View source for Kevin Sharp

{{short description|American country music singer, author, and motivational speaker (1970-2014)}}
{{other people}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image               = 
| name                = Kevin Sharp
| birth_name          = Kevin Grant Sharp
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1970|12|10|mf=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Redding, California]], U.S.
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2014|4|19|1970|12|10|mf=y}}
| death_place         = [[Fair Oaks, California]], U.S.
| instrument          = Vocals
| genre               = [[country music|Country]]
| years_active        = 1996–2014
| occupation = singer, author, motivational speaker
| label               = [[Asylum Records|Asylum]], Cupit}}
'''Kevin Grant Sharp''' (December 10, 1970 – April 19, 2014)<ref name="obi tennessean">{{cite web|url=https://eu.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2014/04/20/country-singer-kevin-sharp-dies/7942003/|title=Country singer Kevin Sharp dies at 43|last=Cooper|first=Peter|date=|accessdate=August 14, 2022|website=eu.tennessean.com}}</ref><ref name="obi LATimes">{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-xpm-2014-apr-21-la-et-ms-kevin-sharp-country-music-obituary-cancer-20140421-story.html|title=Kevin Sharp, '90s country singer who beat teen cancer, dies at 43|last=|first=|date=April 21, 2014|accessdate=August 14, 2022|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> was an American [[country music]] singer, author, and motivational speaker. Sharp came on the country music scene in 1996 with his first single: a cover of [[Tony Rich]]'s "[[Nobody Knows (Tony Rich song)|Nobody Knows]]", which topped the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' country chart for four weeks. The same year, Sharp released his first album, ''Measure of a Man''. Having survived a 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. Sharp died from complications of stomach surgery in April 2014.

==Biography==

===Early years===
Kevin Grant Sharp was born December 10, 1970, in [[Redding, California]].<ref name="allmusic">[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/kevin-sharp-mn0000087581/biography Kevin Sharp biography], ''allmusic.com''. Accessed April 27, 2014.</ref> 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]],<ref name=latimes>{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-kevin-sharp-country-music-obituary-cancer-20140421-story.html|title=Kevin Sharp, '90s country singer who beat teen cancer, dies at 43|date=April 21, 2014|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref> in 1985. Starting in 1989, he began to experience dizziness and fatigue.<ref name=latimes/> He was diagnosed with [[Ewing's sarcoma]], a rare form of [[bone tumor|bone cancer]],<ref name="cmt1">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070426164538/http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1473372/20030626/kevin_sharp.jhtml CMT.com: Kevin Sharp: Leave It To Mr. Fix It Kevin Sharp]</ref> and was given little chance of recovery.<ref name="allmusic"/><ref name="sharp1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.sharpbook.com/about.html |title=Tragedy's Gift - A Cancer Survival Story - Kevin Sharp |access-date=2007-06-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426000541/http://www.sharpbook.com/about.html |archive-date=2014-04-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses, Sharp met the record producer [[David Foster]], with whom he soon became friends.<ref name="sharp1"/> After two years of [[chemotherapy]] and [[radiation treatment]], when 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.<ref name="allmusic"/><ref name="sharp1"/> In high school, Sharp played football and basketball, but was unable to participate in either sport during his senior year because of his cancer.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2014/04/20/kevin-sharp-dead/7944187/ Country singer Kevin Sharp dies at 43 <!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The doctors eventually discovered that the cancer had spread to his lungs.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/20/showbiz/kevin-sharp-dead/index.html Country singer Kevin Sharp dies <!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Kevin Sharp was a member of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].<ref>[http://famousmormons.net/mormon-entertainment/famous-mormon-musicians/kevin-sharp/ Kevin Sharp <!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Kevin Sharp graduated from [[Bella Vista High School]].<ref>[http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/obituaries/article2596495.html Obituary: Fair Oaks’ Kevin Sharp, 43, battled cancer to thrive in country music <!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

