Sister SledgeJoni Sledge of '70s disco act Sister Sledge has passed away at her home in Arizona on Friday (US time). She was 60.
The act — which she founded with her sisters Debbie, Kim and Kathy Sledge — were perhaps best known for their 1979 Grammy-nominated single, We Are Family.
As Associated Press reports, Sledge had not been ill and her cause of death is not yet known.
The band made a statement on Facebook announcing her passing, writing, "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."
Condolences to the Sledge family have begun to flood in, including from Nile Rodgers who co-wrote and produced We Are Family.
#RIPJoniSledge #WeAreFamily My heartfelt condolences to your family because they are my family too. We did... https://t.co/m6fDmOnFUM
— Nile Rodgers (@nilerodgers) March 12, 2017
We love you Joni. pic.twitter.com/6Zxj6gLoQh
— Sister Sledge (@SisterSledge_) March 12, 2017
Always loved this album cover' #sisterhood @SisterSledge_ Remembering #JoniSledge RIP pic.twitter.com/qKLEP0Nxw8
— Shaun Robinson (@shaunrobinson) March 12, 2017
