Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress. Easton came into the public eye in an episode of the first British musical reality television programme ''
The Big Time: Pop Singer'', which recorded her attempts to gain a record contract and her eventual signing with
EMI Records
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
.
Easton's first two singles, "
Modern Girl
(also shortened to ) were Japanese women who followed Westernized fashions and lifestyles in the period after World War I.
were Japan's equivalent of America's flappers, Germany's , France's , or China's (). By viewing through a Japanese ...
" and "
9 to 5", both entered the UK Top Ten. She became one of the most successful British female performers of the 1980s.
A six-time Grammy nominee in the US, Easton is a two-time
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
winner, winning
Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
in 1982
and
Best Mexican-American Performance in 1985, for her duet with
Luis Miguel on the song "
Me Gustas Tal Como Eres
"Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" (Spanish for "I like you just the way you are") is a song written by Juan Carlos Calderón and Luis Gómez Escolar, produced by Calderón, and performed by Scottish singer Sheena Easton in a duet with Mexican singer Luis ...
". She has received five US
Gold album
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
s and one US
Platinum album
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
. She has recorded 15 studio albums, released 45 singles total worldwide, and had 20 consecutive US singles, including 15 US Top 40 singles, seven US Top Tens and one US #1 on the
Billboard Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
between 1981 and 1991. She had 25 top 40 hits internationally. In Canada, Easton scored three gold and two platinum albums. She has sold over 30 million records worldwide.
Easton became the first and only recording artist in Billboard history to have a top 5 hit on each of Billboard's primary
singles charts
A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include rec ...
: "
Morning Train (Nine to Five)" (pop and AC), "
We've Got Tonight
"We've Got Tonite" is a song written by American rock music artist Bob Seger, from his album '' Stranger in Town'' (1978). The single record charted twice for Seger, and was developed from a prior song that he had written. Further versions char ...
" with
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
(country and AC), and "
Sugar Walls
"Sugar Walls" is the second single from Sheena Easton's 1984 album ''A Private Heaven''. It spent 16 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United States, nine of which were in the top 40. It reached number 9 on the Hot 100, number 3 on the ...
" (R&B and dance).
Easton's other hits include the
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
theme "
For Your Eyes Only", "
Strut
A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension.
Human anatomy
Part of the functionality o ...
", "
U Got the Look
"U Got the Look" is a song by American musician Prince. It opens the second disc of Prince's double album '' Sign o' the Times'' (1987), and became the album's runner-up chart single. Musically, the song is a standard 12-bar rock song with emphasi ...
" and "
The Arms of Orion
"The Arms of Orion" is a 1989 song by Prince and Sheena Easton
Sheena Shirley Easton (; born 27 April 1959) is a Scottish singer and actress. Easton came into the public eye in an episode of the first British musical reality television progra ...
" with
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
, "
The Lover in Me", and "
What Comes Naturally
''What Comes Naturally'' is the tenth studio album by Scottish-born singer Sheena Easton, released in 1991 through MCA Records. This album includes Easton's final US top-20 hit to date, " What Comes Naturally", which remained on the pop chart fo ...
". She has worked with prominent vocalists and producers, such as Prince,
Christopher Neil
Christopher Neil (born 1948) is an Irish-born British record producer, songwriter, singer, and actor.
He has produced records for A-ha, Amazulu, Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion, Cher, Dollar, Edyta Górniak, Gerry Rafferty, Jennifer Rush, José C ...
,
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
,
David Foster
David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His music career spans mor ...
,
Luis Miguel,
L.A. Reid
Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
&
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to:
Nicknames
* Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber
* Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician
* "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
,
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist and R&B singer. She is also a composer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music director.
Her 1982 single "Forget Me Nots" received a Grammy Awar ...
, and
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...
.
Life and career
1959–1980: Early life and career beginnings
Sheena Shirley Orr was born on 27 April 1959, at
Bellshill Maternity Hospital in
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire ( sco, North Lanrikshire; gd, Siorrachd Lannraig a Tuath) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains many of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also ...
, Scotland, the youngest of six children of Annie and
steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-finish ...
labourer Alex Orr. She has two brothers, Robert and Alex, and three sisters, Marilyn, Anessa, and Morag. Her earliest-known public performance as a singer was in 1964 at the age of five, when she sang "
Early One Morning
"Early One Morning" (Roud V9617) is an English folk song with lyrics first found in publications as far back as 1787.Patrick M. Liebergen, Singer's Library of Song: Medium Voice (Alfred Music Publishing, 2005) , 164. A broadside ballad sheet in t ...
" for her uncle and aunt and various relatives at the couple's 25th wedding anniversary celebration.
Easton's father died in 1969 and her mother had to support the family. According to Easton's website, despite her mother's heavy workload she was always available for her children: "Sheena always speaks very highly of her mum and the wonderful job she did in bringing up her and her siblings, including teaching them all to read at home before they were even enrolled in school."
Easton did not consider a singing career until she saw the movie ''
The Way We Were
''The Way We Were'' is a 1973 American romantic drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. Arthur Laurents wrote both the novel and screenplay based on his college days at Cornell University and his ...
'', with
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
. Streisand's singing over the opening credits "overtook" the young girl and convinced her that what she wanted most was to be a singer and to have the same effect on others.
Her top grades in school earned her a scholarship to attend the
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, where she trained from 1975 to 1979 as a speech and drama teacher by day, while singing with a band called "Something Else" by night at local clubs.
She chose to study teaching rather than performing, because it was a course of study that would let her perfect her craft as a singer.
In 1979, she married Sandi Easton, the first of her four husbands. They divorced after eight months, and Sheena decided to keep the surname Easton. That year, one of her tutors coaxed her into auditioning for
Esther Rantzen
Dame Esther Louise Rantzen (born 22 June 1940) is an English journalist and television presenter, who presented the BBC television series ''That's Life!'' for 21 years, from 1973 until 1994. She works with various charitable causes, and fou ...
, producer of the BBC programme ''
The Big Time''. Rantzen was planning a documentary film to chronicle a relative unknown's rise to pop-music stardom. Easton was selected as the subject for the programme;
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
executives awarded her a contract, and
Christopher Neil
Christopher Neil (born 1948) is an Irish-born British record producer, songwriter, singer, and actor.
