Northern Soul Show, and at the 2008 Detroit Jazz Festival. In May 2009, she appeared in Belgium at the Salle De L'Hotel de Ville.

## Personal life

In a documentary film, Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story (1996), Sharp revealed that she was engaged to boxer Muhammad Ali in 1964. After defeating Sonny Liston for the heavyweight title in Miami, Ali proposed to her, but he insisted on consulting Malcolm X before making any final plans. Sharp was allegedly told by Malcolm X that they could only get married if she agreed to become a black Muslim. Sharp's mother called off the engagement when she learned of the conversion requirement.
Sharp was married to Kenny Gamble from 1967 to 1980, during which time she was known as Dee Dee Sharp Gamble.
Sharp and her husband Bill Witherspoon reside in Medford, New Jersey.

## Awards

On November 9, 2013, the prestigious Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award was bestowed upon Sharp by the Artists Music Guild. Sharp thought she was in attendance to bestow the honor upon her longtime friend, Chubby Checker when she was surprised with her own honors. The Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to five artists every year by the Guild.

## Discography

Dee Dee Sharp has released 9 studio albums and 14 compilation albums.

### Studio albums

| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Year | Album | US | US R&B |
| 1962 | It's Mashed Potato Time | 44 | — |
| 1962 | Songs of Faith | — | — |
| 1962 | Down to Earth (with Chubby Checker) | 117 | — |
| 1963 | Do the Bird | — | — |
| 1963 | Down Memory Lane | — | — |
| 1963 | Wild | — | — |
| 1975 | Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing | — | 48 |
| 1977 | What Color Is Love (as Dee Dee Sharp Gamble, in association with Kenneth Gamble) | — | — |
| 1980 | Dee Dee | — | 59 |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. ||||

### Compilation albums

* 1963: 18 Golden Hits
* 1963: All the Hits
* 1963: Biggest Hits
* 1979: Cameo-Parkway Sessions
* 1993: All the Hits & More
* 1995: All the Golden Hits
* 1998: What Color Is Love / Dee Dee
* 2004: Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Dee Dee Sharp – Bobby Rydell & Chubby Checker and Down to Earth
* 2005: Best of Dee Dee Sharp 1962–1966
* 2006: Sharp Goes Wild
* 2010: It's Mashed Potato Time / Do the Bird
* 2010: Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing + What Color Is Love + Dee Dee
* 2015: Hurry On Down, It's Mashed Potato Time
* 2020: The Queen of Rhythm & Blues

