NCCU Welcomes Grammy Award-Winning Percussionist Sheila E.

DURHAM, NC – World-famous drummer and percussionist Sheila E. will speak to the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) community about her career journey during the Leadership in Entertainment and the Arts Program (L.E.A.P.) Talk symposium on March 23, 2023, at 10:40 a.m., in the NCCU Student Center at 500 Nelson St.

Known as one of the most talented musical icons in the nation, Sheila E.’s musical career began when, at age 15, she filled in on the congas for her father’s Latin-rock-funk band Azteca during their opening slot for the Temptations in San Francisco. Following that performance, she continued to tour with Azteca.

After playing for musicians Herbie Hancock and George Duke among others, Sheila E. met Prince backstage at a show. In 1984, she and Prince collaborated on the single, synth-funk track “Erotic City,” followed by her first critically-acclaimed solo album, “The Glamorous Life,” which she and Prince compiled over the course of a week of jam sessions. The album garnered multiple Grammy and American Music Award nominations and won MTV’s Best Video Award. She opened for Prince’s Purple Rain Tour and played for European and American audiences on her own as her solo career flourished. 

Throughout the 80s and 90s, she recorded her own music, releasing three additional albums; toured with Prince on his Sign O’ The Times and Lovesexy tours; and accompanied her father and Tito Puente on a Latin jazz concert tour, which was later released as the album Latina Familia. She also began acting in feature films.

As founder of the music production company Heaven Productions, Sheila E. has also been recognized for her philanthropic work using music therapy to aid children in need.

Led by NCCU alumnus and Grammy and Stellar Award-nominated artist Marcus Anderson, L.E.A.P. provides exclusive behind-the-scenes perspectives to NCCU students that help prepare them for a career in the entertainment industry. Delivered in three components, the talks meld the spontaneity and community of in-person interactions with leading entertainment influencers with the self-paced structure of online delivery of the fundamentals of the field.  

About North Carolina Central University

North Carolina Central University (NCCU) prepares students to succeed in the global marketplace. Consistently ranked as a top Historically Black College or University, NCCU’s flagship programs in the sciences, education, law, business, nursing and the arts prepare students for professions ranging from clinical research to information science. Founded in 1910, NCCU remains committed to diversity in and access to higher education. With a mission to investigate health disparities, the university’s two state-of-the-art research institutes give students real-world experience working alongside faculty researchers and pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry professionals. The university’s Strategic Plan 2019-2024, Charting a New Landscape for Student-Center Success, focuses on four areas: student access and success; innovation, research and entrepreneurship; collaboration and partnerships; and institutional sustainability. Visit www.nccu.edu.