===Musical career===
After remission, Sharp worked at [[California's Great America|Great America]] in [[Santa Clara, California]], while working on a demo tape, which he sent to various talent shows, and later to David Foster.<ref name="allmusic"/> Foster introduced him to [[A&R]] representatives and, by 1996, Sharp was signed to [[Asylum Records]]. His first album, ''Measure of a Man'', was released in September 1996. The album's first single, a cover version of the [[rhythm and blues|R&B]] artist [[Tony Rich]]'s "Nobody Knows", spent four weeks at number one on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Hot Country Singles & Tracks]] chart.<ref name="cmt1"/><ref name="wish1">[http://www.wish.org/supporters/wish_granting_stars/kevin_sharp Make-A-Wish Foundation: Supporters: Wish-Granting Stars]</ref> He became a spokesperson for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and was awarded the foundation's Wish Granter of the Year award, in 1997.<ref name="wish1"/> He was named New Touring Artist of the Year by the [[Country Music Association]] and nominated for Top New Male Vocalist award by the [[Academy of Country Music]].<ref name="sharp1"/>

In 1998, Sharp collapsed backstage at the [[Spike TV|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.<ref name="cmt2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20070930041148/http://www.cmt.com/artists/news/1475130/20030731/kevin_sharp.jhtml Kevin Sharp: Sharper Than Ever]</ref> ''Measure of a Man'' produced two more top 10 country singles, "[[She's Sure Taking It Well]]" and "[[If You Love Somebody]]". The album's fourth single, "There's Only You", peaked at No.&nbsp;43. His second album, ''Love Is'', released in 1998 on Asylum, failed to produce any successful singles, and Sharp was dropped from Asylum's roster.<ref name="cmtdeath">[https://web.archive.org/web/20140424083509/http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1726478/kevin-sharp-hitmaker-of-the-90s-dies-at-age-43.jhtml Notice of death of Kevin Sharp], cmt.com; accessed April 27, 2014.</ref>

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 a book, ''Tragedy's Gift'', and published it in 2004.<ref name="sharp1"/> His third album, ''Make a Wish'', was released on the independent Cupit Records label in 2005, although none of its four singles charted.<ref name="sharp1"/>

==Death==
Sharp died on April 19, 2014, at the age of 43, of complications from stomach surgeries and digestive issues.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/6062700/country-singer-kevin-sharp-dies-at-43|author=Chuck Dauphin|title=Country Singer Kevin Sharp Dies at 43|magazine=Billboard|date=April 20, 2014|access-date=April 22, 2014}}<br>- {{cite web|title=Nobody Knows singer Kevin Sharp dies at 43|url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2014/04/nobody-knows-singer-kevin-sharp-dies-at-43|work=biharprabha.com|date=April 21, 2014|author=IANS|access-date=February 4, 2017}}</ref> He was survived by his mother Elaine Sharp, his ex-wife Traci Williams Sharp, and his siblings Lisa, Mary, Ron, Greg, Richard, Larry, and Genni.<ref>[http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/kevin-sharp-obituary?pid=170727727 Kevin Sharp <!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Kevin was preceded in death by his father, Glen Sharp, in 2009. Sharp never re-married.

==Discography==

===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Title
! rowspan="2" style="width:20em;"| Album details
! colspan="5"| Peak positions
! rowspan="2"| Certifications
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="40"| [[Top Country Albums|US Country]]<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kevin-sharp/chart-history/clp/|title=Kevin Sharp Chart History - Country Albums|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref>
! width="40"| [[Billboard 200|US]]<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kevin-sharp/chart-history/tlp/|title=Kevin Sharp Chart History - Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref>
! width="40"| [[Top Heatseekers|US Heat]]<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kevin-sharp/chart-history/tln/|title=Kevin Sharp Chart History - Heatseekers Albums|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref>
! width="40"| [[RPM (magazine)|CAN Country]]<br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Kevin+Sharp&ChartEn=Country+Albums%2fCDs&|title=Kevin Sharp - Country Albums/CDs|work=[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]|date=17 July 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref>
! width="40"| [[RPM (magazine)|CAN]]<br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Kevin+Sharp&ChartEn=Top+Albums%2fCDs&|title=Kevin Sharp - Top Albums/CDs|work=RPM|date=17 July 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref>
|- 
! scope="row"| ''[[Measure of a Man (Kevin Sharp album)|Measure of a Man]]''
| 
* Release date: September 24, 1996
* Label: [[Asylum Records]]
| 4
| 40
| 1
| 2
| 79
| align="left"| 
* [[Music Canada|CAN]]: Platinum{{Certification Cite Ref|region=Canada|type=albums|title=Measure of a Man|artist=Kevin Sharp}}
* [[Recording Industry Association of America|US]]: 2× Platinum{{Certification Cite Ref|region=United States|type=album|title=Measure of a Man|artist=Kevin Sharp}}
|- 
! scope="row"| ''[[Love Is (Kevin Sharp album)|Love Is]]''
| 
* Release date: June 23, 1998
* Label: Asylum Records
| 38
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 
|-
! scope="row"| ''Make a Wish''
| 
* Release date: July 26, 2005
* Label: Cupit Records
| —
| —
| —
| —
| —
| 
|-
| colspan="8" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart
|-
|}

