Website Address:
Music Style:
Pop
City:
Los Angeles
State:
CA
Country:
USA
Band Description
Grammy-nominated percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Sheila E. holds her own as an artist but also has had a reputation as one of the most sought-after session players, working with artists like Prince, Beyonce, and Marvin Gaye to name a few.
Artist Biography
SHEILA E.
One of life’s constants for Sheila E. comes down to a simple phrase: follow the beat. And her impeccable inner rhythm is the pulse behind a trailblazing career that still knows no bounds.
World-class drummer and percussionist whose credits read like chapters in a music history book: Ringo Starr. Marvin Gaye, Prince, Beyoncé, Herbie Hancock, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Gloria Estefan and George Duke. Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter behind the seminal hits “The Glamorous Life” and “A Love Bizarre.” A fearless multi-instrumentalist equally proficient on guitar and bass. Actress. Mentor. Philanthropist.
These career checkpoints all converge in 2014 with two new Sheila E. projects. Coming soon is the release of her first album in 13 years, the aptly titled Icon (Stiletto Flats, March 25, 2014). Then the indefatigable multi-talent will add author to her list of accomplishments with Simon & Schuster’s Fall 2014 publication of her autobiography, “And the Beat Goes On.”
“The idea to record another solo album was actually spawned while I was writing the autobiography,” recalls Sheila E. “I realized that some of the things I was writing about should be a song. That’s when I also began looking back at songs I’d written several years earlier and forgotten about, but whose themes needed to be talked about in the book. Both fed each other.”
As the musical half of Sheila E.’s storied life and career, Icon pulsates from start to finish with colorful fusions of the Latin, jazz, R&B, pop, funk and rock influences that shaped her unique style. The 13-track set opens with the soaring
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“Butterfly,” the first of four interludes that subtly yet powerfully illuminate the versatile talent behind the music. “’Butterfly’ reflects part of the journey in my book,” explains Sheila E., nicknamed butterfly by family friend Carlos Santana. “It’s who I am as a person. I always wanted to fly, to be the first female astronaut on the moon. It’s me running track, running free. That’s how I play.”
The album takes off from there, with all songs produced live and in one or two takes. “I’m used to playing live,” says Sheila E., who also executive produced the project. “Why would I punch in my soul on a computer?” She unleashes that soul on the set’s first full track “Mona Lisa,” an energetic cut drawn from her Latin roots. Also joining Sheila E. on her musical reverie are two singular storytellers in their own right: singer/songwriter Ledisi and pioneering rapper MC Lyte. The latter’s signature edgy flow spices up the saucy, dues paying-themed “Nasty Thang,” which outlines the drama and glamour life in music. Ledisi adds a poignant touch to “Girl Like Me,” an honest yet empowering message about surviving abuse. An abuse survivor herself, Sheila E. originally penned the song to perform with her 2007 female band C.O.E.D. (Chronicles of Every Diva). That soul-searching continues on the mid-tempo “Who I Am Now.”
Rounding out the set—which includes three songs written by guitarist Bobby G—is a new version of the funky tour de force “Leader of the Band.” This song features Sheila and the E Family Band (father Pete and brothers Peter Michael and Juan) as well her former mentor, Prince, on piano. “I love playing this song,” says Sheila E., “so I re-recorded it and left some of Prince on there. It’s about how I was influenced by my pops [the legendary Pete Escovedo] and [songwriter/producer/musician] George Duke. That a female can be in charge and bring it just as hard.”
Icon ends as it begins with another moving interlude, “Now Is the Hour.” A duet featuring Sheila E. and her beloved “moms,” Escovedo matriarch Juanita, the clip is from a ‘50s-era standard that dates back to Sheiia E.’s childhood.
Family, faith and music were guiding forces for Sheila E. growing up in the Bay Area. In addition to percussionist dad Pete, the Oakland, Calif. native counts former Santana member/Azteca founder Coke Escovedo and The Dragons frontman Mario Escovedo as uncles. Fellow Latin star Tito Puente was her godfather. In addition to being weaned on Latin jazz and Motown, Sheila E. was exposed to a diverse array of Bay Area acts. Those influences ranged from the rock of Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead to the R&B/pop of the Pointer Sisters and the funk of Sly & the Family Stone. “I used to sit on the corner outside of the local community center with Twinkies and 7-Up listening to Sly and Larry Graham rehearse,” remembers Sheila E. “The sounds of the Bay Area molded me.”
So it’s no surprise that after such a music-immersive childhood, the gifted drummer/percussionist began amassing an impressive string of credits playing not only with her dad but also with pioneering talents like George Duke, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie and Herbie Hancock. Following a Bay Area gig in the late ‘70s, Sheila E. met mentor Prince backstage. Their Purple Rain recording sessions—including her vocals on the 1984 classic “Erotic City”—morphed into launching her solo career that same year. Debut album The Glamorous Life spun off the Grammy Award-nominated top 10 hit of the same name plus a second top 40 single “The Belle of St. Mark.” Between her ‘80s tenure as drummer, songwriter and musical director for Prince’s backup band, Sheila E. released two more solo albums (Romance 1600 and Shelia E.) and scored another classic hit with “A Love Bizarre.”
