Sheila E.
A percussive force of nature who brought fiery rhythms from Prince's stage to the top of the charts, redefining the role of women in rhythm.
Born 1957 (age 69)·American singer and percussionist·Birthday: December 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Sheila E. released 'The Glamorous Life' in 1984, a funk-pop debut that showcased her virtuosic timbale playing, drum work, voice, and songwriting. The daughter of percussionist Pete Escovedo, she broke through as a session and touring musician for George Duke and Marvin Gaye before her creative partnership with Prince catapulted her into the spotlight. On stage with Prince, she was an electrifying co-performer, their musical symbiosis producing era-defining shows. She blended Latin, funk, pop, and jazz into a seamless sound. Beyond the hits, she committed herself to music education, teaching and mentoring young percussionists. Her technical mastery and genre fusion made her a key architect of modern percussion.
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.
Sheila was born in 1957, 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 Sheila Was Born
The biggest hits of 1957
#1 Movie
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Best Picture
The Bridge on the River Kwai
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Sheila's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1957Born
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1962Started school
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1970Became a teenager
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1973Could drive
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1975Could vote
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
1978Turned 21
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1987Turned 30
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 40
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 50
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 60
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 69 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her debut single 'The Glamorous Life' was a top 10 hit and earned Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Performance.
- Served as musical director and percussionist for Prince's band during his 'Purple Rain' and 'Sign o' the Times' tours.
- Co-wrote the hit song 'A Love Bizarre' with Prince, which became another signature track.
- Founded the Elevate Hope Foundation, which uses music therapy to aid abused and abandoned children.
Did You Know?
She played all the drums and percussion on her debut album 'The Glamorous Life'.
She performed the drum solo on the song 'Erotic City' by Prince.
She was engaged to Prince for a period in the late 1980s.
Before her solo career, she played in her father's Latin jazz band, Azteca.
“For me, it's all about the passion and the spirit of the music. It's not just about playing the notes.”