He has produced records for A-ha, Amazulu, Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion, Cher, Dollar, Edyta Górniak, Gerry Rafferty, Jennifer Rush, José C ...
was assigned as her recording producer.
Deke Arlon became her first manager, and Easton spent much of 1980 being followed by camera crews, who filmed her throughout the process of her audition through to making her first EMI single, "Modern Girl". In the course of the filming, she met and sang for
Dorothy Squires
Dorothy Squires (born Edna May Squires, 25 March 1915 – 14 April 1998) was a Welsh singer. Her early successes were achieved with " The Gypsy", " A Tree in the Meadow" and " I'm Walking Behind You" by her partner Billy Reid, and " Say It w ...
,
Dusty Springfield
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop music, p ...
and
Lulu
Lulu may refer to:
Companies
* LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer
* Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer
* Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia
* Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...
, whose manager
Marion Massey
Marion Massey (born Marian Gordon, c.1930 – 1 March 2014) told her that she saw Easton as a potential TV star with her own series, but not as a pop singer for the 1980s as she lacked "rugged individuality".
The encounter with Massey (then Marion London), at which Lulu was present, was filmed and included in the broadcast, at which time Massey was not entirely incorrect, as "Modern Girl" had flopped on its release, peaking at no.56 in just three weeks on the UK Singles Chart in April 1980. However, once the programme aired in August 1980, "Modern Girl" was reissued and the track and its follow up "Nine to Five" both leapt into the top 10, disproving Massey's prediction. In a revised and extended version of this episode of ''The Big Time'', broadcast in 1981; this special concluded with news of Easton's breaking into the American market.
1981–1982: "9 to 5", James Bond, ''Take My Time''
Easton's first single, the
disco
Disco is a genre of dance music and a subculture that emerged in the 1970s from the United States' urban nightlife scene. Its sound is typified by four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, brass and horns, electric pia ...
-tinged soft-synth-pop tune, "
Modern Girl
(also shortened to ) were Japanese women who followed Westernized fashions and lifestyles in the period after World War I.
were Japan's equivalent of America's flappers, Germany's , France's , or China's (). By viewing through a Japanese ...
", was released in the UK before
''The Big Time'' aired, reached number 56. At the end of the show, Easton was still unsure of her future as a singer. The question was resolved soon after the show aired, when her second single, "
9 to 5", reached number 3 on the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and was certified a Gold single in 1980. "Modern Girl" re-entered the chart subsequently and climbed into the top 10, being certified a Silver single, and Easton found herself with two songs in the UK top 10 simultaneously. During 1980, Easton was voted "Best British Female Singer" by the ''
Daily Mirror
The ''Daily Mirror'' is a British national daily tabloid. Founded in 1903, it is owned by parent company Reach plc. From 1985 to 1987, and from 1997 to 2002, the title on its masthead was simply ''The Mirror''. It had an average daily print ...
'' Pop & Rock Awards, "Best Newcomer" by
Capital Radio
Capital London is a radio station owned and operated by the Global media company as part of its national Capital FM Network. As Capital Radio it was launched in the London area in 1973 as one of Britain's first two commercial radio stations. ...
, and "Best Female Singer" by the ''
TV Times
''TV Times'' is a British television listings magazine published by Future plc. It was originally published by Independent Television Publications, owned by the participating ITV companies. The magazine was acquired by IPC Media in 1989, which ...
'' Readers Awards.
"9 to 5" was Easton's first single release in the United States, although it was renamed "Morning Train (Nine To Five)" for its release in the US and Canada to avoid confusion with
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
's hit movie title song "
9 to 5". "Morning Train (Nine to Five)" became Easton's first and only number 1 hit in the US and topped both the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
charts in
''Billboard'' magazine. "Modern Girl" was released as the follow-up and peaked at number 18, and before 1981 was over she had a Top 10 hit in both the US and UK with the Academy Award-nominated
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
movie theme "
For Your Eyes Only". The song was nominated for an Academy Award and Golden Globe award in 1982 in the category "Best Music (Original Song)". Easton's US success culminated in her winning the
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for "Best New Artist" for 1982.
Easton actually appears in the opening credits of ''For Your Eyes Only'', performing the song; as of 2022, she remains the only Bond theme singer to be featured in this way.
Easton's first three US albums,
''Sheena Easton'' (1981) (retitled edition of ''Take My Time''), ''
You Could Have Been with Me'' (1981), and ''
Madness, Money & Music'' (1982), were all in the same
soft rock
Soft rock is a form of rock music that originated in the late 1960s in Southern California and the United Kingdom which smoothed over the edges of singer-songwriter and pop rock, relying on simple, melodic songs with big, lush productions. S ...
/pop vein. The
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
from ''You Could Have Been with Me'' made it in to the US top 15; however, by the end of 1982, she saw her sales slumping. Easton was one of the first artists to record "
Wind Beneath My Wings "Wind Beneath My Wings" (sometimes titled "The Wind Beneath My Wings" and "Hero") is a song written in 1982 by Jeff Silbar and Larry Henley.
The song was first recorded by Kamahl in 1982 for a country and western album he was recording. Kamahl ta ...
" (included on ''Madness, Money & Music''), which later was a hit for
Bette Midler
Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...
.
Then, in 1982, Easton undertook her first US tour. Her performance in Los Angeles was videotaped and broadcast on
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
and later released on VHS and Laserdisc as ''Sheena Easton Live at the Palace, Hollywood''.
On 8 November 1982 she appeared in the
Royal Variety Performance in front of the Queen Mother singing
Maybe This Time.
1983–1987: ''Best Kept Secret'', ''Todo Me Recuerda a Ti'', ''A Private Heaven'' and ''No Sound but a Heart''
In January 1983, Easton duetted with
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted mo ...
and had a top 10 hit in the US with "
We've Got Tonight
"We've Got Tonite" is a song written by American rock music artist Bob Seger, from his album '' Stranger in Town'' (1978). The single record charted twice for Seger, and was developed from a prior song that he had written. Further versions char ...
", a cover of the
Bob Seger song. The recording also earned her a number 1 single on the Country chart, and it reached the UK Top 30. Around the time of her hit record with Rogers, Easton headlined ''Act One'', a one-hour variety special broadcast on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
that featured Rogers and a cameo appearance by
Johnny Carson
John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
.
