Sheila Cecilia Escovedo[3] (born December 12, 1957), known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American singer and drummer. She began her career in the mid-1970s as a percussionist for the George Duke Band. After separating from the group in 1983, Sheila began collaborating with Prince and launched a solo career, starting with the release of her debut album in 1984, which included her biggest hit "The Glamorous Life". She also saw a hit with the 1985 single "A Love Bizarre". She is sometimes referred to as the "Queen of Percussion".[4] In 2021, she received a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Born in Oakland, California, Sheila E. is the daughter of Juanita Gardere, a dairy factory worker, and percussionist Pete Escovedo, with whom she frequently performs. Her mother is of Creole-French/African descent, and her father is of Mexican-American origin.[5][6] She was raised Catholic.[7] Pete Escovedo and his brother Coke Escovedo were born in Los Angeles, and they were the sons of Pedro Escovedo who had immigrated from Mexico at age 12.[8]
She has publicly stated that, at the age of five, she was raped by her teenaged babysitter, and this event had a profound influence on her childhood development.[10]
She appeared on several of Duke's albums, including Don't Let Go (1978), Follow the Rainbow (1979), Master of the Game (1979), and A Brazilian Love Affair (1980). Along with appearing on Duke's Don't Let Go in 1978, Escovedo and her father released Happy Together that year on Fantasy Records, sharing billing as Pete and Sheila Escovedo. In 1979, she contributed percussion to Michael Jackson's hit "Don't Stop ('til you get enough)"[11] In 1980, she appeared on the pivotal Herbie Hancock album Monster. In 1983, she joined Marvin Gaye's final tour Midnight Love Tour as one of his percussionists.
1984–1989: The Glamorous Life and A Love Bizarre
Sheila E. in 1985
Prince met Sheila E. at a concert in 1977, when she was performing with her father. After the show he met her and told her that he and his bassist Andre Cymone "were just fighting about which one of us would be the first to be your husband." He also vowed that one day she would join his band. The two would eventually join forces during the Purple Rain recording sessions. She provided vocals to the Prince song "Erotic City" in 1984. Though part of the Prince camp to some degree, she proved to be an artist in her own right as well.
In 1985, her second album, titled Romance 1600, was released. Its lead single "Sister Fate" failed to crack the US Hot 100; it peaked at number 36 on the R&B charts. The album's second single, "A Love Bizarre", saw more success, peaking at number 11 on the US Hot 100, becoming her second and last time reaching the US Hot 100 top twenty. The non-album track "Holly Rock" made its way to live shows and into the film Krush Groove.
Also in 1985, she was one of the many musicians that made up USA for Africa and recorded We Are the World. She later stated she thought she was asked as a way to convince Prince to join the song, which he didn't (though he did contribute a single for the album called "4 the Tears in Your Eyes.")
In July 1987, her third album, the self-titled Sheila E., was released. The first single, the ballad "Hold Me", peaked at number 3 on the R&B chart. The second single "Koo Koo" peaked inside the top 40 of the R&B chart. Sheila E. later served as Prince's percussionist and musical director during his tours from 1987 to 1989.
1989–1994: Sex Cymbal and work with Gloria Estefan
After leaving the Prince organization in 1989, Sheila E. collaborated with writers like Demetrius Ross and David Gamson, recorded and released an album, Sex Cymbal in 1991. The album spawned the singles "Sex Cymbal", "Dropping Like Flies" and "Cry Baby", although all failed to chart on the Hot 100. She began her tour in Japan which only lasted for a brief time.[15] Shortly after returning to America, she developed severe health issues after her lung collapsed.[16] She described herself as "semi-paralyzed from playing drums in heels for so long".[16]
In 1994, Sheila E. contributed as a guest artist, playing congas and timbales, for the album Mi Tierra by Gloria Estefan.[17]
1996–2005: Music directing
Sheila E. in 2000
In 1996, she played in Japanese pop singer Namie Amuro's live band. The show at Chiba Marine Stadium was later made available on DVD. In 1998, she played percussion on the Phil Collins cover of "True Colors". She was also the leader of the house band on the short-lived late night talk show, The Magic Hour, hosted by Earvin "Magic" Johnson in the late 1990s.
Sheila E. has performed three stints as one of the member "All-Starrs" of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, in 2001, 2003, and 2006. Her drum "duets" with Starr are a moment of comic relief in the show, where they play the same parts but he quickly falls behind, shrugs and smiles as she takes off on an extended percussion solo. Says Sheila E.: "Ringo truly is one of the greatest rock n' roll drummers in the history of music. He enjoys the joke!"
In 2002, Sheila E. appeared on the Beyoncé song "Work It Out". In 2004, Sheila E. toured New Zealand as drummer and percussionist for the Abe Laboriel Band. The same year, she also was featured on Tonex's Out the Box on the song "Todos Juntos". She also played drums on Cyndi Lauper's hit album of standard covers, At Last. She played percussion on the song "Stay". Sheila E. joined Lauper on a live version of that song on VH1 Divas.
In February 2006, Sheila E. performed with Prince (and Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman) once again at the BRIT Awards. Sheila E. performed at the Sonoma Jazz Festival in 2006 as part of Herbie Hancock's band featuring Larry Carlton, Terrence Blanchard, Marcus Miller, and Terri Lyne Carrington.
