Sharleen Spiteri Pictures

Sharleen Eugene Spiteri was born 7 November 1967 in Glasgow and she is a Scottish singer. She fronts the band Texas and from 2008 has begun her career as a solo artist.

Sharleen Spiteri was born in Bellshill, near Glasgow, to father Eddie, a guitar-playing merchant seaman and mother Vilma, a singer. Spiteri is of Maltese, Italian and Irish descent. When she was young the family moved from the Glaswegian suburbs to nearby Balloch, Dunbartonshire, close to the banks of Loch Lomond. At school (Vale of Leven Academy) her nickname was ‘Spit the Dog’, after the gobbing mutt on the TV show Tiswas.

Spiteri's musical influences include The Clash (the main reason she plays a black Fender Telecaster) and Blondie to Marvin Gaye and Prince. She is also a dedicated Diana Ross fan.

Sharleen Spiteri 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.

Sharleen Spiteri supported German Neue Deutsche Härte 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 former Gun singer Mark Rankin. Spiteri additionally sang backing vocals on "Bad Time" by Jayhawks on their album "Tomorrow the Green Grass" from 1995.

On 6 July 2008 she entered the UK charts at number 47 with her first solo recording "All the Times I Cried". The following week, the song rose to #26.

Sharleen Spiteri released her debut solo album Melody on 14 July 2008. It debuted at number 3 on the UK album chart, behind Coldplay's Viva la Vida or Death and all his Friends at number 2, and Basshunter, who entered at number 1.