UB Remembers: Ceybil ‘Sweet Sable’ Jefferies who Passed Due to COVID-19

On Friday April 10th, record producer Salaam Remi reported via his Instagram, that Ceybil “Sweet Sable” Jefferies had passed away due to complications with COVID-19.

Ceybil contracted neurosarcoidosis many years ago and was completely blind, at the time of her death.

Ceybil Jefferies was born in Brooklyn, New York. She was first an underground dance music legend. Then she launched her career as a dance/house music artist that later reinvented herself as an Hip-Hop/R&B artist in the 90s.

Her breakout single was “So Special” and was followed by “Open Your Heart,” which hit the top 20 on Billboard’s Dance Chart. In 1991 she released her debut album “Let the Music Take Control” released on Atlantic Records.

With that album, she went out on a world tour that included dates in the U.S., Japan, Germany and Holland.

When she emerged, to keep people from getting her confused with Sybil, who was a hit-making recording artist on Next Plateau Records, who’s biggest hit was “Don’t Make Me Over.” Ceybil Jefferies switched her stage name up a few times; to just Ceybil, than she went with her government name Sybil Jefferies and finally settled with Ceybil Jefferies

Jefferies ended up parting with Atlantic in 1993 and then signed with Scotti Brothers/Street Life Records.

Ceybil Jefferies later resurfaced in 1994 as Sweet Sable with a complete new sound and image.

Her first single was from the Above The Rim soundtrack, entitled “Old Times’ Sake.” The song was an instant smash! Helping make the soundtrack become the #1 album in the country for multiple weeks. While the single reached the top 15 R&B Billboard singles.

She then released an new jack swingish R&B/Hip Hop album of the same name “Old Times Sake.” The album featured two more mild hits; “Tonight” and “Love Thang.”

BILLBOARD APRIL 2, 1994
SLAMMM DUNK! Death Row/Interscope has a winner
with the soundtrack to “Above The Rim.” This star-studded,
21-track set kicks a cutting-edge sound and features
hardcore rap and new school R&B. SWV leads off with the
first single “Anything,” a funky midtempo groove that was
released simultaneously with an Al B. Sure! cover of the
Al Green classic “Still In Love With You.” The B side to
the Sure single is H- Town’s “Part Time Lover.”
Other familiar names on the album are 2Pac, Aaron Hall,
Snoop Doggy Dogg with Tha Dogg Pound Gangstas, and 2nd
II None. The set also features several promising new
re-cording acts that will no doubt get lots of exposure.
Some of them include Sweet Sable, the Lady Of Rage, Nate
Dogg & Warren G, and Lord G. Supervising producer is Dr. Dre.

Sweet Sable released the single “I’ll Never Go Back” in 1996 and planned an album release entitled “Love On My Mind,” but the album was shelved.

After that release, she later teamed up with Dutch artist Deep House Zone for “It’s Gonna Be Alright.”

In the end, she returned to house music as Ceybil Jefferies. Her last song release was “Thank U4 Blessing” in 2004.

UB sends our prayers to her family, friends and fans!

Take a trip down memory lane, with the music of Ceybil “Sweet Sable” Jefferies!