About Kevin Sharp
Hometown
Redding, CA, United States
Born
December 10, 1970
Genre
Country
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. ~ John Bush
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