Sharon Jones is a whirlwind performer. In concert, the energetic soul singer is known for whipping her braids across her face and darting about the stage while her backing band, the Dap-Kings, swings in the shadows. But Jones’s braids are gone now. After the 57-year-old was diagnosed last year with bile duct cancer, chemotherapy claimed her locks.
“Give The People What They Want,” her sixth album with the Dap-Kings, out next week, was originally slated to come out last August, but her sickness put things on hold. Now, after months of recovery in upstate New York, Jones is still a ways off from 100 percent. Nevertheless, she’s pressing on. Tonight, the singer kicks off a two-night stint on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon, before embarking on an international tour next month with a comeback show at the Beacon Theater. “I’m a little nervous,” Jones admits. “But I have faith that I’m going to be okay.”
First and foremost, how are you feeling?
Just a little tired. Other than that I’m great. I just want my legs and my arms to come back to where they were. Where if I walk a few steps my legs don’t feel like they’re about to disconnect from my hip bone.
Your last chemo treatment was last week on New Year’s Eve?
I’m all done as far as the chemo. But I’m not all done. I’ve gotta go back and they’ve gotta give me the dye and I’ve gotta drink the stuff and they’ve gotta give me the CAT scan to make sure there’s no more cancer anywhere else and they got it all.
It must have been hard to even think about music during your treatment.
That’s why I couldn’t do it. I was like, “I gotta start listening to these songs.” I know five of them; the other five I’ve gotta learn. I’m not going to learn them all definitely until I’m on the stage.
I applaud your courage for shooting the music video back in October for “Stranger to my Happiness.”
It took like eight hours to do that video. And right in the middle of it, I was standing there and was like, “Hey guys, I can’t do this no more.” I was just exhausted. I was done. It took a lot. They had to take the cord out at the top of my dress where they did the chemo. And my hands and my face and my nails, certain parts turned darker. My feet were colored, like, black. It was like I had tar in my hands and like I was walking barefoot for the last 25 years. So I was really concerned about that. But then I said, “Let me go do this. Because if I don’t do this video and get this stuff done, things aren’t gonna move.”
You chose to not wear a wig in the video.
I’m not a hair person. My hair on my head is my hair and I’ll connect some braids onto it. But now to go out there without it, it’s a new Sharon. Plus, I want my fans to go through what I’m going through. If they see this maybe they’ll understand. And maybe my story will get across to someone else with cancer. Maybe they’ll say, “Keep moving!” But basically it was to inspire myself. But you know, whenever you do something for yourself, you’re doing something for someone else too.
You also haven’t been wearing your signature frilly dress.
Nah. That dress was a character. The dress, the hair — it’s all part of your costume. I can’t do that now.
Your relationship with the songs on “Give The People What They Want” must be far different now than when you first recorded them nearly two years ago.
When I see the video for “Retreat” now, I’m like, “Wow. I’m telling my sickness to retreat. I’m coming back!” I picked up the mic and said a prayer: “Get out of my way, cancer.” I beat it and I told it to retreat. I’m back to give the people what they want.
The track “People Don’t Get What They Deserve,” particularly the line “life ain’t fair,” also feels especially poignant given the past year.
Isn’t it amazing? That’s one of the songs I’ve learned. Cause there’s a lot of words in that song.
Are you nervous to perform again?
I know God is on my side. I know he’s got me in the palm of his hand.
