Photo: Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Sheila E. is listed as a singer, drummer and percussionist. Sheila E. was born in Oakland, California, United States on December 12, 1957. That works out to 68 years old in 2026. Education on record includes Oakland High School and Berklee College of Music. Recorded honors include Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2021) and honorary doctor of the Berklee College of Music.
My Take
I've had a soft spot for Sheila E. ever since I first heard "The Glamorous Life" blasting out of a radio in the mid-80s — that groove hits different when you realize the woman singing it is also the one absolutely destroying the drum kit. Growing up in Oakland with funk and R&B in the air, then going on to Berklee, she didn't just learn music; she became a force of nature behind it. Her run with Prince produced some of the most memorable pop moments of the decade, but she was never just a collaborator — she was always her own artist with her own voice. The Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award she received in 2021 felt long overdue, honestly. Decades in, still performing, still commanding every stage she steps onto — "Queen of Percussion" isn't a nickname, it's just an accurate job title.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Sheila E.
- Name (Japanese)
- シーラ・E
- Reading
- しーら・E
- Born
- December 12, 1957 (age 68)
- Origin
- Oakland, California, United States
- Occupation
- singer / drummer / percussionist / singer-songwriter / composer
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Rooster
2. Background
- High school
- Oakland High School
- University
- Berklee College of Music
Awards & achievements
- 2021 Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award
- honorary doctor of the Berklee College of Music
3. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.sheilae.com/
- Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/sheilaedrummer/
- Xhttps://x.com/SheilaEdrummer
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila%20E.
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B7%E3%83%BC%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BBE
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q250905
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Sheila E. born?
Sheila E. was born on December 12, 1957 and is 68 years old.
Where is Sheila E. from?
Sheila E. is from Oakland, California, United States.
What does Sheila E. do?
Sheila E. works as singer, drummer, percussionist, singer-songwriter, composer.
Where did Sheila E. study?
Sheila E. attended Berklee College of Music.
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