Sharon Celani is Stevie Nicks’ longtime friend and background vocalist.
Vocalist
A true “California Girl,” Sharon Celani was born and raised in the Los Angeles area’s San Fernando Valley. By the age of five, she had developed an interest in music and began learning to sing by accompanying the music she heard at home; her natural abilities lead to her involvement in performances in school concerts and plays.
The music popular in the “melting pot” environment Sharon grew up in had a positive influence on her approach to singing. In addition to the popular harmonies of groups like the Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash, and the Beach Boys, the R&B influence of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Rufus, and Aretha Franklin had its effect as well.
Part of Sharon’s evolution musically was being a member of her junior high school band — and in a capacity that might surprise some of those who know Sharon primarily as a singer — as a percussionist in a percussion ensemble that was good enough to win regional awards in a very competitive area.
By the age of twelve, Sharon was singing professionally and playing drums in various rock bands. When she was fourteen she joined a group that had the distinction of being one of the first “all-girl” bands to evolve in the Los Angeles area, certainly one of the first “girl bands” that actually played their own instruments as well as singing (Sharon was featured on keyboards and vocals in this group).
Sharon didn’t let her budding musical career interfere with her education at this early age, however — she graduated high school at the age of sixteen and only then allowed her “real world” rock and roll musical education to expand its horizons — literally as well as figuratively – when she joined a group that toured throughout the United States.
Her travels led her to settle on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Eventually, she became part of the group Dancer, one of the more popular groups in the Hawaiian Islands and began performing on shows with acts such as Bonnie Raitt, Seals and Crofts, Loggins and Messina, and Electric Light Orchestra.
It was on the island of Maui that Sharon first met Stevie Nicks in 1978, a meeting that would have a major impact on Sharon’s life. It happened that Stevie was vacationing on Maui and on one very fateful evening she decided to go to the Blue Max nightclub in Lahaina; it just so happened that Sharon’s band was performing there that night. Stevie was invited up to sing with the group, and the lucky audience was ecstatic when she took the stage — and stayed there for the rest of the night (the performance photo with Stevie and Sharon on this page is from that very night). The events of that evening led to a lasting friendship between Sharon and Stevie, and Sharon has been singing on Stevie’s recordings and concert performances ever since.
As you can see from the photos above, Sharon’s work has led her to meet and work with some very interesting people. And for those of you interested in some of her professional credits, check out Sharon’s resume below.
Album Credits
Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Ringo Starr, B.B. King, Moby, Billy Idol, Willie Nelson, Sheila E., Bono, Terence Trent D’Arby, Little Feat, Tevin Campbell, General Public, Dave Koz, Jessie Camp, The Toadies, Marilyn Martin, Mary Lou Lord, Catie Curtis, Louise Goffen, Ambrosia Parsley, Reg, Twist, Michelle Pan, Ned Albright
Live Performance Credits — Concert Tours
Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac, Mick Jagger, Don Henley, Sheryl Crow, Little Richard, Tom Petty, Celine Dion, Sheila E., Marie Osmond, The Box Tops, Eikichi Yazawa, Mick Fleetwood
Television — Variety Shows — Special Projects
- Saturday Night Live (Stevie Nicks)
- The Grammy Awards (Fleetwood Mac)
- Saturday Night Live (Mick Jagger)
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (Celine Dion)
- The Dance (Fleetwood Mac)
- Behind The Music (Stevie Nicks)
- ABC’s In Concert (Mick Jagger)
- Martin Short Show (Little Richard)
- Donny And Marie Show (Donny and Marie)
