Music

It was in 1967 that the enigmatic singer of Texas was born in Glasgow. For the Spiteri family, music is a family affair since her father, a sailor, was an amateur guitarist and her mother a singer.

The young Scot was certain that music would be her profession. While waiting for success, she worked as a hairdresser, indulging in her passion in her free time. At the dawn of her twenties, she met John McElhone, with whom she founded the band Texas, along with Ally McErlaine (guitarist) and Stuart Kerr (drums). They chose their name in homage to Ry Cooder, who wrote the music for Wim Wenders' film "Paris, Texas" (1984).

Spiteri has never set foot in the American state, whose name would nevertheless mark her destiny.  Together, they scoured the small local stages and quickly attracted a record company, which saw future stars in them. The bet paid off as their first album was a success, with hits such as "I Don't Want a Lover" and "Summer Son".

The success was dazzling and the pop-rock group played concerts and made albums, just like she had always dreamed. Their friendship and more than 35 years of career was sealed by forty million albums sold. A solid and fruitful relationship of which she said last year, on the occasion of the release of "Texas the Very Best Of 1989-2023": "I don't think we've ever been happier, or more united. I don't think we've ever been more sure of who we are."
 
The group was able to stay united and renew itself but also to take a back seat when the singer tried a solo career in 2008. She found success there too, teaming up with the guitarist of Sweden, Bernard Butler. The first track from the album "All the Times I Cried" entered the English charts as soon as it was released. Two other albums followed, before seeing the singer reconnect with the group.  

The androgynous singer is also a fervent supporter of Arsenal football club, where she met Thierry Henry. She later chose him as godfather to her daughter, Misty Kid (who is now a promising model). A lover of cars, she also participated in the "Top Gear" show in South Africa, where she was able to share her love of beautiful motors.

A multi-faceted personality who, in an interview, once confide in another of her unsuspected passions, the one she harbors for Inspector Columbo: "His character of a scruffy inspector, a little airheaded but falsely naïve and very clever, is the man I would like to be."

(CMa/ML - Photo: Etienne Tordoir)
Photo: Sharleen Spiteri with Texas on the stage of the Torhout festival (Belgium) in July 1989 (© Etienne Tordoir)