===Singles===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Single
! colspan="2"| Peak positions
! rowspan="2"| Album
|- style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="40"| [[Hot Country Songs|US Country]]<br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/kevin-sharp/chart-history/csi/|title=Kevin Sharp Chart History - Country Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref>
! width="40"| [[RPM (magazine)|CAN Country]]<br><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/list.aspx?OCRText=Kevin+Sharp&ChartEn=Country+Singles&|title=Kevin Sharp - Country Singles|work=RPM|date=17 July 2013 |access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref>
|- 
| 1996
! scope="row"| "[[Nobody Knows (Tony Rich song)#Kevin Sharp version|Nobody Knows]]"
| 1
| 1
| align="left" rowspan="4"| ''Measure of a Man''
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1997
! scope="row"| "[[She's Sure Taking It Well]]"
| 3
| 4
|-
! scope="row"| "[[If You Love Somebody]]"
| 4
| 7
|-
! scope="row"| "There's Only You"
| 43
| —
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1998
! scope="row"| "Love Is All That Really Matters"
| 51
| 63
| {{n/a}}
|-
! scope="row"| "If She Only Knew"
| 61
| —
| align="left"| ''Love Is''
|-
| 2001
! scope="row"| "Beautiful People"
| —
| —
| {{n/a}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2005
! scope="row"| "Your Love Reaches Me"
| —
| —
| align="left" rowspan="3"| ''Make a Wish''
|-
! scope="row"| "I Think I'll Stay"
| —
| —
|-
|rowspan=2| 2006
! scope="row"| "You Are the Reason Why"
| —
| —
|-
! scope="row"|"God Bless the Children" {{small|(with Wayne Warner and the Nashville All-Star Choir)}}<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.waynewarner.com/photos/gbtc/choir.html | title=Nashville All Star Choir | work=Wayne Warner | access-date=November 28, 2019}}</ref>
| —
| —
| ''Turbo Twang'n''
|-
| 2007
! scope="row"| "Make a Wish"
| —
| —

| align="left" rowspan="2"| ''Make a Wish''
|-
| 2011
! scope="row"| "Let Me Rock You to Sleep"
| —
| —
|-
| colspan="5" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart
|-
|}

===Music videos===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! Year
! style="width:16em;"| Video
! Director
|-
| 1996
! scope="row"| "Nobody Knows"
| Jeffrey Phillips
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1997
! scope="row"| "She's Sure Taking It Well"
| rowspan="3"| Norry Niven
|-
! scope="row"| "There's Only You"
|-
| 1998
! scope="row"| "Love Is All That Really Matters"
|-
| 2005
! scope="row"| "I Think I'll Stay"
| David Abbott
|-
| 2006
! scope="row"| "You Are the Reason Why"
| Chris Rogers
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Organization
!Award
!Nominee/Work
!Result
|-
|1997
|[[Academy of Country Music Awards]]
|[[Academy of Country Music Award for New Male Artist of the Year|Top New Male Vocalist]]
|Kevin Sharp
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=2|1998
|[[American Music Awards]]
|[[American Music Award for Favorite Country New Artist|Favorite Country New Artist]]
|Kevin Sharp
|{{nom}}
|-
|TNN/Music City News Country Awards
|Male Star of Tomorrow
|Kevin Sharp
|{{nom}}
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0789085}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sharp, Kevin}}
[[Category:1970 births]]
[[Category:2014 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American country singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American motivational speakers]]
[[Category:Asylum Records artists]]
[[Category:Country musicians from California]]
[[Category:Country musicians from Idaho]]
[[Category:People from Redding, California]]
[[Category:People from Weiser, Idaho]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from California]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:American Latter Day Saints]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Idaho]]