Sharleen Spiteri

Sharleen Spiteri was born in Glasgow in 1967, and raised in the Scottish countryside in a musical family: her father, a merchant seaman, played the violin, and her mother sang. Sharleen started her career as a brilliant hairdresser; eventually working for the international chain Irvine Rusk. Working in fashion, Sharleen met Johnny McElhone, a former member of the Scottish pop group Altered Images, who was in the midst of creating a new band. Inspired by The Clash, Sharleen had just bought her first guitar, and asked to audition. Texas was born. Sharleen and McElhone's first songwriting collaboration was on the single "I Don't Want A Lover," which proved an instant hit. The track hit the top ten in the UK and led to a 1988 deal with Phonogram records. The ensuing album, Southside, went on to reach the No. 3 spot on the British charts and sell 1.5 million copies. Two years later, their follow-up album, Mother's Heaven, was released, followed by Rick's Road, and, after a break, White on Blonde, which twice reached the No. 1 mark on the UK charts. Texas released their fifth album, The Hush, in 1999, and their Greatest Hits in 2000. In 2001, a revamped version of their first hit, "I Don't Want a Lover," was released, and the band decided it was time for a break again. Sharleen runs a management business, Near Back, based in Scotland.

Statement of support

I am proud to give my full support to FOTAC and the work they are doing. These are the people that make the real difference in the world that I live in.