Sheena Easton
A Scottish pop sensation who broke Billboard records and became a global star through a TV show, later collaborating with music giants like Prince.
Born 1959 (age 67)·Scottish singer·Birthday: April 27·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sheena Easton’s story is a modern fairy tale spun from television. In 1980, a BBC documentary followed her attempt to become a pop star, and by its end, she had a record deal and a hit single. Almost overnight, the girl from Bellshill, Scotland, became a transatlantic phenomenon. Her crisp voice and girl-next-door charm belied a fierce versatility, allowing her to glide from disco-tinged pop to soulful ballads and even James Bond themes. Her 1981 single "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" topped the U.S. charts, making her the first British female artist to achieve that feat with a debut. The 1980s saw her evolve into a sophisticated performer, famously collaborating with Prince on the sultry "Sugar Walls," which showcased a bolder artistic persona. While her chart dominance peaked in that decade, Easton carved a lasting niche in Las Vegas and musical theater, proving her talent extended far beyond a reality-TV launch.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Sheena was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Sheena Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Sheena's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first artist in Billboard history to have a top-five hit on each of its primary singles charts (Pop, Country, Adult Contemporary, and R&B).
- Her debut single "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981.
- Won a Grammy Award in 1985 for Best Mexican-American Performance for the duet "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" with Luis Miguel.
- Recorded the theme song "For Your Eyes Only" for the James Bond film of the same name.
Did You Know?
She was the first and only artist to perform a Bond theme song during the film's opening credits.
She is a natural brunette; her early blonde look was a suggestion from her record label.
She provided the singing voice for the character Angel in the 1997 film "Cats Don't Dance."
She holds both British and American citizenship.
““I never set out to be a sex symbol. I set out to be a singer.””
