Dee Dee Sharp

Dee Dee Sharp achieved her greatest success with the debut release she cut for Cameo/Parkway, an outcome that forever cast the Philadelphia vocalist in the role of teen idol because of her chart-topping 1962 single “Mashed Potatoes Time.” Residence in the city that housed Dick Clark’s American Bandstand proved advantageous; between 1962 and 1981 she performed on the nationally syndicated program on repeated occasions. As the first Black female teen idol, Sharp also became a regular participant on Clark’s Caravan of Stars package tours and a recurring presence in the pages of 16 Magazine.

She entered the world as Dione LaRue on September 9, 1945, studied piano as a child, and led choirs at her grandfather’s church as well as at other Philadelphia congregations. When her mother sustained serious injuries in an automobile collision during LaRue’s thirteenth year, the teenager secured employment as a session vocalist, acquiring experience alongside Lloyd Price, Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Bobby Rydell, Jackie Wilson, and Chubby Checker. Fortuitous circumstances elevated her profile when her voice was overdubbed onto Chubby Checker’s “Slow Twistin’” in 1962, transforming the track into a duet. The following day she was booked for her own session, which produced “Mashed Potatoes Time,” instantly establishing seventeen-year-old Dione LaRue as a star. Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe disliked the surname LaRue, so they devised the stage name Dee Dee Sharp—everyone already called her D, and she sang comfortably in the key of D sharp.

Subsequent releases such as “Gravy (For My Mashed Potatoes),” “Ride,” “Do the Bird,” “Wild,” “Willyam, Willyam,” “Never Pick a Pretty Boy,” and the 1965 track “I Really Love You”—her first R&B single—enjoyed modest sales yet failed to replicate the impact of her breakthrough. Cameo continued to market her as a pop artist and enrolled her in modeling and charm classes; she promoted each single on American Bandstand. Sharp and Checker later collaborated on the album Down to Earth, one of nine LPs the label issued under her name, all featuring vividly colored artwork.

Declining sales led her to depart Cameo for Atco/Atlantic Records, where three singles appeared between 1966 and 1968, among them a duet with Ben E. King titled “Whatcha Gonna Do About It.” Recorded largely in Memphis, these sides possessed a tougher edge than her earlier material, but promotional support proved inadequate. Dissatisfied with Atco’s handling, Sharp joined her husband Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff to launch Gamble Records in 1967, which released three of her singles. Two additional tracks surfaced on the duo’s TSOP imprint, including the album Happy ’Bout the Whole Thing. She subsequently joined Philadelphia International Records as Dee Dee Sharp-Gamble, issuing five singles and the duet “Conquer the World Together” with Bunny Sigler (credited as David Sigler).

She also supplied uncredited contributions to numerous Gamble Records productions. By the time her second Philadelphia International album appeared, divorce proceedings with Gamble were underway and concluded in 1980. A more grounded artistic persona surfaced after the Cameo era, yet commercial traction remained elusive. Visibility nevertheless stayed consistent through television appearances, tours, concerts, and club performances that spanned the globe. In addition to her broadcast work, Sharp took on screen roles in Desperately Seeking Susan, Don’t Knock the Twist, Hairspray, Sister Act, and Troop Beverly Hills.