October 1983 saw the release of the album''
Best Kept Secret'' and its first single, the synthesized
dance-pop
Dance-pop is a popular music subgenre that originated in the late 1970s to early 1980s. It is generally uptempo music intended for nightclubs with the intention of being danceable but also suitable for contemporary hit radio. Developing from a ...
tune "
Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)", became her fourth Top 10 hit. The single was Grammy-nominated for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" of 1983.
The follow-up single, "
Almost Over You", reached the US Top 30 and was a number 4 AC chart hit. "Almost Over You" was very popular in Asia and was covered by Chinese singer Cass Pang. It also became a hit on the Country charts for
Lila McCann
Lila Elaine McCann (born December 4, 1981) is an American country music singer who made her debut at age 16 with the single "Down Came a Blackbird." Reaching a peak of No. 28 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, the song ...
in 1998.
In 1984, Easton recorded a Spanish-language single, "Me Gustas Tal Como Eres" ("I Like You Just the Way You Are"), a duet with Mexican star
Luis Miguel. The single earned her a second Grammy, this time for Best Mexican-American Performance. The track was taken from the album ''
Todo Me Recuerda a Ti'' (1984), and reissued by Capitol/EMI-Latin in 1989, which featured Spanish-language covers of seven previous Easton recordings and three new tracks. In the same year, she also made a transformation into a sexy dance-pop siren, changing her performance style in the process. She was rewarded with the biggest-selling US album of her career, RIAA certified gold & platinum ''
A Private Heaven
''A Private Heaven'' is the fifth studio album by Scottish pop singer Sheena Easton, released on 21 September 1984 by EMI America Records. The album featured two US Top 10 hit singles: the lead single "Strut" and the controversial "Sugar Walls". ...
'' (1984), and her sixth Top 10 US single, "
Strut
A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension.
Human anatomy
Part of the functionality o ...
". In the UK, however, the move was not a commercial success, as Easton would find herself shut out of the UK top 75 for the next three years.
Her career on the rise in the US, Easton was again Grammy nominated, this time for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" in 1984.
She was also one of the first artists to have a music video banned because of its lyrics rather than its imagery; some broadcasters refused to air the sexually risqué "
Sugar Walls
"Sugar Walls" is the second single from Sheena Easton's 1984 album ''A Private Heaven''. It spent 16 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the United States, nine of which were in the top 40. It reached number 9 on the Hot 100, number 3 on the ...
", which had been written for her by
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
(using the
pseudonym
A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...
''Alexander Nevermind''). "Sugar Walls" was named by
Tipper Gore
Mary Elizabeth "Tipper" Gore (née Aitcheson; born August 19, 1948) is an American social issues advocate, activist, photographer and author who was the second lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. She was married to Al Gore, the 45th vi ...
of the
Parents Music Resource Center
The Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was an American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to have violent, drug-related or sexual themes via labeling albums ...
as one of the "Filthy Fifteen", a list of songs deemed indecent because of their lyrics, alongside Prince's own "
Darling Nikki
"Darling Nikki" is a song produced, arranged, composed, and performed by American musician Prince, originally released on his sixth studio album '' Purple Rain'' (1984). Though the song was not released as a single, it gained wide notoriety for ...
". The song eventually hit number 3 on the
R&B singles chart
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...
, number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart in 1985.
Easton's follow-up to ''A Private Heaven'', entitled ''
Do You'' (1985), was produced by
Nile Rodgers
Nile Gregory Rodgers Jr. (born September 19, 1952) is an American musician, record producer and composer. The co-founder of Chic, Rodgers has written, produced, and performed on records that have sold more than 500 million albums and 75 million ...
and achieved gold status, although it failed to generate any breakout singles of the chart calibre of "Strut" or "Sugar Walls". In late 1985, Easton contributed "It's Christmas (All Over the World)" to the holiday release ''
Santa Claus: The Movie''. In 1987, the release of a follow-up album, ''
No Sound But a Heart
''No Sound But a Heart'' is Sheena Easton's eighth studio album, released in 1987 on the EMI America label. The album was issued in the Canadian, Mexican and Asian markets. The album consists of midtempo and ballad songs, including the single and ...
'' (1987),
[Beck, Marilyn. "New director selected for 'No Man's Land'. ''Daily News'' (Los Angeles). 22 December 1986.] was hampered in the United States after an initial single release, "Eternity" (another Prince composition), failed to reach the pop, R&B or adult contemporary charts.
The album's release moved from February to June;
then in August the release was further held up as Easton's attorneys asked that the album be delayed after EMI Records was absorbed into EMI/Manhattan. (This did not prevent the album from being released in Canada, Europe and other territories.)
Songs from the album were covered by other artists:
Crystal Gayle and
Gary Morris featured "Wanna Give My Love" and "What if We Fall in Love" on a 1987 duet album named for the latter song;
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
recorded "
The Last to Know
"The Last to Know" is a song recorded by Sheena Easton for her 1987 album, '' No Sound But a Heart''. It was written by Brock Walsh and Phil Galdston and produced by Nick Martinelli. In 1990, it was covered by Celine Dion.
Celine Dion version
C ...
" on 1990's ''
Unison
In music, unison is two or more musical parts that sound either the same pitch or pitches separated by intervals of one or more octaves, usually at the same time. ''Rhythmic unison'' is another term for homorhythm.
Definition
Unison or per ...
'' while Mexican singer
Yuri Yuri may refer to:
People and fictional characters
Given name
*Yuri (Slavic name), the Slavic masculine form of the given name George, including a list of people with the given name Yuri, Yury, etc.
*Yuri (Japanese name), also Yūri, feminine Jap ...
featured the tune on her album ''Espejos De Alma'' (1995);
Patti LaBelle covered "Still in Love" on 1989's ''Be Yourself;''
Pia Zadora
Pia Zadora (born Pia Alfreda Schipani, May 4, 1954) is an American actress and singer. After working as a child actress on Broadway, in regional theater, and in the film ''Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'' (1964), she came to national attention ...
recorded "Floating Hearts" on 1989's ''Pia Z''. ''No Sound But a Heart'' eventually did get released in the United States in 1999, with four bonus tracks, including Easton's contributions to the soundtrack of the 1986 film ''
About Last Night'', "Natural Love" and the Top 50 single "So Far, So Good".
