My heart is heavy: Sheila pays tribute to her friend Alex Ligertwood, former singer of the band Santana, who died at 79 years old.

Sheila is one of the favorite artists of the French people. With over 60 years of career, Sheila has managed to cross eras by constantly reinventing herself. This longevity makes her a true icon of popular music. Even at 80 years old, the singer is not ready to retire. After a triumphant tour celebrating 60 years of career in France, Belgium, and Switzerland, she is currently presenting her new show which celebrates a life of hit songs. Sheila has transitioned from yé-yé to disco, from pop to rock, with no less than 27 albums that have sold over 85 million copies.

It’s a great comeback for someone who was initially banned from performing on stage. “I worked with someone who was a record seller and it wasn’t in his interest. I had a very short health problem and he used it to make me only sing. The era of idols, I didn’t experience it as I should have,” she explained on the show “Décibels” broadcasted on France 2.

Sheila announces the passing of her friend Alex Ligertwood, former singer of the band Santana. On Monday, May 4, Sheila paid tribute to one of her close friends on her Instagram account. She was saddened by the loss of the Scottish singer and guitarist Alex Ligertwood, known for his time with the legendary guitarist Carlos Santana. “It is with immense sadness and a broken heart that I announce the passing of my dear and sweet Alex Ligertwood, my husband of 25 years, whom I have known for 36 years,” Shawn Brogan declared on Facebook. She specified that the singer “passed away peacefully in his sleep” two weeks after his last concert.

This news deeply moved Sheila. “It is with great sadness that I learned of the passing of my friend Alex Ligertwood, the former singer of Santana. He has joined Keith Olsen, who left before him,” the singer wrote on Instagram.

Sheila pays a moving tribute to her deceased son. On April 7, Sheila paid tribute to her son Ludovic Chancel, who passed away on July 7, 2017. April 7 is an important date for the singer, as it corresponds to the birthdate of her son. “April 7… ‘the most beautiful of my days’,” she wrote on Instagram to accompany a black and white photo of her taking care of her son when he was just a baby. A touching tribute.