Kevin Sharp

Kevin Grant Sharp (December 10, 1970 – April 19, 2014) was an American country music singer, author, and motivational speaker. Sharp made his debut on the country music scene in 1996 with his first single "Nobody Knows", which topped the Billboard country charts for four weeks. The same year, Sharp released his debut album, Measure of a Man.^[1]

Having survived a rare form of bone cancer in his teenage years, Sharp became actively involved in the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He wrote an inspirational book about his life and his fight with cancer, and occasionally toured the United States as a motivational speaker.

Biography

Early years

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 to Sacramento, California,^[2] in 1985. Starting in 1989, he began to experience dizziness and fatigue. While still a high school senior,^[2] he was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.^[3] The cancer had already spread to his lungs and he was given little chance of recovery.^[1][4] Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, Sharp met record producer David Foster, with whom he soon became friends.^[4] After two years of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, when Sharp was still in his early 20s, the cancer went into remission by the early 1990s, although he permanently lost all of his hair as a result of the radiation treatment.^[1][4]

Musical career

After remission, Sharp worked at Great America in Santa Clara, California, while working on a demo tape, which he sent to various talent shows, and later to David Foster.^[1] 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 September 1996. The album's lead-off single, a cover of R&B artist Tony Rich's "Nobody Knows", spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.^[3][5] He became a spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and was awarded the foundation's Wish Granter of the Year award, in 1997.^[5] 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.^[4]

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.^[6] Measure of a Man produced two more top 10 country singles, "She's Sure Taking It Well" and "If You Love Somebody". However, the album's fourth single, "There's Only You", peaked just at No. 43. His second album, Love Is, released in 1998 on Elektra/Asylum, failed to produce any successful singles, and Sharp was eventually dropped from Asylum's roster.^[7] He did not record another album until 2005's Make a Wish, released on the independent Cupit label.

Sharp continued to perform as a musician, as well as a motivational speaker, and was also a spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Sharp wrote an inspirational book, Tragedy's Gift, and published it in 2004.^[4] His third album, Make a Wish, was released on the independent Cupit Records label in 2005, although none of its four singles charted.^[4]

Death

Sharp died on April 19, 2014 at the age of 43 years old due to complications arising from past stomach surgeries and digestive issues.^[8][9]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Music videos

References

External links

• Official website
• Kevin Sharp at the Internet Movie Database