1987–1990: "U Got the Look" and ''The Lover in Me''
In 1987, Easton appeared in Prince's concert film ''
Sign o' the Times
''Sign o' the Times'' (often stylized as ''Sign "☮︎" the Times'') is the ninth studio album by American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was first released on March 30, 1987 as a double album by Paisley Park ...
'', during which she sang duet vocals for Prince's hit, "
U Got the Look
"U Got the Look" is a song by American musician Prince. It opens the second disc of Prince's double album '' Sign o' the Times'' (1987), and became the album's runner-up chart single. Musically, the song is a standard 12-bar rock song with emphasi ...
", which became a No. 2 hit in the US. This led to Grammy nominations for "Best R&B Vocal, Duo or Group" and "Best R&B Song" of 1987. The track also returned Easton to the UK hit parade for the first time in nearly four years, although Easton is not credited on the label for the song's single release. During her time collaborating with Prince, Easton was encouraged to write her own material. The most successful effort from their co-writes was "The Arms of Orion", another duet with Prince and a single from 1989's
Batman soundtrack. The song reached number 36 on the US Billboard Chart and number 27 in her native UK. She also co-wrote the song "Love '89" with Prince for Patti LaBelle's album ''
Be Yourself'' and "La, La, La, He, He, Hee", which
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
recorded for the B-side of the single "
Sign o' the Times
''Sign o' the Times'' (often stylized as ''Sign "☮︎" the Times'') is the ninth studio album by American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was first released on March 30, 1987 as a double album by Paisley Park ...
". Tabloid press linked the two romantically, which she has always denied.
[Elfman, Doug.]
Doug Elfman: Grist For the Rumor Mill
" ''Las Vegas Review-Journal
The ''Las Vegas Review-Journal'' is a daily subscription newspaper published in Las Vegas, Nevada, since 1909. It is the largest circulating daily newspaper in Nevada and one of two daily newspapers in the Las Vegas area.
The ''Review-Journal'' ...
''. 27 March 2009.
In November 1987, Easton made her first dramatic acting appearance on the television program ''
Miami Vice
''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann (director), Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ...
''. She played a singer named Caitlin Davies, whom
Sonny Crockett was assigned to protect until her court appearance to render crucial testimony against certain corrupt music industry mavens. Sonny and Caitlin ended up married by the end of the episode, the first of five episodes for Easton.
By the spring of 1988, a volume of the ''Miami Vice'' soundtrack was released and featured "Follow My Rainbow", which Easton had finished singing on her last appearance just moments before her character was eliminated.
The song also appeared on her next album ''
The Lover in Me'' (1988), RIAA gold-disc debut released the following autumn on her new label
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group.
Pre-history
MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...
, that put Easton back on the US and UK charts after the release of ''No Sound But a Heart'' was cancelled in the US. This album features Urban
R&B and Dance-pop, and a sexier image. The
title song
A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
from ''The Lover in Me'' reached number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and UK number 15 and became her biggest pop hit since "Morning Train". It also became a number 5 hit on the US
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...
chart. It was followed on the US R&B chart by "Days Like This" (number 35), which missed the Billboard Hot 100. The third single, the Prince-penned "101", made it to number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Dance chart. A final single was released "No Deposit, No Return" and failed to chart. The album received positive reviews and featured collaborations with
L.A. Reid
Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...
and
Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to:
Nicknames
* Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber
* Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician
* "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...
, Prince,
Angela Winbush
Angela Lisa Winbush (born January 18, 1955) is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who rose to fame first in the 1980s R&B duo René & Angela, also scoring hits as a solo artist. To date, Winbush has sold over ...
and
Jellybean Benitez
John Benitez (born November 7, 1957), also known as Jellybean, is an American musician, songwriter, DJ, remixer, and music producer. He has produced and remixed artists such as Madonna, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and the Pointer Sisters. H ...
.
In 1990, Easton revisited her home country of Scotland to perform at a festival (The Big Day) in
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
. After announcing that it was "good to be back home" in an American accent, she had bottles (some containing urine) thrown at her and, visibly shaken, she was forced to cut her set short. She vowed never to perform in Scotland again.
1991–1996: ''What Comes Naturally, Modern Girl (Live in San Diego), No Strings, and My Cherie''
In 1991, ''
What Comes Naturally
''What Comes Naturally'' is the tenth studio album by Scottish-born singer Sheena Easton, released in 1991 through MCA Records. This album includes Easton's final US top-20 hit to date, " What Comes Naturally", which remained on the pop chart fo ...
'' became the last of Easton's albums to chart in the United States, peaking at number 90. The title song was also her last Top 40 single to date, reaching number 19. It also became her first hit in Australia since the mid-1980s, peaking at number 4. Two other singles, "You Can Swing It" and "To Anyone," followed but failed to chart. "What Comes Naturally" remained on the US pop chart for 10 weeks and 11 weeks on the ARIA Chart in Australia. Easton has songwriting credits on three tracks. She is also one of the few pop artists to adopt the
new jack swing
New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle, new jack swing was mos ...
sound with chart success from the early 1990s.
In 1992 an unofficial recording of "Modern Girl" (Live in San Diego) was released by "That's Life" recordings in Germany and Japan. The music was from her early output with EMI and became a sort of bootleg version of her concert when she performed stateside on her first worldwide tour in 1982.
Easton followed this with the non-charting but critically acclaimed ''
No Strings
''No Strings'' is a musical drama with book by Samuel A. Taylor and words and music by Richard Rodgers. ''No Strings'' is the only Broadway score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musical he composed after the death of ...
'' (1993), an album of jazz standards produced by
Patrice Rushen
Patrice Louise Rushen (born September 30, 1954) is an American jazz pianist and R&B singer. She is also a composer, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and music director.
Her 1982 single "Forget Me Nots" received a Grammy Awar ...
. It included her version of "
The Nearness of You
"The Nearness of You" is a popular song written in 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics by Ned Washington. The song debuted in the 1938 movie Romance in the Dark.
