VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Sheila E. On Prince, ‘Purple Rain,”Gone Country’

She was Prince’s muse and led the Glamorous Life. Now, Shiela E.’s working with Ringo Starr and starring in the series CMT’s Gone Country.

Full transcript:

Q: How did you first start working with Prince?

A: Oh, we’ve been friends since 1978, so it’s all been good. The thing was I was already successful in the recording industry when I met him. I’ve played with so many artists. I was signed as an R&B artist and then my music crossed over to pop. It’s been a continuous journey.

Q: What was your experience like making Purple Rain? What was your most memorable moment from the experience?

A: The hard work that I had done prior to going out on the Purple Rain tour. I was in Europe and we did probably a month and a half of press nonstop and played every television show. We did as much as we could and then came back to the States. That’s when the single was released and then went out on tour for about a year. It takes that much work. It takes hard work if you want to do something like that. You have to put everything that you have into it and just keep going. We had a great time but I didn’t know it would become what it is now.

Q: How’d you get involved with Gone Country and are you a country music fan? How is this different from you performing your usual music which is more funk?

A: Someone contacted my management and they said they were interested in having me on the show. I considered it for a couple of reasons. One was because I really love Nashville, I love country music. The opportunity to write with great writers from Nashville, some of the best. And the winner would be able to release a single on country music and also a video. I think the premise lyrically for me is the same at this point: to be very transparent and real. That was what I tried to do lyrically, pour my heart out and tell a little bit about myself in the songwriting process. It was challenging in a way because I don’t know very many country songs that have timbales in them or percussion at that point so I had to put it a little twist on it.