Prince discovered Grammy and Emmy nominated drummer, singer and percussionist Sheila E. around 1983 and had her sing on “Erotic City,” the B-side to his number one 1984 single, “Let’s Go Crazy.” Prince also helped her secure a record contract with Warner Bros.; she released her debut album, The Glamorous Life, in 1984. Written by Prince, the title track hit the U.S. Top Ten and her second single, “The Belle of St. Mark,” charted in both the American and British Top 40. The following year, she released Romance 1600, which featured the number 11 hit “A Love Bizarre.” Sheila E. joined Prince’s band for the 1987 Sign O’ the Times tour and is featured prominently in the resulting film documentary of the same name. Four years later, she returned with her fourth album, Sex Cymbal. After her brief stint ring leading the band on Magic Johnson’s late-night show, The Magic Hour, Sheila E. returned to recording and released The Writes of Passage in fall 2000. Sheila E. has performed and/or recorded with Prince, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, George Duke, Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Billy Cobham, Con Funk Shun, Patti LaBelle¸ Hans Zimmer and Stevie Nicks. Her talents have also been showcased on The Latin Grammy Awards, the Summer Olympics, WOW Awards, ALMA’s, 2013 Kennedy Center Honors, The Image Awards and the 2012 Academy Awards. She released Girls Meet Boy in 2016. Shelia E. continues to tour the world.
