Philadelphia Music Legend Kathy Sledge talks mental health
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- At CBS Philadelphia we are big on family. So is a Philly native, who has been singing about "Family" for most of her life.
Of course, we are talking about Kathy Sledge, of Sister Sledge. Now, she's taking her love of family on a new journey and collaborating with her daughter.
In the spotlight all her life and still performing around the world, most recently in her hometown for Philly Fights Cancer.
Kartalija: What goes through your head when you sing "We Are Family?"
Kathy Sledge: That's a great question. No one's ever asked me that believe it or not. The producers believed in spontaneity. So I was not allowed to hear a note until it was time to record it. To this day, whenever I sing it, I feel a sense of spontaneity. I feel a sense of I know why it worked. It wasn't overrehearsed, it was real.
Kathy Sledge's career has always been centered around family and still is.
Now, her daughter Kristen, works on her production team and the two host a show called "The Family Room."
"We have a mother-daughter variety talk show, nighttime talk show," Kathy Sledge said. "We say fluff your pillow, grab your wine, and turn on IG."
"We wanted to make social media a positive platform for people," Kristen said.
Something they say is crucial when it comes to mental health is being honest and open on social media.
"With social media especially and being able to see how everyone lives and how it can get to us, it's very important we are on top of our mental health," Kristen said. "We get so many messages on a day-to-day basis on how we are helping people and how we have lifted them up from places we didn't even know."
"The community in this room is a place of love and of support," Kathy Sledge said.
Kathy Sledge is also lending her support to a nonprofit supporting creative-based treatment to those battling addiction, mental health, and trauma.
"I did a collaboration with Joe Nicolo who is a founder of Sound Mind Network, we did a whole cover of a stylistic song, 'You Are Everything.' A beautiful rendition, he's so talented," Kathy Sledge said.
Kathy and Kristen say they hope their show is entertaining and truly helps others. They say it's important to be socially savvy but with a limit.
"There is something I do sometimes, I call it post and move," Kathy Sledge said. "I always tell Kristen half the stuff is not real. That's one reason I think Family Room is a huge platform for us." Kathy continued "One thing we really do endorse is that we are real."
Kathy is doing a re-recording of "Thinking Of You" with a special collaboration with a mystery artist. She says to stay tuned.
