Two Forgotten Friday Favorites: Sheila E

A few random things I learned about Sheila E (Sheila Escovedo) while researching her bio for today's Two Forgotten Friday Favorites: she's a self-taught drummer who joined her father's band at the age of 15, she's Nicole Richie's biological aunt, and the first thing Prince said to her when he approached her to join his band was "my bassist and I were just fighting about which one of us would be the first to be your husband." Sheila E contributed her vocals to the Purple Rain album and toured with Prince, but after a while the realities of fame brought her back to her Christian roots. If you're a Ringo Starr fan, you may have seen her tour with his All-Starr band as recently as 2006, where their competing drum solos provide some comic relief during the show. For the guys out there, she's also probably one of the sexiest female drummers in history judging by this photo...

However, I think Sheila E is most famous for the 1984 hit "The Glamorous Life" written by Prince. She had other hits with "The Belle of St. Mark" and "A Love Bizarre." I don't remember the last time I heard any of these songs on the radio, so enjoy. As a teen, I always wanted her pink satin jacket from The Glamorous Life video!