Kevin Sharp

All Music Guide:

Though Kevin Sharp has come to light in the country field, his music is heavily commercial and could easily fit in several different genres, considering his dance-inspired production, heavy emphasis on ballads, and his cover of the Tony Rich Project's "Nobody Knows."

Born in 1970 in rural northern California, Sharp first hit the stage at age three, performing at church with his musical parents and seven siblings. At age seven, he and his family moved to Weiser, ID -- the home of the National Fiddle Festival -- to begin a restaurant. Learning much about music from the fiddlers who packed Weiser every year for the festival, Sharp sang in local musicals and choral groups while in high school. The family moved back to California in 1985, but he stayed active in music, singing in choral groups and a Sacramento light opera company while excelling at sports as well. He dreamed of a college football scholarship, but began to experience periods of fatigue and dizziness in 1989. The doctors later diagnosed bone cancer, and gave Sharp little chance to recover. After intensive radiation treatments permanently balded him, his prospects began to look even worse. Encouraged by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Sharp asked to meet Los Angeles producer/songwriter David Foster, long an idol of his. The two hit it off well and became fast friends.

After years of treatment, Kevin Sharp finally beat cancer by 1993. He began working at the Great America theme park in Santa Clara, pitching a demo tape to various talent shows in the meantime. With David Foster's name still in his Rolodex, he called the producer and sent him a tape. Foster was at first hesitant to force pity on the young singer, but changed his mind after one song. Sharp was introduced to several country A&R representatives, made another demo, and was signed by Elektra/Asylum in 1995. His debut solo album Measure of a Man was released in November 1996 and hit the Top 20 Country charts. Love Is followed in 1998.

Wikipedia:

Kevin Grant Sharp (born December 10, 1970) is an American country music singer, author, and motivational speaker. Sharp made his debut on the country music scene in 1997 with a cover of R&B artist Tony Rich's single "Nobody Knows", a cover which topped the Billboard country charts for four weeks. Sharp's debut album, Measure of a Man, was released the same year, producing additional Top 5 singles in "If You Love Somebody" and "She's Sure Taking It Well." A second album for Elektra/Asylum, entitled Love Is, was released in 1998, but it produced no Top 40 hits. He did not record another album until 2005's Make a Wish, released on the independent Cupit label.

Having survived a rare form of bone cancer in his teenage years, Sharp has also become actively involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He has also written an inspirational book about his experience, and occasionally tours the United States as a motivational speaker, while maintaining his career in country music.

Biography [edit]

Early years [edit]

Kevin Sharp was born in 1970 in Redding, California. When he was seven years old, his family moved to Weiser, Idaho to open a restaurant. Sharp performed in local musicals in high school, and stayed active in music after his family moved back to California in 1985. Starting in 1989, he began to experience dizziness and fatigue. He was later diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, and given little chance of recovery. Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation (a foundation which helps grant wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses), Sharp met record producer David Foster, with whom he soon became friends. After two years of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, Sharp's cancer went into remission by the early 1990s, although he permanently lost all of his hair as a result of the radiation treatment.

Musical career [edit]

After overcoming his cancer, Sharp worked at an amusement park in Santa Clara, California, while working on a demo tape, which he sent to various talent shows, and later to David Foster. Foster introduced him to A&R representatives, and by 1996, Sharp was signed to Asylum Records. His debut album, Measure of a Man, was released in November 1996. The album's lead-off single, a cover of Tony Rich's "Nobody Knows", spent four weeks at Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. He became a spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and was awarded the foundation's Wish Granter of the Year Award in 1997; in addition, he was named New Touring Artist of the Year by the Country Music Association, and nominated for Top New Male Vocalist by the Academy of Country Music. In 1998, Sharp collapsed backstage at the TNN Music City News Country Awards, and was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery, due to problems with steel rods in his hip. As a result, he had to cancel several tour dates. Measure of a Man produced two more Top 5 country singles in "She's Sure Taking It Well" and "If You Love Somebody". However, the album's fourth single, "There's Only You", peaked at No. 43. His second album, Love Is, also failed to produce any successful singles, and Sharp was eventually dropped from Asylum's roster.

Sharp continues to perform as a musician, as well as a motivational speaker. He is also a spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2004, he wrote an inspirational book, titled Tragedy's Gift. His third album, Make a Wish, was released on the independent Cupit Records label in 2005, although none of its four singles charted.