### Singles

| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated | Label and number | Chart positions | Chart positions | Chart positions | Chart positions | Chart positions | Album *Wyncote label compilations of various Cameo-Parkway artists |
| Year | Single (A-side, B-side) Both sides from same album except where indicated | Label and number | US | US R&B | US Dance | CAN | UK | Album *Wyncote label compilations of various Cameo-Parkway artists |
| 1962 | "Mashed Potato Time" b/w "Set My Heart at Ease" (Non-album track) | Cameo 212 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | — | It's Mashed Potato Time |
| 1962 | "Slow Twistin'" (Chubby Checker & Dee Dee Sharp) b/w "La Paloma Twist" (by Chubby Checker, non-album track) | Parkway 835 | 3 | 3 | — | 18 | — | It's Mashed Potato Time |
| 1962 | "Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes)" b/w "Baby Cakes" (Non-album track) | Cameo 219 | 9 | 11 | — | 12 | — | It's Mashed Potato Time |
| 1962 | "Ride!" b/w "The Night" (Non-album track) | Cameo 230 | 5 | 7 | — | 15 | — | All the Hits by Dee Dee Sharp Volume II |
| 1963 | "Do the Bird" b/w "Lover Boy" (from Hullabaloo with the Stars*) | Cameo 244 | 10 | 8 | — | 32 | 46 | Do the Bird |
| 1963 | "Rock Me in the Cradle of Love" b/w "You'll Never Be Mine" (from Hullabaloo with the Stars*) | Cameo 260 | 43 | — | — | 36 | — | Biggest Hits |
| 1963 | "Wild!" b/w "Why Doncha Ask Me?" (from Do the Bird) | Cameo 274 | 33 | 25 | — | 27 | — | All the Hits with All the Stars* |
| 1964 | "Where Did I Go Wrong" / | Cameo 296 | 82 | — | — | — | — | Shindig with the Stars* |
| 1964 | "Willyam, Willyam" | Cameo 296 | 97 | — | — | — | — | Hullabaloo with the Stars Vol. 2* |
| 1964 | "Never Pick a Pretty Boy" b/w "He's No Ordinary Guy" (Non-album track) | Cameo 329 | — | — | — | — | — | Hits a Go-Go with the Stars* |
| 1964 | "Deep Dark Secret" b/w "Good" | Cameo 335 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1964 | "To Know Him Is to Love Him" b/w "There Ain't Nothin' I Wouldn't Do for You" | Cameo 347 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1965 | "Let's Twine" b/w "(That's What) My Mama Said" | Cameo 357 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1965 | "I Really Love You" b/w "Standing in the Need of Love" | Cameo 375 | 78 | 37 | — | 28 | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1966 | "(It's Wonderful) The Love I Feel for You" b/w "Willyam, Willyam" | Fairmount 1004 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1966 | "It's a Funny Situation" b/w "There Ain't Nothin' I Wouldn't Do for You" | Cameo 382 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1966 | "My Best Friend's Man" b/w "Bye Bye Baby" | Atco 6445 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1967 | "What Am I Gonna Do" b/w "(Heart and Soul) Baby I Love You" | Atco 6502 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1968 | "We Got a Thing Going On" b/w "What 'Cha Gonna Do About It" Both tracks: Ben E. King & Dee Dee Sharp | Atco 6557 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1968 | "A Woman Will Do Wrong" b/w "You're Just a Fool in Love" | Atco 6576 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1968 | "Help Me Find My Groove" b/w "This Love Won't Run Out" | Atco 6587 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1968 | "What Kind of Lady" b/w "You're Gonna Miss Me (When I'm Gone)" | Gamble 219 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1970 | "The Bottle or Me" b/w "You're Gonna Miss Me (When I'm Gone)" | Gamble 4005 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1971 | "Conquer the World" b/w "We Got a Thing Going On" Both sides: Dee Dee Sharp Gamble with Bunny Sigler | Philadelphia International 3512 | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album tracks |
| 1974 | "Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing" b/w "Touch My Life" | TSOP 4776 | — | — | — | — | — | Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing |
| 1975 | "Share My Love" | Album cut | — | — | 6 | — | — | Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing |
| 1976 | "I'm Not in Love" b/w "Make It Till Tomorrow" | TSOP 4778 | — | 62 | — | — | — | Happy 'Bout the Whole Thing |
| 1977 | "Nobody Could Take Your Place" b/w "Flashback" | Philadelphia International 3625 | — | — | — | — | — | What Color Is Love |
| 1977 | "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight" b/w "What Color Is Love" | Philadelphia International 3636 | — | — | — | — | — | What Color Is Love |
| 1978 | "Just as Long as I Know You're Mine" b/w "I Believe in Love" | Philadelphia International 3638 | — | — | — | — | — | What Color Is Love |
| 1978 | "I Wanna Be Your Woman" b/w "Trying to Get the Feeling Again" | Philadelphia International 3644 | — | — | — | — | — | What Color Is Love |
| 1981 | "Easy Money" b/w "I Love You Anyway" | Philadelphia International 70058 | — | — | — | — | — | Dee Dee |
| 1981 | "Breaking and Entering" | Philadelphia International 02041 | — | — | 1 | — | — | Dee Dee |
| 1981 | "I Love You Anyway" | Philadelphia International 02041 | — | 79 | — | — | — | Dee Dee |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. |||||||||