It is also heard in the 1940 recording In the Mood by Glenn Miller and His Orche ...
," which was also featured on the soundtrack of the film, ''
Indecent Proposal
''Indecent Proposal'' is a 1993 American erotic drama film directed by Adrian Lyne and written by Amy Holden Jones. It is based on the 1988 novel by Jack Engelhard, in which a couple's marriage is disrupted by a stranger's offer of a million d ...
,'' in which Easton appeared in a cameo role.
''
My Cherie
''My Cherie'' is the 12th album by Scottish singer Sheena Easton, released in 1995 on MCA Records. The album consists of adult pop songs. The title track was issued as a single but failed to chart. Other tracks include "You've Learned To Live W ...
'' (1995) was her last pop album to date to see domestic release in the United States. The album saw Sheena reunite with producer
Christopher Neil
Christopher Neil (born 1948) is an Irish-born British record producer, songwriter, singer, and actor.
He has produced records for A-ha, Amazulu, Bonnie Tyler, Celine Dion, Cher, Dollar, Edyta Górniak, Gerry Rafferty, Jennifer Rush, José C ...
for the first time in over a decade.
1996–1999: ''Freedom'', ''Home'' and Colors of Christmas Tour
Easton contributed vocals to the soundtrack of ''
All Dogs Go to Heaven 2
''All Dogs Go to Heaven 2'' is a 1996 American animated musical fantasy adventure film, and a sequel to Goldcrest Films' animated film '' All Dogs Go to Heaven'' (1989). Produced by MGM/UA Family Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation ...
'' and voiced the character Sasha La Fleur on "Count Me Out" and "I Will Always Be With You". Easton also contributed the theme song "Are There Angels" to the soundtrack for ''
Shiloh'' in 1997; and provided the song "A Dream Worth Keeping" for the 1992
animated film
Animation is a method by which image, still figures are manipulated to appear as Motion picture, moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent cel, celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited ...
''
FernGully: The Last Rainforest''.
In 1997, she played 'Melissa McCammon', a recording star, who is visited by time travellers from the future in a second-season episode of the Canadian television series ''
The Outer Limits'' entitled "
Falling Star". The episode featured her singing two songs from ''
My Cherie
''My Cherie'' is the 12th album by Scottish singer Sheena Easton, released in 1995 on MCA Records. The album consists of adult pop songs. The title track was issued as a single but failed to chart. Other tracks include "You've Learned To Live W ...
''.
In the late 1990s, Easton retained an album contract with
MCA Japan and released two discs of new material. However, neither album was originally released in the United States.
''Freedom'', released in 1997 to coincide with the launch of her website and finally released in (Limited Edition) stateside in 2007, was a return to her trademark pop, including a remake of her debut single "
Modern Girl
(also shortened to ) were Japanese women who followed Westernized fashions and lifestyles in the period after World War I.
were Japan's equivalent of America's flappers, Germany's , France's , or China's (). By viewing through a Japanese ...
".
In 1999
Universal
Universal is the adjective for universe.
Universal may also refer to:
Companies
* NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company
** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal
** Universal TV, a ...
/
Victor
The name Victor or Viktor may refer to:
* Victor (name), including a list of people with the given name, mononym, or surname
Arts and entertainment
Film
* ''Victor'' (1951 film), a French drama film
* ''Victor'' (1993 film), a French shor ...
released the self-produced acoustic set,
''Home''. Also around this time, Sheena Easton
Greatest Hits
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
collection featuring 12 MCA singles recorded from 1988 to 1995 released and charted in Japan at number 98 (additional greatest hits collections surfaced in the US and UK, but did not chart).
Easton adopted a boy (Jake) and girl (Skylar) between 1995 and 1996. Motherhood led her to curtail her appearances and focus on casino gigs, corporate shows and theatrical work.
[Cordova, Randy.]
4/13: Sheena Easton at Phx Pride Festival
" ''The Arizona Republic
''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
''. 3 April 2008. "Because I adopted my children, I could plan my timing", she told ''
The Arizona Republic
''The Arizona Republic'' is an American daily newspaper published in Phoenix. Circulated throughout Arizona, it is the state's largest newspaper. Since 2000, it has been owned by the Gannett newspaper chain. Copies are sold at $2 daily or at $3 ...
''. "I knew exactly when they were coming along, so I knew when I had to change my life so it would be a stable life."
Easton continued acting in America, starring in lead
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
revivals of ''
Man of La Mancha'' as (Aldonza) opposite
Raul Julia
Raúl Rafael Carlos Juliá y Arcelay (March 9, 1940 – October 24, 1994) was a Puerto Rican actor. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he took an interest in acting while still in school and pursued the career upon completion of his studies. After ...
in his last stage role (1992), and ''
Grease'' as
Rizzo (1996). Between 1994 and 1996, she played several characters in ''
Gargoyles'' the animated series, including Lady Finella, the Banshee, Molly and Robyn Canmore. In 1999, she voice-acted a part-demon character, Annah-of-the-Shadows, in the computer game ''
Planescape: Torment''. She lives in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
with her two children and often performs in various casinos' entertainment venues. She voiced the character of Fiona Canmore for a scripted but unfinished episode of the cancelled animated feature, ''
Team Atlantis''.
In December 1998, Easton toured with "The Colors of Christmas" with artists
Roberta Flack
Roberta Cleopatra Flack (born February 10, 1937) is a retired American singer. She topped the Billboard Magazine, ''Billboard'' charts with the No. 1 singles "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", "Feel Like M ...
,
Melissa Manchester
Melissa Manchester (born February 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Since the 1970s, her songs have been carried by adult contemporary radio stations. She has also appeared on television, in films, and on stage.
Early l ...
,
Peabo Bryson
Robert Peapo "Peabo" Bryson (born April 13, 1951) is an American singer and songwriter. He is known for singing soul ballads (often as a duet with female singers) including the 1983 hit "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" with Roberta Flack. Bryson ...
and
Jeffrey Osborne
Jeffrey Linton Osborne (born March 9, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and lyricist. He is the former drummer and lead singer of the American R&B/soul group L.T.D., with whom he began his musical career in 1970.
Biography Earl ...
.
