Sharon Redd (October 19, 1945 – May 1, 1992) – Can You Handle It (1980)
The first single from the late great singer's debut LP was this phenomenal dancefloor anthem that hit #5 on dance charts, remixed by François Kevorkian.
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The legendary Sharon Redd was a singer/songwriter who had several dancefloor hits in the early eighties on Prelude Records before her tragic death from AIDS in 1992.
See our earlier post on Redd for more on her musical career.
While Redd was appearing in the Sydney production of Hair, she recorded one side of a single, the superb socially conscious song “Easy To Be Hard.” It went to #32 on the Australian charts in 1969, and was the only one of several singles she released during the late sixties to chart. According to her sister Penny Ford, “this was her very favorite song.”
Redd finally had her next hit when the first single off her 1980 debut LP charted. The phenomenal “Can You Handle It” was co-written and produced by Willie Lester and Rodney Brown, remixed by François Kevorkian, and reached #5 on disco charts and #57 R&B. She appeared on the UK television show Top of the Pops and delivered a truly epic performance to promote the track.
Unfortunately, her follow up single “Love is Gonna Get Ya” (1980) did not chart, despite being another stellar disco-funk anthem. She co-wrote it with songwriters A. Willis and D. Laskey, and it was produced by Lester and Brown.
In 1982, Redd released her second album Redd Hott. That October, all of its cuts hit #1 for one week on dance charts, propelled by what would eventually number four hit singles of which “Never Give You Up” was the masterpiece.
But another standout cut was the superb dancefloor jam “Send Your Love.” Co-written and produced by Darryl Payne and Eric Matthew, it was mixed by François Kevorkian.
Rest in Power, Sharon Redd.
Further info:
“Sharon Redd – 20 Years On…,” stianeriksen.com, March 23, 2012.
#soul #funk #disco #SharonRedd