Sheila E. becomes first solo female percussionist honored on Walk of Fame

Sheila E. gets Hollywood Walk of Fame star

Percussionist Sheila E. gets her own star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

LOS ANGELES - Wednesday was a historic day in Hollywood as Sheila E. became the first and only solo female percussionist honored with a star on the Walk of Fame.

There were loud cheers as the star was unveiled and lots of love with the famous like Ringo Starr singing her praises
"Sheila was only 5 when she knew she wanted to be a percussionist — way ahead of me — I was 13 when I knew I only want to be a drummer," Starr said. "So you win."

Singer H.E.R. called Sheila E. "a huge inspiration for me and such an important part of my artistry. So I thank you so much for representing women, for representing artists, musicians, for women who are musicians and getting that respect that we deserve because sometimes we're underestimated."

Sheila E. attended the ceremony with a large crowd of friends and family, including her dad, drummer Pete Escavedo, whom she credited with influencing her to follow in his footsteps. She said as a teen, she wanted to be a gold medalist in the Olympics. In school, she was a track star. She also said she wanted to be the first woman astronaut on the moon, "however, God had a different plan for me. At 15 years old I played with my dad and realized, 'Wait a minute, this is what I'm supposed to be doing,' and I felt like playing music was the closest place I could be with God and, it was just a moment [that] changed my life. And I thought, 'Golly I'm not going to go to the Olympics. I'm not going to win a gold medal, and I'm not going to be an astronaut,' and so again God said you're going to win all of these gold albums and platinum albums which I have. He just flipped it, and I didn't become an astronaut. I'm always looking up to the stars. And today July 12, 2023, I'm a star here, and I'm so grateful for this."

Sheila E.'s star is the 2,759th on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is in the 6700 block of Hollywood Boulevard, in front of the Musician’s Institute.