Kathy also said that the tension between she and her sisters took an even greater turn for the worse when they slapped her with a lawsuit in 2013:

Kathy Sledge: “They tried to make it so that I wasn’t allowed to say I’m of Sister Sledge or from Sister Sledge. They thought it was a conflict.”

After spending a whopping $80,000 on the legal process, they settled the suit out of court.

Kathy revealed at the time of her 2015 interview that she wasn’t speak to her sisters and she didn’t even see them on Christmas, which apparently used to be a definite time they would all come together. There’s more though…

As recently as July 2016, Kathy revealed this about the tension:

Via Eurweb: “One of the challenges that I had with my own sisters was it got to a place where they told me I couldn’t be the lead singer anymore, even though that’s how people liked it. […] It’s common knowledge that I don’t perform with my sisters anymore,” said Sledge[…] “However, I would like to say that I’m not fighting with my sisters. If anything, I do want to take part in the legendary brand that I helped build. […] However, at the end of the day, nothing can ever change that I was a part of ‘Sister Sledge. I would like to think in our case, we’re coming to a healing.”

Kathy Reveals Whether Or Not She & Joni Made Peace Before Her Passing

Days after Joni Sledge’s passing, Kathy took to Facebook to pay a touching tribute to her sister, whom she loved dearly, despite their disagreements. The best part of it all is that they were in fact able to finally forgive each other and be sisters again, before Joni passed away. Read Kathy’s message below:

Kathy Sledge: Sorrowfully 💔 Yesterday, numbness fell upon our family. Pray for us as we weep for the loss of our sister, mother, aunt, niece and cousin Joni Sledge. We thank you for privacy as we hurt for her presence, but also for embracing her radiance and the sincerity with which she loved life. The Sledge Family

❤ My sister and I were blessed to be able to see each other and put any differences behind us and love on each other as sisters. God is Merciful.
Thank you for your heartfelt condolences.

A beautiful ending to such an unfortunately tragic situation. Rest well Joni Sledge.