Texas

Texas is an alternative rock band which formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 1986 and fronted by singer Sharleen Spiteri. The band was founded by Johnny McElhone (of Altered Images), taking the name from the 1984 Wim Wenders movie Paris, Texas. Their musical sound went from blues rock from debut album Southside (1989), via blue eyed soul of White On Blonde (1997) to the disco pop of their most recent release Red Book (2005).

Sharleen Spiteri (vocals, guitar), Ally McErlaine (guitar) and Johnny McElhone (bass) have survived all line ups.

In 1994, Ellen DeGeneres requested the use of the Texas track "So Called Friend" as the theme tune for her self-titled ABC Comedy Show. Sharleen and Ally flew to the US to re-record the song to fit the theme song to the sitcom.

Sharleen Spiteri was asked to play the main role in movie "Moulin Rouge" but declined as she did not want to spend 12 months in Australia. Spiteri announced soon after declining that she was pregnant with her first child. In 2008 Sharleen released her first solo album Melody

Guitarist Ally McErlaine is married to Shelly Poole of 90s pop group Alisha's Attic.

Texas have had 7 studio albums and 1 greatest hits package:

Southside (Number 3 in UK chart - March 1989)
Mothers Heaven (Number 32 in UK chart - October 1991)
Ricks Road (Number 18 in UK chart - November 1993)
White On Blonde (Number 1 in UK chart - February 1997)
The Hush (Number 1 in UK chart - May 1999)
The Greatest Hits (Number 1 in UK chart - November 2000)
Careful What You Wish For (Number 5 in UK chart - November 2003)
Red Book (Number 16 in UK chart - November 2005)


Spiteri, the cousin of ex-Gun front man, Mark Rankin, recorded some of the vocals on Gun's first album "Taking on the World" and is now releasing solo material.