Legendary musician turns trauma into glorious triumph BY NANCY MILLS SHEILA E. IS IN PANIC MODE. YESTERDAY she flew from a Paris gig to Minneapolis, where the first leg of her tour starts tomorrow. But the percussionist and singer, who is considered one of the best female drummers alive, has nothing to wear. The airline misplaced her luggage. “I’ve still got on what I wore on the plane,” she moans. “I have no clothes or makeup. Nothing!” It’s rare to find Sheila E., whose full name is Sheila Cecelia Escovedo, not in total control of her life. She has been laser-focused on her goals since she started banging on pots at the age of 3, trying to replicate the sounds produced by her percussionist father, Pete Escovedo. At age 13, as a rising track star, she wanted to win a gold medal at the Olympics. At 15, she switched her interest to music, which led to the title track of her 1984 debut album The Glamorous Life earning multiple Grammy nominations. LA-based Sheila E. has spent 47 years in show business. It may sound glamorous, but she prefers “glorious,” punctuated by “hard work.” “I’m busier than I’ve been in years,” she says. “It’s rewarding but exhausting.” >
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