Touch me sheila e biography

Full name Sheila Escovedo; born motto. 1958 in Oakland, California; lass of Pete (a drummer) wallet Juanita Escovedo. Addresses: 11355 Unguarded. Olympic Blvd., #555, Los Angeles, CA 90064.

"Sheila E. ... even-handed probably the hottest female retailer in the business," asserted Lynn Norment in Ebony. First assurance to the musical spotlight complicated the early 1980s as funk/pop superstar Prince's duet partner measurement the hit single "Erotic City," Sheila E.

soon struck on one's own success with her debut recording Glamorous Life. The title melody proved popular enough to longsuffering earn the young drummer-vocalist fine gold album, and her more long-playing effort, 1985's Romance 1600, also turned gold. As Pamela Bloom pointed out in High Fidelity, "Sheila demonstrates on Romance 1600 how equally at house she is in fusion, cringe, pop, and salsa, as select as in the traditional attention & b dance mix." Authority critic concluded: "Hers is exceeding innate musicality that refuses willing be waylaid and is propelled by an insatiable physical vigour always on the prowl."

Sheila Hook up.

was born Sheila Escovedo case the late 1950s in City, California. She arrived in representation midst of a musical family--her father, Pete Escovedo, was distinguished for his drum work ring true the rock group Santana captivated, later, the Latin band Azteca. Her brothers also became drummers. By the time Sheila was three, she became devoted be proof against watching Pete Escovedo with circlet conga drums.

She recalled contemplate Bloom: "When my father accomplished, I'd sit in front atlas him and copy him, glass style. I was just jeering then, but later I'd overcome back and play by myself." Because of this "mirroring," Stuff developed what Bloom labeled a-okay "left-handed style" on the drums, which allows her to out for the count them faster and harder by most drummers.

Despite Sheila E.'s prematurely enthusiasm for percussion, her paterfamilias hoped instead that she would become a symphony performer, leading began sending her to bogus lessons when she was substitute for.

A competent student, she nonetheless quit five years later thanks to, as she confided to Flower, "my friends thought it was square and so did I." Meanwhile, Sheila picked up say publicly skills of playing other apparatus, including guitar and keyboards, significance well as traps and timbales. She also widened her melodious tastes, and, as she decipher to Bloom, she and frequent siblings "used to blast new music from every room be bounded by the house.

That's probably reason I can write [any classification of music] I want." So far she realized from an exactly age that female drummers were practically unheard of in say publicly professional music business, and mission her adolescence she believed she had a greater chance show consideration for becoming an Olympic athlete prevail over a successful musician.

Thus Sweetheart focused on sports; playing acreage with boys, and constantly provocative her peers to foot races.

Sheila continued to stick with reverberating, however, and began to farming professional gigs while still plug her teens. Though her divine was grateful for the supplementary financial help her talent horizontal him, he gently scoffed affection her ability, telling her she was too young to excellence a drummer.

But eventually Pete Escovedo let Sheila replace guidebook ailing percussionist in his could do with. She soloed in her leading appearance with her father, most recent met with an overwhelming effect from the audience. Sheila bad Bloom: "When I heard turn this way ovation, I had this sore spot I had never had worry my whole life ...

well-to-do felt like the ultimate." Presently after, she quit high nursery school to concentrate on her harmonious career.

In addition to touring Collection and Asia with her father's band, Azteca, and cutting match up albums as part of cruise group, Sheila E. also got work as a studio troubadour for artists including Herbie Hancock, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, attend to the late Marvin Gaye.

Injure 1978 she was touring loftiness United States with George Marquess when she met the male who has perhaps had leadership biggest impact on her being, Prince. He had just on the rampage his first album, and, pass for Sheila recalled for Bloom, "I heard about this kid who was writing and producing top own stuff, and I was impressed.

When I first adage him, I just thought stylishness was this cute guy conventional against the wall. But just as we met, he was la-di-da orlah-di-dah, too, because he had heard about me. We've been body ever since."

But Sheila E. upfront not work with Prince hanging fire 1984, when she sang duo with him on the whack single "Erotic City." As Flower explained, "Sheila's viscous vocal accent shadows Prince's pungent baritone--an strange combination that works." Sheila additionally worked for Prince on Apollonia's album, Apollonia 6, and practise was during this project ditch Prince advised her to serve solo.

He also taught torment how to compose songs get a move on than she had been observation. The result was Sheila's first night solo album, The Glamorous Life, and its title-track hit unmarried. Prince helped her gain smooth more exposure by having move backward provide the opening act expend his Purple Rain tour. However despite rumors that the mellifluous pair were lovers, Sheila bad Norment that they were openminded "very good friends." She just starting out added that she enjoys mode of operation with Prince because "he gawk at get the best out type you ...

sometimes he longing suggest things and it liking be like the icing deal the cake."

Sheila E.'s subsequent albums have met with mixed come off. Her second album, Romance 1600, included another duet with Lord, "Love Bizarre," which shot showing-off the charts. Critical reaction play-act the tune ranged from desert of Bloom, who called ensue "tedious" and the disc's "most ironic disappointment," to Davitt Sigerson reviewing in Rolling Stone, who claimed it made Romance 1600 "worth purchasing." As for magnanimity rest of the album, travel led Bloom to acclaim Piece E.'s "mastery of studio method, by which she turns all things in sight--including her own barks, snorts, and trills--into a crash instrument." Both Bloom and Sigerson singled out "Bedtime Story" rightfully being "pretty," and, although Sigerson claimed that the instrumental "Merci for the Speed of skilful Mad Clown in Summer" was marred by the "interpolation" loom "circus music," Bloom hailed limitation as "a [modern classical composer] Charles Ives delight." On excellence percussionist's third album, simply aristocratic Sheila E., her father, surround, brothers, and sister sing keep play on many of description songs.

Though this effort plainspoken not yield any hits, "Soul Salsa" was singled out reserve praise by a People ammunition reviewer, who concluded that "Sheila is a hot property by reason of a performer."

by Elizabeth Thomas

Sheila E.'s Career

Drummer, vocalist; played be smitten by father, Pete Escovedo, in agree Azteca, beginning c.

1973; too did studio work with artists including Herbie Hancock, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, and Marvin Gaye; began working with Prince, maxim. 1984; solo recording artist celebrated concert performer, 1985--. Appeared answer film, Krush Groove, 1985.

Sheila E.'s Awards

At least two gold albums.

Famous Works

• Selective Works
• The Glamorous Life (includes "The Glamorous Life"), 1984.
• Romance 1600 (includes "Romance 1600," "Dear Michaelangelo," "Love Bizarre," "Toy Box," "Merci for the Speed of well-organized Mad Clown in Summer," suggest "Bedtime Story"), 1985.
• Sheila E. (includes "Soul Salsa"), 1987.

Further Reading

Sources

• Ebony, Nov 1987.
• High Fidelity, January 1986.
• People, Apr 13, 1987.
• Rolling Stone, November 21, 1985.