ILOSM family we have very sad news to share. Joni Sledge, one of the founding members of the legendary soul group, Sister Sledge has suddenly passed away at the age of 60.

According to NBC News, ‘Sledge was found dead in her home by a friend in Phoenix, Arizona, on Friday, the band’s publicist, Biff Warren, said. A cause of death has not been determined. He said she had not been ill.’

Family’s Statement About Joni Sledge’s Passing

Joni’s sisters/Sister Sledge members released the following statement about her death on Facebook…

Important Announcement: Yesterday, numbness fell upon our family. We are saddened to inform you that our dear sister, mother, aunt, niece and cousin, Joni passed away yesterday. Please pray for us as we weep for this loss. We do know that she is now eternally with Our Lord.
We thank you in advance for allowing us the privacy to mourn quietly as a family. We miss her and hurt for her presence, her radiance, and the sincerity with which she loved & embraced life. We love you & God Bless You all. -The Sledge Family

Joni was still very actively performing with her sisters up until the time of her death. From the outside looking in, she seemed to be healthy whenever she would dance and sing in concert. But looks can be deceiving. But at this point, there has been no word on what her cause of death was, but we will keep you posted.

Our sincerest condolences go out to Sister Sledge and their family at this tragic time. May Joni Sledge rest peacefully after a remarkable job done here on earth.

Join us in celebrating Joni with some classic Sister Sledge songs that she and her sisters lived for and enjoyed performing to this day…

“We Are Family”

“He’s The Greatest Dancer”

“Thinking Of You”

A Little Sister Sledge History

Sister Sledge is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim and Kathy Sledge. Symbolizing strong family values, the siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era.

The year 1979 saw the release of their breakthrough album We Are Family, which peaked at number three on the US Album Chart and went Platinum. The album included the 1979 single “We Are Family” which reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and earned them a Grammy Award nomination, together with two other 1979 top 20 international hits “He’s the Greatest Dancer” and “Lost in Music”.

Their other US hits include a 1982 cover of “My Guy”, and other international hits include “Mama Never Told Me” (1975), “Thinking of You” (1984), before reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart with the song “Frankie” in 1985. Remixed versions of three of their singles in 1993 returned them to the UK Top 20.