- Rosie O’Donnell Show (Celine Dion)
- Late Night with David Letterman (S. Nicks)
- Arsenio Hall Show (Stevie Nicks)
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (S. Nicks)
- The Radio Music Awards (Stevie Nicks)
- Ciao Italia TV (Stevie Nicks)
- Rock Over Europe (Stevie Nicks)
- Inside Track w/ Graham Nash (Mick Fleetwood)
- VH1 Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame Awards (F. Mac)
- A Very Special Christmas at the White House (S.Nicks)
- ABC’s In Concert (Fleetwood Mac)
- VH1 Storytellers (Stevie Nicks)
- Entertainment Tonight (Stevie Nicks)
- The Blockbuster Music Awards (S. Nicks)
- Top Of The Pops (Stevie Nicks)
- BBC Documentary (Stevie Nicks)
- The Britt Awards (Fleetwood Mac)
- President Bill Clinton’s Goodbye Party (F. Mac)
- The Alma Awards
Movie/TV Soundtracks
- America’s Sweethearts (Columbia Pictures)
- Practical Magic (Warner Bros)
- Boys On The Side (Warner Bros)
- Renaissance Man (Touchstone Pictures)
- Back To The Beach (Paramount Pictures)
- Streets Of Fire (Universal Pictures)
- Fast Times At Ridgemont High (Universal)
- Sixteen Candles (Universal Pictures)
- Against All Odds (Columbia Pictures)
- Heavy Metal (Columbia Pictures)
- Taps (20th Century Fox)
- Crime Story (ABC Television)
- Party of Five (Fox Network)
Videos
- 24 Karat Gold: Live in Concert (Stevie Nicks)
- Soundstage: Stevie Nicks Live in Chicago (Stevie Nicks)
- Crystal Visions…The Very Best of Stevie Nicks – bonus DVD (Stevie Nicks)
- The Dance (Fleetwood Mac)
- Tango In The Night (Fleetwood Mac)
- Skies the Limit (Fleetwood Mac)
- Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around (S. Nicks)
- Leather And Lace (Stevie Nicks)
- Stand Back (Stevie Nicks)
- If Anyone Falls (Stevie Nicks)
- Talk To Me (Stevie Nicks)
- I Can’t Wait (Stevie Nicks)
- Rooms On Fire (Stevie Nicks)
- Whole Lotta Trouble (Stevie Nicks)
- Bella Donna Concert (Stevie Nicks)
- Live At Red Rocks (Stevie Nicks)
- Boys Night Out (Timothy B. Schmit)
Q&A with Sharon Celani
Tell me a little about your history, like where you grew up, how you got into performing/singing.
My involvement in singing and performing began when I was in elementary school. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley area around Los Angeles, and our school’s primary way of raising funds was by putting on student performances for the public. From an early age, I was singing, dancing, and participating in these shows, which I think made me comfortable enough to want to continue performing for people, especially the musical side of it. At one point I saw a Gene Krupa movie and it inspired me to be a drummer. Between the ages of 12 and 14, I played drums and percussion in the school orchestra and marching band. In addition to this, I began playing drums in a couple of rock bands that performed at parties and school dances. During this same time period, I was also taking piano and vocal lessons, and about the time I turned 15 my teacher recommended me to an all-girl band – some of the other members were her students as well.
I joined their group, playing B3 organ and singing, and we played parties, military bases, and clubs in the Southern California area. After working with this group I joined a coed band that played clubs in L.A. and toured the U.S. as well. When I was 17 I moved to Maui, joined a local rock band there, and began working on the Hawaiian club and concert circuit.
How did you first meet Stevie?
I met Stevie while I was singing in a rock and roll band playing at a club in Lahaina, on the island of Maui. Stevie came to one of our shows and ended up on stage singing with us, and this was the beginning of our friendship. That night Stevie mentioned to me that she was staying in a place on the beach where the tropical atmosphere was inspiring her to want to write and that she wished she had a piano to work her ideas out with. I called up a friend and arranged to get a piano brought to Stevie’s place. When she got the piano she invited me over to sing with her on a new song idea and I’ve been singing with her ever since.
Confirm what tour(s) and recording(s) with Stevie and/or Fleetwood Mac you were on.
