VONDA SHEPARD
Vonda Shepard is an award winning American Singer who is also remembered for her role in the hit TV series Ally McBeal
. She has sold over twelve million albums and has won two Golden Globes, two Emmy Awards and two Screen Actor’s Guild awards. She also holds the Billboard prize for selling the most T.V. soundracks in history.
Vonda began playing piano at the age 6, took voice, dance and acting for many years and has been playing clubs since the age of 14. Born in New York City, as a child, her family moved to L.A., where Vonda spent most of her life growing up. At the age of 20, Vonda was invited to join Rickie Lee Jones’ band, as keyboard player, singer, dancer and “alter ego” of Rickie Lee. At the same time, she was in artist development with Warner Bros., and finally got signed to Reprise to release her major label debut in 1989, titled Vonda Shepard. Don’t Cry Ilene was a hit on V.H.1 and made it to top 11 in the A.C. charts. In 1986, Vonda also had a major pop hit with the duet Can’t We Try, with Dan Hill… this one made it to #6 on the pop charts. From 1986 – 1990, she also toured as keyboard player/back- up singer with Al Jarreau.
In 1991, Vonda released The Radical Light on Warner/Reprise, which had the original version of Searchin’ My Soul; the theme song for Ally McBeal. Indie life followed, with It’s Good, Eve… Vonda’s most critically acclaimed album, to date, about which Chris Willman from Entertainment Weekly said “the singer/songwriter genre doesn’t get any better than this.”
It’s Good, Eve led directly to Vonda’s friend, David E. Kelley, offering her the job of music producer, as well as chanteuse in the bar of his new show, Ally McBeal. The doors flung wide open, at long last. Vonda had written many of the songs on the show, and when musical guests would appear, she was the “behind the scenes” producer of the music, reading the scripts and interpreting David’s message, through the emotion of music. Four Ally McBeal albums accompanied the 5 year run, including a Christmas album. In 1999, Vonda recorded and released By 7:30, an album of all original material, right in the middle of the frenetic, yet thrilling schedule of Ally McBeal.
Vonda has dueted with Rod Stewart, Emily Saliers, Dan Hill to name just a few and has a voice you will fall in love with – she also plays piano, bass and guitar!
Shepard had one of the most unexpected and exhilarating experiences of her career; her belated debut as a musical stage actress. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend Randy Newman hand-picked her to play the part of Martha in his version of Faust, which thrilled audiences at New York’s City Center. For her first stage acting role, Shepard earned grand reviews from New York’s tough theater critics; Said Playbill: “Indie-pop singer/songwriter Shepard was the find of the evening, at least for audiences unfamiliar with her five years of acting and singing on Ally McBeal.” The Theatermania.com critic called theNewman/Shepard duet of “Feels Like Home” “one of the year’s great stage moments to date.” New York Times theater critic Christopher Isherwood weighed in with a rave, too, calling her duet with Newman on “Feels Like Home” “the song that received the warmest reception” and adding: “Ms. Shepard’s soulful singing brought out the yearning quality in Mr. Newman’s own.”
It’s a real privilege to have Vonda appear at The Plough and we are very excited that she is joining us on American Independence Day – you really won’t want to miss this opportunity of seeing her perform in the intimate atmosphere of The Plough Arts Centre. BOOK NOW!
Tuesday 4 July 8pm
Tickets £26 / £24
Box Office: 01805 624624 or online at www.theploughartscentre.org.uk