{{Short description|American contemporary R&B singer (1962–2020)}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Ceybil Jefferies | image = | caption = | landscape = | birth_name = Sybil Jefferies | birth_date = 1962<ref>[http://www.soulbounce.com/2020/04/ceybil-jefferies-sweet-sable-1962-2020/ Ceybil 'Sweet Sable' Jefferies (1962-2020)]</ref> | birth_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{death year and age|2020|1962}} | death_place = Brooklyn, New York, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|House|R&B|new jack swing}} | occupation = Singer | instrument = Vocals | years_active = 1990s (first album)–2000s | past_member_of = {{hlist|Salaam Remi|Deep Zone}} | label = {{hlist|Atlantic Records|Scotti Brothers Records|}} | website = }}
'''Ceybil Jefferies''', also known by the stage name '''Sweet Sable''', was an American house and R&B vocalist best known for her work during the 1990s, including the 1996 Dutch house single, "It's Gonna Be Alright" with Deep Zone, which hit No. 20 on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart.<ref name=vibe/> Her other best known singles include "Love So Special" and "Open Your Heart", both of which reached the top 20 of the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart in 1991.<ref name=vibe>{{cite news |first=Desire |last=Thompson |title=Vocalist Ceybil Jefferies, Also Known As Sweet Sable, Has Died From Coronavirus |url=https://www.vibe.com/2020/04/vocalist-ceybil-jefferies-sweet-sable-died-from-coronavirus-obituary |work=Vibe |date=2020-04-13 |access-date=2020-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420064955/https://www.vibe.com/2020/04/vocalist-ceybil-jefferies-sweet-sable-died-from-coronavirus-obituary |archive-date=2020-04-20 |url-status=live}}</ref> Jefferies, who sometimes went by the stage name Sweet Sable beginning in 1994, often changed the spelling of her name or reinvented it, depending on the release.<ref name=vibe/> Variations of her name included '''Ceybil''', '''Sable Jefferies''', her birthname '''Sybil Jefferies''', and '''Ceybil Jeffries'''.<ref name=vibe/>
==Biography== Born Sybil Jefferies, she was a native of Brooklyn, New York.<ref name=vibe/>
She initially signed with Atlantic Records, which released her debut album, ''Let Music Take Control'' in 1991.<ref name=vibe/> Two singles from the album, "Love So Special" and "Open Your Heart," were both top 20 hits on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart that same year.<ref name=vibe/>
Prior to the release of her sophomore album, ''Open Your Heart'', Jefferies left Atlantic Records to sign with Scotti Brothers Records under the new artist name "Sable Jefferies".<ref name=vibe/> The first single from the album, "Friends (For Old Time Sake)," was more heavily influenced by the new jack swing genre, rather than her earlier house music work.<ref name=vibe/> "Friends (For Old Time Sake)" proved successful by reaching No. 15 on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart and No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart.<ref name=vibe/> Shortened to "Old Time's Sake," her song was included on the ''Above the Rim'' film soundtrack in 1994 under her moniker Sweet Sable.<ref name=revolt/>
The album also spawned two other singles, "Tonight" and "Love Thang," which both landed on the ''Billboard'' R&B chart. "Love Thang" reached No. 1 on the former ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Breakdowns chart in 1995, beating out Usher's "Think of You", which peaked at No. 2 behind Jefferies' song.<ref name=vibe/>
In 1996, she collaborated with Dutch house group Deep Zone to provide vocals for the single, "It's Gonna Be Alright" under her original name Ceybil Jefferies. "It's Gonna Be Alright" peaked at No. 20 on the Dance Club Songs chart.<ref name=vibe/> In a review at the time, Larry Flick from ''Billboard'' described the song as "a joyfully optimistic romp merging edgy house beats with keyboards that are, by turns, jazzy and retro-disco. Life in the urban lane has done wonders for Jefferies' voice, which is now far more assured and smooth."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xwsEAAAAMBAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_xwsEAAAAMBAJ/page/n24 25]|quote=deep zone it's gonna be alright chart.|title=Billboard|date=5 August 1995|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>
Jefferies continued to record and release music into the 2000s. However, she was diagnosed with neurosarcoidosis, an inflammatory type of sarcoidosis that severely affected her lungs and breathing capacity.<ref name=vibe/> Her diagnosis effectively ended her singing career.<ref name=vibe/> Additionally, Jefferies lost much of her vision due to the illness.<ref name=vibe/><ref name=revolt/>
Jefferies died from COVID-19 in April 2020 in her hometown of Brooklyn. Her death was announced and confirmed by music industry colleagues on April 10, 2020, including record producer Salaam Remi.<ref name=vibe/><ref name=revolt>{{cite news |first=Tamantha |last=Gunn |title=Ceybil Jefferies reportedly passes away due to complications from Coronavirus |url=https://www.revolt.tv/news/2020/4/14/21221214/ceybil-jefferies-passes-away |work=Revolt (TV network) |date=2020-04-14 |access-date=2020-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424235538/https://www.revolt.tv/news/2020/4/14/21221214/ceybil-jefferies-passes-away |archive-date=2020-04-24 |url-status=live}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferies, Ceybil}} Category:Date of birth unknown Category:1962 births Category:2020 deaths Category:21st-century African-American women singers Category:21st-century American women singers Category:American house musicians Category:American contemporary R&B singers Category:Scotti Brothers Records artists Category:Singers from Brooklyn Category:People with sarcoidosis Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in New York (state) Category:Atlantic Records artists