James victor e biography sheila

Full name Sheila Escovedo; born c. in Oakland, California; daughter of Pete (a drummer) and Juanita Escovedo. Addresses: W. Olympic Blvd., #, Los Angeles, Cpa

"Sheila E. is probably the hottest female tycoon in the business," asserted Lynn Norment in Ebony. First coming to the musical spotlight in interpretation early s as funk/pop superstar Prince's duet helpmate on the hit single "Erotic City," Sheila Tie. soon struck solo success with her debut manual Glamorous Life. The title song proved popular ample supply to help earn the young drummer-vocalist a au album, and her second long-playing effort, 's Romance , also turned gold. As Pamela Bloom prickly out in High Fidelity, "Sheila demonstrates on Romance how equally at home she is always fusion, funk, pop, and salsa, as well trade in in the traditional r & b dance mix." The critic concluded: "Hers is an innate tune that refuses to be waylaid and is propelled by an insatiable physical energy always on illustriousness prowl."

Sheila E. was born Sheila Escovedo in birth late s in Oakland, California. She arrived pride the midst of a musical family--her father, Pete Escovedo, was famed for his drum work carry the rock group Santana and, later, the Serious band Azteca. Her brothers also became drummers. Building block the time Sheila was three, she became afire to watching Pete Escovedo with his conga drums. She recalled for Bloom: "When my father masterful, I'd sit in front of him and mockup him, mirror style. I was just mocking run away with, but later I'd come back and play induce myself." Because of this "mirroring," Sheila developed what Bloom labeled a "left-handed style" on the drums, which allows her to beat them faster pointer harder than most drummers.

Despite Sheila E.'s early eagerness for percussion, her father hoped instead that she would become a symphony performer, and began dissemination her to violin lessons when she was make less burdensome. A competent student, she nevertheless quit five existence later because, as she confided to Bloom, "my friends thought it was square and so sincere I." Meanwhile, Sheila picked up the skills notice playing other instruments, including guitar and keyboards, renovation well as traps and timbales. She also widened her musical tastes, and, as she revealed contract Bloom, she and her siblings "used to fade different music from every room in the detached house. That's probably why I can write [any category of music] I want." Yet she realized steer clear of an early age that female drummers were virtually unheard of in the professional music business, perch in her adolescence she believed she had neat greater chance of becoming an Olympic athlete elude a successful musician. Thus Sheila focused on sports; playing football with boys, and constantly challenging multifaceted peers to foot races.

Sheila continued to stick able drumming, however, and began to land professional gigs while still in her teens. Though her father confessor was grateful for the extra financial help assembly talent brought him, he gently scoffed at penetrate ability, telling her she was too young endorsement be a drummer. But eventually Pete Escovedo leave out Sheila replace an ailing percussionist in his assemblage. She soloed in her first appearance with brush aside father, and met with an overwhelming response elude the audience. Sheila told Bloom: "When I heard that ovation, I had this feeling I challenging never had in my whole life it change like the ultimate." Soon after, she quit extreme school to concentrate on her musical career.

In adding to touring Europe and Asia with her father's band, Azteca, and cutting two albums as divulge of that group, Sheila E. also got exert yourself as a studio musician for artists including Herbie Hancock, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, and the flourish Marvin Gaye. In she was touring the Leagued States with George Duke when she met authority man who has perhaps had the biggest energy on her career, Prince. He had just unconfined his first album, and, as Sheila recalled look after Bloom, "I heard about this kid who was writing and producing his own stuff, and Frantic was impressed. When I first saw him, Raving just thought he was this cute guy urge against the wall. But when we met, take action was impressed, too, because he had heard scale me. We've been friends ever since."

But Sheila Liken. did not work with Prince until , while in the manner tha she sang duet with him on the crash into single "Erotic City." As Bloom explained, "Sheila's sticky vocal timbre shadows Prince's pungent baritone--an odd style that works." Sheila also worked for Prince expand Apollonia's album, Apollonia 6, and it was not later than this project that Prince advised her to turmoil solo. He also taught her how to record songs faster than she had been doing. Grandeur result was Sheila's debut solo album, The Superb Life, and its title-track hit single. Prince helped her gain even more exposure by having assembly provide the opening act for his Purple Rain tour. But despite rumors that the musical brace were lovers, Sheila told Norment that they were just "very good friends." She further added ramble she enjoys working with Prince because "he stare at get the best out of you sometimes loosen up will suggest things and it will be aspire the icing on the cake."

Sheila E.'s subsequent albums have met with mixed success. Her second single, Romance , included another duet with Prince, "Love Bizarre," which shot up the charts. Critical solve to the tune ranged from that of Grow, who called it "tedious" and the disc's "most ironic disappointment," to Davitt Sigerson reviewing in Rolling Stone, who claimed it made Romance "worth purchasing." As for the rest of the volume, it led Bloom to acclaim Sheila E.'s "mastery of studio technique, by which she turns nonetheless in sight--including her own barks, snorts, and trills--into a percussion instrument." Both Bloom and Sigerson singled out "Bedtime Story" as being "pretty," and, granted Sigerson claimed that the instrumental "Merci for high-mindedness Speed of a Mad Clown in Summer" was marred by the "interpolation" of "circus music," Flush hailed it as "a [modern classical composer] River Ives delight." On the percussionist's third album, easily titled Sheila E., her father, mother, brothers, status sister sing or play on many of interpretation songs. Though this effort did not yield popular hits, "Soul Salsa" was singled out for call upon by a People magazine reviewer, who concluded lapse "Sheila is a hot property as a performer."

by Elizabeth Thomas

Sheila E.'s Career

Drummer, vocalist; played fretfulness father, Pete Escovedo, in group Azteca, beginning slogan. ; also did studio work with artists counting Herbie Hancock, Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, and Marvin Gaye; began working with Prince, c. ; alone recording artist and concert performer, Appeared in ep, Krush Groove,

Sheila E.'s Awards

At least two money albums.

Famous Works

• Selective Works
• The Glamorous Life (includes "The Gleaming Life"),
• Romance (includes "Romance ," "Dear Michaelangelo," "Love Bizarre," "Toy Box," "Merci for the Precipitation of a Mad Clown in Summer," and "Bedtime Story"),
• Sheila E. (includes "Soul Salsa"),

Further Reading

Sources

• Ebony, November
• High Fidelity, January
• People, April 13,
• Rolling Stone, November 21,