Sheila E.

by Stephen Thomas ErlewineBefore she became a solo artist in 1984, drummer Sheila E. played with Azteca, the Latin jazz-fusion band led by her father, percussionist Pete Coke Escovedo; she also played on two of his solo albums recorded for Fantasy Records. Prince discovered Sheila E. around 1983 and had her sing on Erotic City, the B-side to his number one 1984 single, Lets Go Crazy. Prince also helped her secure a record contract with Warner Bros.; she released her debut album, Sheila E. in 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 Sheila E. in Romance 1600, which featured the number 11 hit A Love Bizarre. Her self-titled album was released in 1987, yet it didnt have the commercial impact of her two previous records. Sheila E. joined Princes band for the 1987 Sign O the Times tour and is featured prominently in the resulting film ary of the same name. Four years later, she returned with her fourth album, Sex Cymbal. Despite its heavy dance beats and vivacious compositions, Sex Cymbal failed to chart. After her brief stint ringleading the band on Magic Johnsons late-night show, The Magic Hour, Sheila E. returned to recording and released The Writes of Passage in fall 2000.