Windham Hill
Windham Hill Records was an independent record label that specialized in instrumental acoustic music. It was founded by guitarist William Ackerman and Anne Robinson (née McGilvray) in 1976 and was popular in the 1980s and 1990s.
The label was ...
Records produced "The Colors of Christmas" disc by Robbie Buchanan of holiday music. Easton contributed two tracks, "The Place Where We Belong" (a duet with Jeffrey Osborne) and "The Lord's Prayer".
1999–2013: ''Fabulous'', Re-issues
In 1999 New York based
One Way Records
One Way Records was an independent record label based in Albany, New York that specialized in budget reissues of classic rock albums. In the 1990s, it gained business pressing reissues of those records that had "fallen through the cracks" in the t ...
reserved the rights to release all of Easton's EMI-America catalog. For the first time in the US, ''No Sound But a Heart'' was released, 12 years after the album was made available elsewhere. All of Easton's EMI back catalogue (with another exception of her Spanish-language album ''Todo Me Recuerda a Ti'') was re-released and remastered with bonus tracks, incorporating B-sides and remixes.
Universal Japan released ''Best Ballads'', a disc of ballads from her six previous albums from her MCA catalog with the exception of "For Your Eyes Only" for the Japanese market that failed to chart.
She also signed an album contract with
Universal International
Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
UK and attempted a comeback with ''
Fabulous'' (2000), an album of classic disco covers. The first single, "Giving Up, Giving In", reached UK number 54, and the album charted at UK number 185. A second single, a cover of Donna Summer's hit "Love is in Control", with double A-side "
Don't Leave Me This Way
"Don't Leave Me This Way" is a song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert. It was originally released in 1975 by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass, an act signed to Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia Internat ...
", was withdrawn. This was to be Easton's last album release to date. The album was released throughout Europe, Japan, Australia, and Argentina but not in the US. In Australia, "Fabulous" was released 24 February 2001 and Easton was asked to perform songs from the album to close out 2001
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras or Sydney Mardi Gras is an event in Sydney, New South Wales attended by hundreds of thousands of people from around Australia and overseas. One of the largest such festivals in the world, Mardi Gras is the ...
ceremonies.
In 2003, Easton contributed vocals to "If You're Happy", a cover for a Japanese disc called ''Cover Morning Musume-Hello Project''. She also began to host ''Vegas Live'', a talk show with
Clint Holmes
Clint Holmes (born 9 May 1946) is a British-born singer-songwriter and Las Vegas entertainer, and TV announcer.
Bio
He was born in Bournemouth, England, the son of an African-American jazz musician and an English opera singer. He was raised in ...
(later replaced by
Brian McKnight
Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma.
McKnight is known for h ...
). In 2004, she was inducted into the Casino Legends Hall of Fame at the Tropicana Resort & Casino.
2013–present: "The Spy Who Loved Me" and ''42nd Street''
In February 2013, Demon/Edsel Records (UK) reissued Easton's ''You Could Have Been with Me'' and ''Madness, Money & Music'' along with ''A Private Heaven'' and ''Do You'' in two compact disc packages remastered with bonus tracks, with the latter including the extended version of "
Jimmy Mack
"Jimmy Mack" is a pop/soul song that in 1967 became a hit single by Martha and the Vandellas for Motown's Gordy imprint. Written and produced by Motown's main creative team, Holland–Dozier–Holland, "Jimmy Mack" was the final Top 10 pop h ...
" that has never been included on any of her reissues. In November 2014, a box set of Easton's first five albums in an original album series CD collection was released by
Warner Music
Warner Music Group Corp. ( d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate headquartered in New York City. It is one of the " big three" recording companies and t ...
in the United Kingdom.
In 2015 Easton embarked on symphony concerts with guest vocalists entitled "The Spy Who Loved Me" with material from spy movies of the past and present and featuring
Bond
Bond or bonds may refer to:
Common meanings
* Bond (finance), a type of debt security
* Bail bond, a commercial third-party guarantor of surety bonds in the United States
* Chemical bond, the attraction of atoms, ions or molecules to form chemica ...
-style music with symphonies around the United States beginning in San Francisco from July 2015 and continuing into 2016. Easton also performed a small tour of dates during the latter part of 2015 in Australia featuring her Greatest Hits.
In November 2016, Easton accepted the role of Dorothy Brock in the revival production of ''42nd Street'', which premiered on 20 March 2017 in London's West End, Drury Lane.
Lulu
Lulu may refer to:
Companies
* LuLu, an early automobile manufacturer
* Lulu.com, an online e-books and print self-publishing platform, distributor, and retailer
* Lulu Hypermarket, a retail chain in Asia
* Lululemon Athletica or simply Lulu, ...
replaced Easton in March 2018.
Easton performed at the 2021
New York State Fair
The New York State Fair, also known as the Great New York State Fair, is a 13-day showcase of agriculture, entertainment, education, and technology. With midway rides, concessionaires, exhibits, and concerts, it has become New York's largest an ...
, and two of her albums, ''
Fabulous'' and an expanded edition of ''
What Comes Naturally
''What Comes Naturally'' is the tenth studio album by Scottish-born singer Sheena Easton, released in 1991 through MCA Records. This album includes Easton's final US top-20 hit to date, " What Comes Naturally", which remained on the pop chart fo ...
'' were reissued digitally through
Apple Music
Apple Music is a music, audio and video streaming service developed by Apple Inc. Users select music to stream to their device on-demand, or they can listen to existing playlists. The service also includes the Internet radio stations Apple M ...
.
On Sept. 17, 2021, RT Industries (US) and Cherry Red Records (UK) launch a re-issue campaign of the EMI star's back catalog and issued the three-CD box set ''The Definitive Singles 1980–1987'', which collected all of Easton's English-language singles recorded for EMI, along with format-edit versions and some previously unreleased vault material along with the additional releases throughout 2022. On Nov. 19, 2021, Apple Music made additional Easton material available digitally, with the collections ''Best Ballads'' and ''Greatest Hits'', which feature material from Easton's post-1987 era with MCA/Universal.
Personal life
Easton has been married, and divorced, four times and has two adopted children. Her first marriage was in Britain to Sandi Easton at the age of 19. The marriage lasted eight months. Sandi Easton died in 1998, aged 48.