Sheila E.’s fierce, dynamic verve onstage has made her a major concert draw since the ‘90s. Along the way, she has acted in several films (“Krush Groove,” “The Adventures of Ford Fairlane,” “Chasing Papi”) and launched various music projects (C.O.E.D., E Family Band). While continuing to play with Prince on select gigs, she has added to her arsenal of credits such names as Ringo Starr (as a member of the Beatle’s All Starr Band), Gloria Estefan and Beyoncé as well as performing on the 2012 Academy Awards with pop hitmaker Pharrell Williams and composer Hans Zimmer. Sheila E. was also among the roster of stars chosen to perform at the recent Kennedy Center Honors whose 2013 honorees included artists Herbie Hancock, Billy Joel and Carlos Santana.
Away from the spotlight, music doubles as a source of healing and giving back for Sheila E. In tandem with the city of Oakland, she and her Elevate Hope organization will stage the first annual “Elevate Oakland” benefit concert in February, 2014. A host of Bay Area artists and other acclaimed musicians will perform at the city-donated Fox Theatre. The goal: to raise funds to improve student academic achievement and attendance through music and arts programming. But this isn’t Sheila E.’s first time giving back. Between gigs, she has also criss-crossed the country, speaking at schools and colleges, shelters, church organizations, music classes and clinics about music’s effect on her life and career. “Sharing music in any way I can is my ministry,” she says.
And that was part of the inspiration for penning the autobiography “And the Beat Goes On.” Playing a perceived male instrument and working in a male
dominated industry exacted a personal price—several years ago Sheila E. publicly acknowledged she was an abuse survivor.
“The book was the beginning of the healing,” says Sheila E. “I’d talked about working in a male-dominated industry in my ministry and addressed it in some of the song lyrics I’d written. But it was challenging to sit down and write about it in detail for the book. No one in my household told me I couldn’t play drums because I was a girl. It wasn’t until I was outside of the house and playing sessions. But through pain comes realization, understanding and the opportunity to help others overcome those challenges.”
After ringing in 2014 in concert with Sergio Mendes on New Year’s Eve at Disney Hall, Sheila E. is now ready for her Icon debut. With no Google or YouTube artist script to follow back then, she says her career drive was propelled by one thing: “I just did it because I loved it. And that’s what Icon represents. I started all this as Sheila Escovedo then became this persona named Sheila E. Now Sheila E. and Sheila Escovedo are the same person, still making music that comes from the heart.”
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Media Relations Contacts
Karen E. Lee / Karen@w-wpr.com
Tony Ferguson / Tony@w-wpr.com
Press Release
SHEILA E. CELEBRATES 40TH YEAR
IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS WITH THE RELEASE
OF HER NEW SOLO CD “ICON”
ICON scheduled for release on March 25, 2014
(Los Angeles – March 5, 2014) - World-class drummer and percussionist Sheila Escovedo is scheduled to release her first solo album in twelve years, Icon, on March 25 as part of the celebration of her 40th anniversary in the music business, it was announced today by Manager Gilbert Davison. “We are excited about the release, particularly of the multi-genre format that reflects Sheila E.'s broad artistry and experience,” Davison expresses.
An accomplished and much sought after musician, Sheila’s credits read like chapters in a music history book, Ringo Starr, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Beyonce, Herbie Hancock, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Gloria Estefan and George Duke. She is also an Emmy and Grammy Award-nominated singer/songwriter behind the seminal hits “The Glamorous Life” and “A Love Bizarre,” and a multi-instrumentalist who is equally proficient on guitar and bass.
Family, faith and music are the guiding forces for Sheila who grew up in the Bay Area of northern California. Her Dad is the legendary percussionist Pete Escovedo and her godfather is Latin star Tito Puente. She is also known for her fierce and dynamic stage performances and is constantly on the road either as a solo artist or as a member of a superstar band, i.e her performance with The Ringo Starr All Star Band.
“I can’t believe it’s been 40 years since I began my career in the music business. I have been blessed to make music with some of the most incredible artists in the world,” stated Sheila. “The past year has been very introspective for me. I have a book coming out in September, ‘THE BEAT OF MY OWN DRUM’ and while writing it I was inspired to begin work on what has become Icon. This album represents my musical journey and the different paths I have been blessed to travel. I’m excited and proud of this music.” The first single, “Mona Lisa” is available on most online music sources and can be heard on http://www.sheilae.com/.
Icon is being distributed through BFM Digital, Inc. and will be available for purchase on all the major digital store fronts worldwide include iTunes, Amazon, MP3, Spotify, etc.
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PR Contacts: W&W Public Relations Inc. - Karen Lee, Karen@w-wpr.com and Tony Ferguson, Tony@w-wpr.com
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