When Sheena Easton strutted onstage at Davies Symphony Hall on July 23, 2015, the audience got more than just a classic Bond ballad.
That night’s program, The Spy Who Loved Me, paired her with the San Francisco Symphony for a tribute to music from spy films, complete with two gleaming Bond cars—a 1969 Aston Martin DBS and a Mercury Cougar—parked in the lobby for good measure.
By the time Easton ended the night with “For Your Eyes Only”—the pop hit that made her the only artist ever to be seen singing over a Bond opening sequence—it felt like everything had come full circle.
The Scottish singer who once appeared on a BBC docuseries before climbing to Grammy-winning stardom was now standing center stage with one of America’s top orchestras, enveloped in the glamour of Bond and the splendor of San Francisco’s most iconic concert hall.
Easton’s show wasn’t for their eyes only, as the artist remains a regular on the tour circuit—and that includes stops in the Bay. Before the year’s end, she’ll return for two shows at Yoshi’s (Sun/19) and one star-studded spectacular at Davies Symphony Hall (Dec. 16) as part of Peabo Bryson & Friends: Home for the Holidays.
“The audiences are usually loud and fun and up for a great time,” Easton says about playing the Bay Area. “And the food. I would not be averse to having some fabulous bread and perhaps a glass of wine. So there are many reasons to love the Bay Area.”
It’s part of a career that has spanned five decades, seen her conquer charts in the US, Europe, and Asia, and balance global hits with Broadway roles, film and TV cameos, Las Vegas residencies, and unforgettable collaborations with icons like Prince.
Born in Bellshill, Scotland, and the youngest of six children, Easton grew up stealing her siblings’ records: Shirley Bassey one day, Steely Dan the next, James Taylor the day after.
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“I had such broad exposure that I wasn’t locked into one thing,” she says. “I just inhaled it all.”
That eclectic appetite became her trademark.
In 1980, the BBC selected her for its docuseries “The Big Time,” which followed amateurs given a chance to pursue their dreams.
“They took me to a record company, and instead of just letting me record one single, they signed me up for a seven-album deal,” boasts Easton. “My career went on for years.”
Not everyone saw it coming. Lulu’s manager, Marion London, famously dismissed her as lacking “rugged individuality.”
“You’re not going to be everybody’s cup of tea,” the singer says. “But I thought, ‘I’ve got a chance here to work and sing and do something amazing.’ I was going for it.”
She was just 21 when “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” topped the US charts. A year later, Maurice Binder, the legendary Bond title designer, decided to put her face in the opening credits of For Your Eyes Only after an introductory meeting.
“Apparently, after we left, he said, ‘I want to use this girl in the opening credits,’” says Easton. “It was incredible.”
The Bond theme launched her into an international spotlight. Two Grammys followed, along with Gold and Platinum albums on three continents. She made history as the first artist to land Top 5 singles on five different Billboard charts.
But she didn’t stay the ingénue for long. Synth-driven songs like “Strut,” “Sugar Walls,” and “The Lover in Me” showcased her boldness and sensuality, reflecting her artistic growth.
“For those early songs, I was a college kid,” she says. “By the time of the other stuff, I’d traveled the world and I was now a young woman, exploring fashion and fun, feeling confident and sexy. Everybody grows up. I just got to do it in the public eye.”
That willingness to evolve took her to Broadway, where she starred opposite Raul Julia in Man of La Mancha and later played Rizzo in Grease. On TV, she had five episodes on “Miami Vice,” co-starred in John Carpenter’s Showtime anthology “Body Bags,” and popped up in cult favorites like “The Highlander” and “Outer Limits.” She also co-hosted a Las Vegas talk show with R&B heavyweight Brian McKnight.
Animation fans know her as Sasha, the Irish setter in the All Dogs Go to Heaven franchise, as well as for roles in “Road Rovers” and Disney’s “Gargoyles.”
Las Vegas has been her steady home for more than 30 years, where she’s headlined residencies and earned induction into the Las Vegas Hall of Fame. In 2017, she returned to the UK to star as Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street.
Live performance is what keeps her going. “I always like to make every performance feel intimate,” says Easton. “I can spot faces—people who attend half of my shows every year. I’ll see somebody’s face light up, or somebody squeeze their partner’s hand. That’s their moment, and I direct my attention to them.”
As for the setlist, she’ll be doing the hits. “That’s what I’d want to hear if I went to see an artist,” she says. “But I also throw in a few cover tunes and tribute songs—things that connected with me earlier. So, there’ll be some surprises.”
Perhaps the most formative partnership of her career was with Prince. Far from the aloof genius some imagined, Easton remembers a practical joker with a big heart.
“He was funny, and he would prank me,” says Easton. “But he also pushed me as an artist. He encouraged me as a writer and gave me confidence.”
One of her favorite memories is recording “101” with the Purple One, when she let her voice fly and he just let it happen. For “U Got the Look,” he elevated her from background vocals to dueting partner because he loved the vocal syncopation she brought to the track.
“He was so open to whatever the creative spirit in the room was bringing,” she says. “That was inspiring and freeing.”
The Bay Area has given her more than just an audience. When she recorded portions of her soulful 1987 album No Sound But a Heart at Narada Michael Walden’s Tarpan Studios in San Rafael, she tapped into a scene that had shaped artists from Aretha Franklin to Whitney Houston. That Marin connection linked her to a creative dynasty that has always been part of Bay Area music history.
She’ll extend that lineage this fall, when she plays Yoshi’s, the East Bay club that has long hosted R&B and jazz legends, and then again in December at Davies, bringing her back to the hall where she once stood amid Bond cars and symphonic fanfare.
Even with such longevity, Easton isn’t chasing reinvention for reinvention’s sake. Recent reissues of her catalog have made available unreleased tracks, alternate mixes, and remastered classics to longtime fans and collectors.
“Back then, vinyl limited how much you could fit,” explains Easton. “Now fans can hear those tracks, alternate mixes, and dance versions. Hopefully, they’ll enjoy them.”
Looking back, she sees eclecticism as her truest signature. Everything from Broadway and orchestras to funk, rock, and pop is part of her broad sound.
And whether it’s on a London stage, a Vegas residency, or a San Francisco symphony concert, her focus remains the same: connection.
“I like to perform to the individual in the crowd,” she says. “That’s what makes it all worthwhile.”
SHEENA EASTON Sun/19. Yoshi’s, Oakland. Tickets and more info here.
PEABO BRYSON AND FRIENDS: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS December 16. Davies Symphony Hall, SF. Tickets and more info here.