First of all, I’ve been very fortunate in that I have sung on every Stevie Nicks solo record and tour since her solo career began in 1979, as well as all of the private shows and most of the benefits she has done during the same time period. The list of Stevie solo album projects I’ve worked on would include:
- Bella Donna (1981)
- Bella Donna Tour (1981)
- The Wild Heart (1983)
- Wild Heart Tour (1983)
- Rock A Little (1985)
- Rock A Little Tour (1986)
- The Other Side of the Mirror (1989)
- The Other Side of the Mirror Tour (1989)
- Whole Lotta Trouble (Live Concert Video) (1989)
- Time Space – The Best of Stevie Nicks (1991)
- Whole Lotta Tour Tour (1991)
- Street Angel (1994)
- Street Angel Tour (1994)
- The Enchanted Works of Stevie Nicks (1998)
- Enchanted Tour (1998)
- The Divine Stevie Nicks (Europe-only compilation) (2000)
- Trouble In Shangri-La (2001)
- Trouble in Shangri-La Tour (2001)
In addition to working with Stevie on her solo projects, I’ve also felt incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to sing with Stevie on some Fleetwood Mac tours and recordings. The Fleetwood Mac work I’ve done includes:
- Tango in the Night (1987)
- Shake the Cage Tour (1987-1988)
- Behind the Mask (1990)
- Behind the Mask Tour (1990)
- 25 Years – The Chain (1992)
- The Dance (1997)
- The Dance Tour (1997)
- Say You Will – Limited Edition (2003)
- Fleetwood Mac – Live In Boston (2003)
- Say You Will Tour (2003-2004)
Other recordings I’ve done with Stevie would include:
- Louise Goffin – Louise Goffin “If You Ever Did Believe” (1981)
- Tom Petty – Hard Promises “You Can Still Change Your Mind” (1981)
- Tom Petty – Southern Accents “Don’t Come Around Here No More” (1986)
- B.B. King – King of the Blues “Can’t Get Enough” (1988)
- Various Artists (Stevie Nicks) – A Very Special Christmas Volume 1 “Silent Night” (1988)
- Tom Petty – Greatest Hits “Don’t Come Around Here No More” (1993)
- Tom Petty – Playback “Don’t Come Around Here No More, ” “You Can Still Change Your Mind” (1995)
- For the Love of Harry – Everyone Sings Nilsson Ringo Starr – “Lay Down Your Arms” (1995)
- Dave Koz – Off the Beaten Path “Let Me Count the Ways“ (1996)
- Jesse Camp – Jesse and the 8th Street Kidz “My Little Saviour” (1999)
- Various Artists (Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty) A Very Special Christmas Volume 5 “Silent Night” (2000)
- Various Artists (Stevie Nicks) VH1 Storytellers “Edge of Seventeen” (2000)
Stevie has also had some of her music that I sang on used in movie soundtracks:
- Heavy Metal – “Blue Lamp” (1981)
- Fast Times At Ridgemont High – “Sleeping Angel” (1982)
- Against All Odds – “Violet and Blue” (1984)
- Boys on the Side – “Somebody Stand By Me” (1995)
- Practical Magic – “If You Ever Did Believe,” “Crystal” (1998)
- School of Rock – “Edge of Seventeen” (2003)
And for television an interesting remake of one of Tom Petty’s classics:
- Party of Five – “Free Fallin’” (1996)
What song do you like performing with Stevie the most and why?
It’s hard to pick a favorite because I love to sing with Stevie on every one of her songs. She’s such a great singer, and the songs are so great, that it’s always a pleasure to harmonize with her. But there are some special moments that are dear to me.
I loved singing the harmony on “Silver Springs” live on the Fleetwood Mac “Dance” tour in 1997. Watching Stevie and Lindsey singing it to each other with such emotion and intensity only a few steps from where I stood on stage was incredible! I also loved singing “Silent Night” with Stevie and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on the Special Olympic Christmas television special in 2000. On the most recent Stevie tour, “Trouble in Shangri La”, the song “Planets of the Universe” stands out in my memory because it has some great harmonies which make it really fun to sing. On some of the earlier Stevie tours, the harmonies on “Beauty and the Beast” were simply gorgeous live. All through the years, “Stand Back” continues to be a favorite of mine.
Originally published at The Nicks Fix and archived and maintained by Stevie Nicks Info
