Grieving For Prince And Healing Through Music

Since the loss of her kindred spirit Prince in April, Sheila Escovedo (aka Sheila E.) has carried on his legacy, constantly performing. For the grieving drummer, percussionist and singer, it's about healing.

"It helps a lot," Escovedo says. "Performing for me is my life. I love doing it. It's very hard and challenging - it takes a lot. But the fans showing up - they're so supportive and loving, and that makes us wanna keep doing it... I'm so grateful. That keeps me going, for sure."

The Californian icon has just arrived in Prince's Minneapolis hometown to publicise her Purple Philanthropy Sheila E. Benefit Concert. Come December, Escovedo will play her first Australian shows in six years around Meredith - shows that she assures will be energetic and emotional.

Prince is widely praised for his patronage of now-mythic female music-makers — think Wendy & Lisa at the heart of his classic band The Revolution. But, while Escovedo is often described as one of Prince's 'proteges', the drummer was "a somebody" when in 1978 she introduced herself to him backstage in San Carlos. "He was excited about meeting me, as I was meeting him," Escovedo laughs. "He had mentioned to me he was following my career and was really excited to meet me."

"[Prince] had mentioned to me he was following my career and was really excited to meet me."

The Oakland native hailed from a richly musical family, her father the Latin percussionist Pete Escovedo, and she was gigging in childhood. Astonishingly, Sheila provided percussion for Michael Jackson's Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. She even played with Marvin Gaye. However, Prince orchestrated Escovedo's transformation from musician to artiste - and the birth of 'Sheila E.' After Escovedo sang on Erotic City - the cult flip to Let's Go Crazy - Prince composed material for her 1984 debut, The Glamorous Life, through Warner. Still, Escovedo took charge. She chose the single. "I fought the record company to release Glamorous Life first and they fought me to say, 'No, it's gonna be Belle Of St Mark' - and I won!"

Escovedo cut a trilogy of albums under Prince's auspices, developing her own poly-genre - of Latin, jazz, soul, R&B, funk and nu-wave. What's more, the pop divette starred in the hip hop movie Krush Groove. But, deciding to concentrate on musicianship, Escovedo then became Prince's band leader for the Sign O' The Times tour.

In 2014 Escovedo published her autobiography, The Beat Of My Own Drum - approaching it as a testimonial. "I wanted to write it many, many years ago." She shed light on her not-so-glamourous experiences. Shockingly, Escovedo recounted how at five she was sexually abused by a neighbour. Yet she also divulged two epic loves. As a teen, Escovedo was romanced by Carlos Santana, unaware that he was married. Later, she and Prince were private lovers. He spontaneously proposed to her on a European stage during the anthem Purple Rain in 1987. Alas, their partnership ended amid the strain of touring. Escovedo struggled with injuries sustained from her athletic performance. And, being "spiritual", she felt increasingly uncomfortable about Prince's creative direction (and playaristic tendencies).

Preparing the memoir, Escovedo discovered that perspectives shift. "It was hard to take myself back to that place wherever it was - 20 years ago or 30 years ago - and really be honest about how I felt back then," she reveals. Escovedo recognised, too, her subjectivity. Nevertheless, she wouldn't change her life. "I don't regret anything. I mean, there are things, yes, I probably could have done better and differently - absolutely. But I don't regret it because that process of things that I've done - good, bad, indifferent - has made me the person that I am now. If I had to go through all that [again], wow - if someone told me I had to, I wouldn't want to. But, if I had to do it again, I would - 'cause I would not change anything right now."

From the '90s on, Escovedo has balanced her career as a solo act and elite muso - notably joining Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. She jammed on Beyonce's Neptunes-stamped Work It Out. Meanwhile, her friendship with Prince endured. He contributed to her 2013 album Icon. Unwittingly, today Escovedo has emerged as Prince's media advocate. She crowned a credible BET Awards tribute.

Somehow Escovedo has found studio time lately. On Prince's passing, she suspended "a dance record" ready for release. Instead Escovedo channelled that grief into new songs inspired by her old confidant - including the ballad Girl Meets Boy. "As a writer, you write what you feel and what's on your heart," she says. Escovedo will now present a double-set, again entitled Girl Meets Boy, dedicated to Prince - and their bond. "The 'Girl' side of the album is the dance music and the 'Boy' part is funk or things about Prince and stuff like that - the music's a little bit different." As always.