Her second marriage in 1984 to Rob Light, a
talent agent
A talent agent, or booking agent, is a person who finds jobs for actors, authors, broadcast journalists, film directors, musicians, models, professional athletes, screenwriters, writers, and other professionals in various entertainment or sport ...
, ended after 18 months. Easton became a
US citizen
Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Constituti ...
in 1992, carrying
dual citizenship
Multiple/dual citizenship (or multiple/dual nationality) is a legal status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a national or citizen of more than one country under the laws of those countries. Conceptually, citizenship is focused on ...
with the United Kingdom, and adopted her first child, Jake Rion Cousins Easton, in 1994.
Two years later, she adopted again, this time a baby girl she named Skylar.
In the summer of 1997, she met producer Tim Delarm while filming an episode of
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
Canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western ca ...
Photo Safari
A safari (; ) is an overland journey to observe wild animals, especially in eastern or southern Africa. The so-called "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo – particularly form an impor ...
in
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...
and they married in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
in July 1997; the marriage lasted one year. On 9 November 2002, she married John Minoli, a
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...
plastic surgeon
Plastic surgery is a surgical specialty involving the restoration, reconstruction or alteration of the human body. It can be divided into two main categories: reconstructive surgery and cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery includes craniof ...
; they divorced in 2003.
Easton resides in
Henderson, Nevada
Henderson is a city in Clark County, Nevada, United States, about southeast of downtown Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, after Las Vegas, with an estimated population of 320,189 in 2019. The city is part of the Las Vegas Vall ...
.
Discography
*''
Take My Time
''Take My Time'' is the debut album by UK pop singer Sheena Easton. Released in January 1981, the album reached #17 in the UK and earned her a Gold Disc. Two months later, a ten track version of the album was released in the USA and Canada as ''S ...
'' (1981; titled simply ''Sheena Easton'' in North America)
*''
You Could Have Been with Me'' (1981)
*''
Madness, Money & Music'' (1982)
*''
Best Kept Secret'' (1983)
*''
A Private Heaven
''A Private Heaven'' is the fifth studio album by Scottish pop singer Sheena Easton, released on 21 September 1984 by EMI America Records. The album featured two US Top 10 hit singles: the lead single "Strut" and the controversial "Sugar Walls". ...
'' (1984)
*''
Todo Me Recuerda a Ti'' (1984)
*''
Do You'' (1985)
*''
No Sound But a Heart
''No Sound But a Heart'' is Sheena Easton's eighth studio album, released in 1987 on the EMI America label. The album was issued in the Canadian, Mexican and Asian markets. The album consists of midtempo and ballad songs, including the single and ...
'' (1987)
*''
The Lover in Me'' (1988)
*''
What Comes Naturally
''What Comes Naturally'' is the tenth studio album by Scottish-born singer Sheena Easton, released in 1991 through MCA Records. This album includes Easton's final US top-20 hit to date, " What Comes Naturally", which remained on the pop chart fo ...
'' (1991)
*''
No Strings
''No Strings'' is a musical drama with book by Samuel A. Taylor and words and music by Richard Rodgers. ''No Strings'' is the only Broadway score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musical he composed after the death of ...
'' (1993)
*''
My Cherie
''My Cherie'' is the 12th album by Scottish singer Sheena Easton, released in 1995 on MCA Records. The album consists of adult pop songs. The title track was issued as a single but failed to chart. Other tracks include "You've Learned To Live W ...
'' (1995)
*''
Freedom
Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
'' (1997)
*''
Home
A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...
'' (1999)
*''
Fabulous'' (2000)
Filmography
* ''
For Your Eyes Only'' (1981) – Herself in opening credit sequence
* ''
ALF'' (1986–1990) – Cameo as Herself
* ''
Sign o' the Times
''Sign o' the Times'' (often stylized as ''Sign "☮︎" the Times'') is the ninth studio album by American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was first released on March 30, 1987 as a double album by Paisley Park ...
'' (1987) – Dream sequence vocalist as Herself
* ''
The Grand Knockout Tournament
''The Grand Knockout Tournament'' (also known as ''It's a Royal Knockout'') was a one-off charity event which took place on 15 June 1987, and was shown on British television on 19 June 1987 (BBC1, repeated on 27 December 1987), in addition to a ...
'' - (1987) – as Herself
* ''
Miami Vice
''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann (director), Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ...
'' (1987-1988) – Caitlin Davies (five episodes)
* ''
It's Garry Shandling's Show
''It's Garry Shandling's Show'' is an American sitcom that was initially broadcast on Showtime from September 10, 1986 to May 25, 1990. It was created by Garry Shandling and Alan Zweibel. The series is notable for breaking the fourth wall.
S ...
'' (1988) - as Herself
* ''
Just Say Julie
''Just Say Julie'' is an American comedy/music video show created by and starring comedian and singer Julie Brown. The series aired from 1989 to 1992 on MTV in the United States, where it aired on Friday nights during its run.
Series background
T ...
'' (1989) – Cameo as Herself
* ''
Indecent Proposal
''Indecent Proposal'' is a 1993 American erotic drama film directed by Adrian Lyne and written by Amy Holden Jones. It is based on the 1988 novel by Jack Engelhard, in which a couple's marriage is disrupted by a stranger's offer of a million d ...
'' (1993) – Cameo as Herself
* ''
Jack's Place'' (1993) – As Gwen
* ''
Body Bags'' (1993) – Megan (in segment titled "Hair")
* ''
Highlander: The Series'' (1993) – Annie Devlin (in episode titled "An Eye for an Eye" S02E05)
* ''
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.'' (1993) – Crystal Hawks (one episode)
* ''
Charles Dickens' David Copperfield'' (1993) – voice of Agnes
* ''
TekWar
''TekWar'' is a series of science fiction novels created by Canadian actor William Shatner and ghost-written by American writer Ron Goulart, published by Putnam beginning in October 1989. The novels gave rise to a comic book series, video game, an ...
'' (TV series) (1994) – War Bride
* ''
Real Ghosts
''Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories'' (shortened to ''Haunted Lives'' and later re-titled as '' Real Ghosts'') was an American paranormal anthology television miniseries that originally broadcast from to , on CBS and UPN. This short-lived progra ...
