Sarah Dash
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Sarah Dash (born August 18, 1945, in Trenton, New Jersey, USA) is a singer and actress. Her first notable appearance on the music scene was as a member of Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles.
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[edit] Career
Dash sang lead vocal occasionally on "Danny Boy," a major hit for the group, and her version can be heard on the Dreamer album. The BlueBelles management was taken over in 1970 by Vicki Wickham who then transformed the group into a hard rocking, politically outspoken trio Labelle. Dash was a major vocal force for the group. Dash's strong vocals in the group provided for balance and stability when Patti LaBelle and Nona Hendryx occasionally went off on vocal tangents or were pulling audience members up onto the stage to dance. Dash also wrote two songs for the group.
In 1976, when Labelle had finally "rocked and rolled themselves out," Dash's debut, self titled album (1978), featured the classic disco anthem; "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). 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, but by 1980, disco was dead, 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 DJs.
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 D.J. "Jellybean" Benitez.
On a much higher note (no pun intended), asked to add her strong background vocals to the Rolling Stones' Steel Wheels album, which eventually led to a tour with her old friend Keith Richards and The x-pensive Winos in the 1990s. They became close when Patti Labelleand The Blue Bells opened for Stones in the early 60s. She recorded the duet "Make No Mistake" with him, and she took the lead vocal on "Time Is on My Side", which, Keith has said in his autobiography, is 'the best version of that song he's ever heard'. She also recorded lead vocals for "Rock Awhile". For his next album, Dash wrote and sang another track, "Body Talk." Another highlight during her tour with Keith 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. It is only available on the Keith Richards "Eileen" CD single from Virgin Records. In 1992, Dash added her background vocals to Ron Wood's Live at The Ritz album.
Lately, Dash has made a few guest appearances on albums, including Temptation and Persuasion's cut "Greener." From time to time, she also does jazz/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.
Dash received a citation from the deputy Mayor of New York City, Ruth Messenger, for her work and efforts in the underpriveliged New York City community, where she raised funds for homeless single women with children. With her unselfish and generous time, Dash's collected donations and funds she acquired for these mothers and their children included clothing, toys, books, after-school activities, excursions to amusement parks, theater in the parks, and most important of all extra food.
The biggest news for Dash and her fans lately is that Labelle, having reunited for television a few times over the years and sporadic recordings, have recorded (January 2006, release date to be determined) a tribute to civil rights leader Rosa Parks entitled "Dear Rosa." There is also talk of a new album and possibly a tour.
In addition, Dash is signed to co-star with the legendary Martha Wash on Broadway in the musical "Gals Too Big for Broadway," a story about three larger-than-life divas who teach a young uppity diva, "Thin may be in" but "big things come in BIG packages!" The show was scheduled to run in 2006, but has been postponed.
[edit] Discography
[edit] 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, EMI
[edit] 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, EMI
- When You Talk to Me, 1990, EMI-Manhattan
[edit] Film / Television
Solo Appearances:
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band, 1978, MCA
- 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 - TV
- Soul Train, 1978
[edit] Sources
- "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.
- 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.
- West, Damon. "Sarah Dash: One Hot Lady." In Touch Magazine. June 1990, p. 18.
