Sheena Easton - BB King’s, NYC, 7.14.16
by Michael Sherer
Posted: Aug 2016
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Sheena Easton - photo by Michael Sherer
At 57 Sheena Easton still looks hot. Especially in her tight fitting blue dress and silver high heels. She’s put on some weight since being in her 20’s during her ‘80’s heyday, but she’s still quite sexy. And she can still sing well and hit the notes. This little girl from Glasgow, Scotland was very big in the early to mid ‘80’s, but as she noted herself during the show she didn’t sustain that popularity past that era and most all of her successful songs are from then. But hits she has, as well as a very unique distinction in being the first and only artist in history to have a Top 5 hit on five different Billboard charts consecutively, with Morning Train (9 to 5) (Pop & Adult Contemporary), “We’ve Got Tonight” with Kenny Rogers (Country), “Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)” (Dance), and “Sugar Walls” (R&B). Easton’s other hits include the James Bond theme “For Your Eyes Only”, “Strut”, “U Got the Look” and “The Arms of Orion” both with Prince, who wrote and produced them, “The Lover in Me” and “What Comes Naturally”. “For Your Eyes Only” is a beautiful song that Sheena delivered very well here. The theme song from the ‘82 James Bond film of the same name, it captures the 007 franchise at its height of popularity in the late ‘70’s/early ‘80’s with Roger Moore as the lead. For me he was the best Bond. Sheena also has the distinction of being the only singer of any Bond film to be shown singing the theme song.
Sheena spoke about Prince’s great talent and how much she appreciates him choosing her to work and sing with over thirty years ago. It was Phillip Ingram that dueted with Sheena on the Prince and Motown songs. He has a very fine voice and is the younger brother of James Ingram. They sounded great together and appeared to have much genuine affection for each other. The whole band backing them up was very good, especially the guitar player who was up front and played prominently.
Sheena’s fans in this intimate club holding a couple hundred people certainly had affection for her. One handed her a big bouquet of flowers, which Sheena was visibly touched by. It’s personal connections like this that hit home how the excitement, realness and fun of an actual live performance must be experienced in person. It was all a real blast, and not just from the past.
Set list:
Got to Get You Into My Life
(The Beatles cover)
Strut
Almost Over You
You’re No Good
(Linda Ronstadt cover)
How Deep Is the Ocean?
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
(Marvin Gaye cover)
I Wouldn’t Beg for Water
U Got The Look / Sugar Walls / (The Glamorous Life snippet)
We’ve Got Tonight
The Lover in Me
When He Shines
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher
(Jackie Wilson cover)
Motown Medley: You’re All I Need To Get By / Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing
Telefone (Long Distance Love Affair)
9 to 5 (Morning Train)
Anyway
(Martina McBride cover)
For Your Eyes Only