'' a.k.a. ''
Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stories'' (1995) – Janet (nightclub owner)
* ''
Gargoyles'' (1994–1997) voice – Robyn Canmore, Banshee, Molly, Finella
* ''
The Outer Limits'' (1996) – Melissa McCammon in episode titled "
Falling Star"
* ''
Road Rovers
''Road Rovers'' is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation that premiered on Kids' WB on September 7, 1996, and ended after one season on February 22, 1997. It was later shown on Cartoon Network from February 7, ...
'' (1996) voice – Groomer, Persia, Mrs. British Prime Minister
* ''
All Dogs Go to Heaven 2
''All Dogs Go to Heaven 2'' is a 1996 American animated musical fantasy adventure film, and a sequel to Goldcrest Films' animated film '' All Dogs Go to Heaven'' (1989). Produced by MGM/UA Family Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation ...
'' (1996), ''
All Dogs Go to Heaven: The Series'' (1996 – TV series), ''
An All Dogs Christmas Carol
''An All Dogs Christmas Carol'' is a 1998 American animated musical television special which was released as the direct-to-video film on November 17, 1998. To date, it is the final installment in the ''All Dogs Go to Heaven'' film series and it al ...
'' (1998) – voice of Sasha La Fleur
* ''
Duckman
''Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man'' is an American adult animated sitcom that aired on the USA Network from March 5, 1994, through September 6, 1997. It was created and developed by Everett Peck, and is based on characters he created in his 19 ...
'' (1997) – Betty (one episode)
* ''Chicken Soup for the Soul'' (1999) – Vicky in episode titled "Sand Castles"
* ''Disney's The Legend of Tarzan'' (2001) – voice of Dr. Robin Doyle (two episodes)
* ''Vegas Live! With Clint Holmes and Sheena Easton'' – Host (2003)
* ''
Scooby-Doo! and the Loch Ness Monster'' (2004) – voice of Professor Fiona Pembrooke
* ''
Young Blades
''Young Blades'' is a 13-episode historical fantasy television series that aired on PAX TV from January to June 2005, inspired by Alexandre Dumas's 1844 novel ''The Three Musketeers''. Thirteen episodes were made before cancellation.
Plot
Set in ...
'' (2005) – Queen Anne
* ''
Phineas and Ferb
''Phineas and Ferb'' is an American animated musical-comedy television series created by Dan Povenmire and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh for Disney Channel and Disney XD. Produced by Disney Television Animation, the series was originally broadcast as ...
'' (2009) – Doofenshmirtz's Girlfriend (1 episode)
Broadway/London's West End
*''
Man of La Mancha'' – Aldonza (1991–1992—reprise role in 1998) (Broadway show)
*
''Grease'' (1996) – Betty Rizzo (Broadway show)
*
''42nd Street'' (2017–2018) – Dorothy Brock in London's (West End's Revival Production)
Concert tours and Las Vegas residencies
* Sheena Easton "World Tour" 1982
* A Private Heaven Tour 1984
* No Sound But a Heart Tour 1987 – Cancelled in US
* Sheena Easton "World Tour" 1989
* Japan "Greatest Hits" Tour 1995
* The Colors of Christmas Tour 1997–1998 – 2001 & 2003
* "At The Copa" with David Cassidy, Rio Hotel – 2000–2001
* Sheena Easton "For Your Ears Only" Las Vegas Hilton – 2002–2003
* Sheena Easton "Greatest Hits" Australian Tour 2015
* Sheena Easton "Reimagined New York State Fair concert" – 2021
Awards and nominations
American Music Awards
, -
! scope="row" , 1982
, Sheena Easton
, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
,
''Billboard'' Music Award
, -
! scope="row" , 1981
, Sheena Easton
, Top Pop New Artist
,
, -
! scope="row" , 2004
, Sheena Easton
, Top Pop Artists of the Past 25 Years chart
, number 58
Grammy Awards
The
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s are awarded annually by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American Learned society, learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous f ...
. Easton has won two awards from six nominations.
, -
! scope="row" rowspan=2, 1982
, Sheena Easton
,
Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
,
, -
, "
For Your Eyes Only"
,
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
,
, -
! scope="row" , 1984
, "
Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)"
, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
,
, -
! scope="row" rowspan="2", 1985
, "
Strut
A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension.
Human anatomy
Part of the functionality o ...
"
, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
,
, -
, ''Me Gustas Tal Como Eres''
(with Luis Miguel)
,
Best Mexican-American Performance
,
, -
! scope="row" , 1988
, "
U Got the Look
"U Got the Look" is a song by American musician Prince. It opens the second disc of Prince's double album '' Sign o' the Times'' (1987), and became the album's runner-up chart single. Musically, the song is a standard 12-bar rock song with emphasi ...
"
(with Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
)
,
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal The Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal was awarded between 1970 and 2011. From 1967 to 1969 and in 1971 the award included instrumental performances. The award had several minor name changes:
*From 1967 to 1968 the ...
,
Note: "U Got the Look" was also nominated for the
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
The Grammy Award for Best R&B Song (sometimes known as the R&B Songwriter's Award) has been awarded since 1969. From 1969 to 2000, it was known as the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song. Beyoncé has won it a record four times, while Ba ...
. This nomination is credited to the songwriter (
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
) and not to Easton.
Other awards
Best British Female Singer – 1980
''Daily Mirror'' Pop & Rock Awards
Best Newcomer – 1980
Capital Radio
Best Female Singer – 1980
The ''TV Times'' Readers Awards
Sheena Easton
Casino Legends Hall of Fame – 2004
See also
*
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on '' Billboard'' magazine's weekly singles chart(s). This list spans from the issue dated January 1, 1955 to the present. Prior to the creation of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, ''Bil ...
*
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Easton, Sheena
1959 births
Living people
People from Bellshill
Alumni of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
British dance musicians
Grammy Award winners
British contemporary R&B singers
Scottish emigrants to the United States
20th-century Scottish women singers
Scottish film actresses
Scottish musical theatre actresses
Scottish pop singers
Scottish rock singers
Scottish singer-songwriters
Scottish voice actresses
Spanish-language singers
EMI Records artists
MCA Records artists
Universal Music Group artists
Scottish expatriates in the United States