2007–2009: C.O.E.D. and reunion with Prince
In 2006, Sheila formed a female group C.O.E.D. (Chronicles of Every Diva), consisting of Sheila E., Kat Dyson, Rhonda Smith and Cassandra O'Neal. The group released a single "Waters of Life". In March 2007, the group went on a successful tour in Europe and Japan. The group toured overseas in 2008 and released a CD available in limited distribution or through her website. For several concerts she was joined by Candy Dulfer, who was billed as a special guest.
She performed at the 2007 Latin Grammy Awards with Juan Luis Guerra. She also performed at the American Latin Music Awards in June 2007 with Prince and on July 7, 2007, in Minneapolis with Prince. She performed at all three of his concerts: at Prince's 3121 perfume launch at Macy's, followed by the Target Center concert, and finally, at an aftershow at First Avenue. In October 2007, Sheila E. was a judge alongside Australian Idol judge and marketing manager Ian "Dicko" Dickson and Goo Goo Dolls lead singer John Rzeznik on the Fox network's The Next Great American Band.
Sheila E. once again teamed up with Prince in March 2008, as she sat in (and played keyboard) on the performance with her family at Harvelle's Redondo Beach. On April 9, 2008, Sheila E. appeared on the Emmy winning program Idol Gives Back. Sheila E. took part in the show opener, "Get on Your Feet", with Gloria Estefan while the So You Think You Can Dance finalists dance troupe joined them on stage. On April 26, 2008, Sheila E., along with Morris Day and Jerome Benton, performed with Prince at the Coachella Music Festival. From May 2 to 6, 2008, Sheila E. played four sold-out shows at Blue Note Tokyo, the most frequented jazz music club in Tokyo, Japan.
On May 30, 2009, Sheila E. and the E Family Band performed at Rhythm on the Vine at Gainey Vineyard in Santa Ynez, California for the Hot Latin Beats concert. Also performing at the concert was Poncho Sanchez.[19] On December 13, 2009, Sheila E. performed at the Deryck Walcott produced Christmas Jazz held at the Plantation Restaurant in Barbados.
In 2009, Sheila E. participated and won the CMT reality show, Gone Country. This gave her an opportunity to make country music aided by the country producer, writer, and singer John Rich. Sheila E.'s first song in the country market was "Glorious Train". A video for the song debuted on CMT on March 7, 2009, following the airing of the episode of Gone Country in which Sheila E. was announced the winner.
Sheila E. performed two shows at Yoshi's in Oakland, California, on August 15, 2010. At her merchandise stand she sold an EP From E 2 U. It includes a song "Leader of the Band" written by Prince (uncredited, but confirmed by Sheila E.) and it features Prince on piano according to the song's introduction, where he is called by name.[20] She toured on his 20Ten Tour and Welcome 2 America tours.[21][22] In 2010, Sheila E joined forces with Avon as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices,[23] Avon's first global, online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for men and women.
On May 25, 2011, Sheila performed alongside Marc Anthony on the 10th-season finale of American Idol. On June 7, 2011, she performed on the Late Show with David Letterman as a part of the show's first "Drum Solo Week". In September 2011, The E. Family consisting of Pete Escovedo, Peter Michael Escovedo III, Juan Escovedo, and Sheila released an album Now & Forever. The album spawned the singles "Do What It Do" and "I Like It".
On February 26, 2012, Sheila performed at the 2012 Academy Awards alongside Pharrell Williams and Hans Zimmer, playing the into and out of commercial segments.[24] On April 17, 2012, Sheila was featured with "Macy's Stars of Dance" on the Dancing with the Stars results show.[24] On June 16, Sheila headlined the 2012 Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.[24] Sheila toured in 2012 alongside Sy Smith throughout Europe and the United States. Sheila joined Dave Koz on his 2012 Christmas Tour.
2013–2015: Icon and Beat of my Own Drum
Sheila E. performing in 2014
In 2013, Sheila began recording her seventh album. In November 2013, she released her album Icon in the UK. The album was also Sheila's first release of her own recording label Stilettoflats Music. In September 2014, she released her autobiography Beat of my Own Drum.[24] In November 2014, her album Icon was internationally released.
In 2017 she was the featured percussionist for the soundtrack to the film The Boss Baby, which was also co-produced by Zimmer.
Sheila E. is featured in Fred Armisen's 2018 Netflix comedy special Stand Up for Drummers.
Sheila E. plays percussion on a number of tracks on Gary Clark Jr.'s album This Land.
She performed and served as music director for Let's Go Crazy: The Grammy Salute to Prince concert at the Staples Center on January 28, 2020. It was broadcast on CBS on April 21, 2020.
On April 17, 2020, she released the single "Lemon Cake" which was available as an audio track on YouTube.[27] On May 14, 2020, Sheila E. premiered the official video for "Lemon Cake" on Rated R&B.[28]
In July 2020, Sheila E. collaborated with MasterClass to create "Sheila E. Teaches Drumming and Percussion"[29]
In February 2009, she was made an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority by the Eta Delta Chapter located at Howard University in recognition of her humanitarian efforts through and in music. Escovedo and her friend Lynn Mabry are also the co-founder of Elevate Oakland, a nonprofit that uses music and art to serve the needs of youth in Oakland public schools.[32] Sheila E., along with her father, were presented with the Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021. In July 2023, she was honored by receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame; she was the first solo female percussionist to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.[33][34]
Discography
Studio albums
List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
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