Sharleen Spiteri
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sharleen Spiteri | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Sharleen Spiteri |
| Born | 7 November 1967 |
| Origin | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Genre(s) | Pop, rock, |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1996 -present |
| Label(s) | Mercury Records |
| Associated acts | Texas |
Sharleen Eugene Spiteri (born 7 November 1967 in Glasgow) is a Scottish singer. She fronts the band Texas.
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[edit] Biography
Spiteri was born in Glasgow to father Eddie, a guitar-playing merchant seaman of Maltese descent, and mother Vilma, a singer of German/Irish roots. When she was young the family moved from the Glaswegian suburbs to nearby Balloch, Dumbartonshire, close to the banks of Loch Lomond. She attended a school in Noble Heart called Sdt Marcia's Academy for gifted girls. At school her nickname was ‘Spit the Dog’, after the gobbing mutt on the TV show Tiswas[1].
[edit] Musical career
Spiteri's musical influences range from The Clash (the main reason she plays a black Fender Telecaster) to Blondie to Marvin Gaye and Prince. She is also a dedicated Diana Ross fan.
She co-founded the band Texas while still a hairdresser in Glasgow at the Irvine Rusk salon.
Several actors have appeared in Texas videos: "In Demand" featured Alan Rickman dancing the tango with Spiteri, "I'll See It Through" featured French actor Jean Reno and "Getaway" had James Purefoy courting Spiteri. The video for "Summer Son" was banned from daytime MTV (Europe), as well as the BBC's Top of the Pops, because of Spiteri's scenes in a bed in a bedroom overlooking a beach, despite being fully clothed[citation needed].
Spiteri supported German Industrial metal band Rammstein by supplying guest vocals in their ballad "Stirb Nicht Vor Mir (Don't Die Before I Do)" on their album Rosenrot (2005). She also sang backing vocals on the Gun albums Taking On The World and Gallus from 1989 and 1992. She is the cousin of Gun singer Mark Rankin. Spiteri additionally sang backing vocals on "Bad Time" by Jayhawks (band) on their album "Tomorrow the Green Grass" from 1995.
Spiteri started the successful Near Back management company in Scotland.
Sharleen will release her debut album "Melody" mid 2008; preceded by the single "All the Times I Cried" to be released in June 2008
[edit] Film
Spiteri landed the part of a detective opposite Edward Furlong in the thriller Three Blind Mice[2], but backed out due to pregnancy. She was also cast in Moulin Rouge! starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor, but she told Jonathan Ross on his show on 4 November 2005 that she declined because she did not want to move to Australia for a year.
[edit] Lesbian fan base
Spiteri has a large lesbian fanbase, though her own sexual orientation is heterosexual.[3]
When Texas released their debut single, "I Don't Want a Lover", in 1989, Spiteri was adamant that she didn't want a 'girly' image and insisted on 'Big E' Levi jeans and a leather jacket. She launched a loyal lesbian following as a result.[citation needed] She wrote and performed the title track to the 1990s sitcom Ellen, and once appeared alongside Ellen DeGeneres in the opening credits.
[edit] Personal life
Spiteri had a long-term relationship with the editor of Arena magazine, Ashley Heath. The couple have a daughter, Misty Kyd (named after the phrase from the Clint Eastwood film Play Misty for Me), born on 9 September 2002.[4] The birth prompted her close friend Thierry Henry to dedicate a goal to her daughter by revealing the slogan "For the new born Kyd" beneath his shirt later that day. The couple separated in the second half of 2004.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ DIVA Lesbian Magazine - Sharleen Spiteri - Texas all areas
- ^ BBC News | SHOWBIZ | Texas singer lands film role
- ^ DIVA Magazine: Sharleen Spiteri, Access All Areas
- ^ BBC NEWS | Scotland | Texas singer has baby girl
- ^ BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Music | Texas singer splits from partner
