On This Day in 1997, Kevin Sharp Was at No. 1 With a Cover of an R&B Hit After Beating Bone Cancer

On this day (January 22) in 1997, Kevin Sharp was at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with his debut single “Nobody Knows”. The song spent four consecutive weeks at the top of the tally.

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When Sharp was only 19, he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer. Doctors gave him a grim prognosis, doubting he would recover. As a result, he entered the Make-A-Wish program. Part of his wish was to meet Grammy-winning producer David Foster. According to Sharp’s website, the two became friends.

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After two years of treatment, Sharp’s cancer went into remission. Not long after that, he recorded a demo tape that he sent to several talent competitions. Then, he sent it to Foster, who put him in touch with an A&R rep. Soon, he inked a deal with Asylum Records and began work on his debut album, Measure Of A Man. The album peaked at No. 4 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Kevin Sharp Turns an R&B Hit Into Country Gold

Joe Rich co-wrote “Nobody Knows” with Don DuBose. R&B singer Tony Rich released it in November 1995 as the lead single from his 1996 debut album Words. It was a success, peaking at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and the Adult Contemporary charts. It also reached the Top 10 in several countries, making Rich an international success.

Kevin Sharp released his version to positive reviews and chart success in September 1996. It topped the country charts in the United States and Canada. Moreover, it helped Sharp catch the attention of country music fans everywhere.

While he never replicated the success of “Nobody Knows” or Measure Of A Man, he continued to record and release music. He dropped two more albums–Love Is (1998) and Make A Wish (2005). Sharp also scored two more Top 10 singles.

Sharp was honored with the Wishgranter of the Year Award by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He also became a spokesperson for the foundation. Moreover, “To date, Kevin is the only wish child to become the wish request of other wish kids, making his wish experience come full circle,” per his website.

So, Kevin Sharp may be considered a one-hit wonder by some. But he made a bigger impact than most will ever know before his passing in 2014.

Featured Image by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images