Sharon Hendrix knew she wanted to sing since she was two-years-old when she made her singing debut at church. She has worked with some of the best talent in the business, since she began her career five decades ago, including Bob Dylan, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. She’s also sung backup for Barry Manilow, Olivia Newton-John, and Billy Cobham, among many other well-known performers. Although she had to cut her tour short due to the pandemic, she began focusing her music from an indie musician standpoint, creating contemporary pop music.
With her latest single and music video, she encourages listeners and viewers to handle the highs and lows of life with “Hold On.” The single is from her most recent EP, Fortitude, whose theme centers around perseverance. Sharon sings with conviction as she sings to the camera, and the actors in the music video all support themselves in different ways; dancing, friends, partners, and a helping hand. We had a great conversation with Sharon about her singing and music career, singing with numerous household names, what’s next for her, and her fun music favorites.
I love that you’ve been singing since you were two years old! Do you remember what drew you to music and the desire to sing?
Sharon Hendrix: Thank you! It’s funny but I can’t think of a specific moment that I was drawn to music…it just seemed to be in my bones…in my DNA. There was never a day or a specific age that I said ‘I want to sing, or I’m going to be a singer,’ I just sang everything I heard on the radio or tv, from jingles to all the different artists…I was always singing in church and school…at home…I loved everything musical. Everything! Music just seemed to mesh organically in my soul.
In your five-decade career, WOW, you’ve worked with some iconic musicians like Bob Dylan, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder, and have sung back-up for Barry Manilow and Olivia Newton-John, among many others. What did these experiences teach you about performing and making music in general?
Sharon: For me, there was something to be learned from every artist I was ever fortunate to work for…some good lessons and some bad lessons. But I always loved rehearsals because I would study and watch how each artist worked at perfecting their music and performance and then how they would bring this incredible energy and perfection to their stage performance. There is really something magical and mystical at how each artist could transform every moment that they were on stage into a visual and emotional performance that moved an audience.
Since you had to cut short your tour schedule due to the pandemic, how have you been pursuing your music differently?
Sharon: Well, surprisingly, and thankfully, work showed up in the form of recording sessions with my daughter Jade Hendrix, who is a phenomenal singer/songwriter. We got a lot of calls for session work and it was always so much joy and fun! We love singing together and following all covid-related protocols, we were able to do it safely. Also, we shot the video for “Hold On,” right at the beginning of the pandemic. I also did solo performances at Unity Church in Santa Barbara, which was pure bliss…so it was a pretty decent year for working.
Your latest single “Hold On,” is from your recent EP, Fortitude, whose theme is perseverance. What was the songwriting process like for it, and what was the teamwork like for you and the actors making the video?
Sharon: So, Danny Voss Jr., my producer, and my love wrote the lyrics to “Hold On” about 11 years ago. I wrote the music for it, and a couple of years ago, we collaborated with Aaron Zapeda, who re-wrote the melody and gave it an electronics sound.
What’s next for you throughout 2021?
Sharon: What’s next for me? Well, we have another single we are putting out in the next month or so…beyond that, it’s honestly taking it day by day. My daughter Jade and I have been doing a fair bit of session work. We just finished working on a really great record for the truly phenomenal artist, Henry Dennis and The Fumes of Mars. Norman Arnold produced and it is due to be released in the fall. The title is Remember, and it’s a beautiful record.
Fun Questions
Who was your first concert, and do you have a favorite so far?
Sharon: My very first concert was, believe it or not, an Up With People, concert! In my sophomore year, my friend’s older sister took us to see them at the local college. I loved it! My favorite concert has been a toss-up between a Steely Dan concert and a James Taylor concert; two top favorites.
Which five albums and/or artists would you not want to live without?
Sharon:
Five albums that I would not want to live without.
- Eli and the 13th Confession
- New York Tenderberry
- Christmas and the Beads of Sweat
- Nightmoves
- Extension of a Man
The first three are Laura Nyro albums…the fourth is Kurt Elling and the fifth is Donny Hathaway. My top ten includes the first Stevie Wonder album trilogy from the ’70s—and I’m also a big Oleta Adams fan.
Do you have a guilty music and/or entertainment pleasure?
Sharon: A guilty music or entertainment pleasure…I’m never guilty about my music pleasures…an entertainment pleasure that I really, really feel guilty about is my obsession with playing on-line Solitaire and Toy Blast!
What have you been listening to, reading, and/or watching?
Sharon: In this last year, I’ve really embraced continuing to educate myself. I have taken courses and watched lectures on everything from Economics to Philosophy to Space Travel. I’ve really gotten into studying child welfare and protection in our country and globally. I wanted to get my degree in Social Work when I was younger but music got in the way. I feel like I’ve come full circle in that I have a deep desire to make the world a better place for all children.
Connect with Sharon on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Stream and/or download Sharon’s music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
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