Joan Elise Sledge (September 13 1956 – March 10 2017) was an American singer‑songwriter and music producer best known as a founding member of the R&B/disco vocal group Sister Sledge. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she began performing with her sisters Debbie, Kim, and Kathy as The Sledge Sisters in 1965; the ensemble later became Sister Sledge in the early 1970s.
Sister Sledge achieved worldwide success after signing with Atlantic Records’ subsidiary Cotillion and collaborating with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic. Their 1979 album We Are Family produced several international hits, including “We Are Family,” “He's the Greatest Dancer,” and “Lost in Music,” on which Joni Sledge sang lead vocals. The group’s follow‑up singles such as “Lost in Music” (remixed in 1984) charted again in the United Kingdom.
In addition to her vocal work, Sledge co‑wrote and co‑produced Sister Sledge’s ninth album African Eyes (1998). She remained active with the group through the 2000s, performing live until a final concert in October 2016.
Outside of music, Sledge studied communications at Temple University and pursued acting, appearing in television series such as The Jeffersons and films including California Girls (1983). She married Thaddeus E. Whyte III in 1992; they divorced in 2000 and had one child.
Joni Sledge died on March 10 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 60. Her contributions to soul, disco, and pop music remain recognized through Sister Sledge’s enduring legacy, particularly the anthem “We Are Family,” which continues to be celebrated for its cultural impact.
