Sheila Wilcoxson

Sheila Wilcoxson started her musical career at the age of twelve in Detroit, Michigan. like many of the great singers of our time Sheila began siging in the gospel church. She then moved on to school choirs. She moved toPortland, Oregon in 1978 and formed a 12 piece rhythm & blues band called "Sheila and the Boogiemen." This band was thought by many to be one of the best bands in the Northwest during the early eighties. Sheila created both the musical directions of the band and it's image, as well as hiring some of the areas top players like Sam & Dave, Queen Ida, and Robert Cray. She took top honors in the 1983-84 Willamette Week's People's Choice Awards over the likes of Robert Cray. She has been nominated seven times for "Best Vocalist" and "Best Female Vocalist" in the Cascade Blues Associations annual Muddy Awards. Her sweet soulful voice and four-octave range have won her high praise from musical legends like John Lee Hooker, Katie Webster, John Hammond, Robert Cray, Sapphire, Koko Taylor and a host of others.

Sheila has been heard on many radio and television programs and even before the Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. In between all of this musical activity Sheila has managed to get a B.S. from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Willamette University. As founding member and sole vocalist Sheila performed with Burnside Records national recording artist Back Porch Blues for over five years performing to raving audiences and reviews from the Bessie Smith Strut and the Riverbend Festivals of Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Mississippi Crossroads Blues Festival, to the Centrum Hot Jazz Festival of Port Townsend, Washington. The group won the Cascade Blues Associations's Muddy Award for Best Traditional Blues Act for five years in a row from 1989-93, another Muddy for Best New Blues Band in 1989, another for Best New Blues Album in 1990, and a Crystal Award form the Portland Music Association for Outstanding Blues Act in 1992. The group recorded a CD "Back to Basics" which is still a brisk seller for Burnside Records to this day.