Vonda Shepard
Encyclopedia
Vonda Shepard is an American pop/rock
singer. She appeared as a regular in the television show Ally McBeal
from seasons 1-5 in which she played a resident performer at the bar
where the show's characters drank after work. She plays piano
, guitar
, and bass
.
but her family relocated to California
when she was a child. She played piano from an early age. Her father is Richmond Shepard
, a mime
and improv actor. Vonda has three sisters: Armina, Rosetta (now Brianna) and Luana.
After performing as a backing singer for many years she was eventually given her own recording contract. Shepard's first chart appearance was in 1987 when she recorded a duet with Dan Hill
entitled "Can't We Try". Before this she tried out for the part of Michael J. Fox's
sister in Light of Day
but lost the part out to Joan Jett
. She was also poised to sing on Peter Cetera's
duet "The Next Time I Fall" but he picked Amy Grant
instead. She released her first self-titled album in 1989 with little fanfare. The album did yield one chart single, "Don't Cry Ilene", a mid-tempo, piano-driven jazz-R&B flavored song dealing with the break-up of a relationship between a black woman and a white man, arising from adult peer pressure. The track is sung from the perspective of the woman's white female friend, who harbors a desire to have the man for herself, but keeps her distance out of respect for her friend. The song peaked at Number 17 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart and stayed on the charts for 12 weeks.
After her third album, Shepard was signed up to appear on Ally McBeal after being spotted by the show's creator David E Kelley. While on the show she recorded two full soundtrack albums and was featured on two other Ally McBeal compilations. The songs Shepard recorded for Ally McBeal soundtrack albums were mainly covers of old songs with lyrics that paralleled what was happening in the title character's life onscreen. Since appearing in the show, Shepard has released two more studio albums and a live album.
Shepard has been married to music producer Mitchell Froom
since 2004; they had their first child, Jack Froom, on 15 April 2006. She is also the stepmother to Froom's daughter from his marriage to Suzanne Vega
, Ruby.
Shepard recently provided vocals on the score by James Newton Howard for the 2010 film, Love and Other Drugs, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
singer. She appeared as a regular in the television show Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia...
from seasons 1-5 in which she played a resident performer at the bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
where the show's characters drank after work. She plays piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
.
Biography
Vonda Shepard was born in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
but her family relocated to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
when she was a child. She played piano from an early age. Her father is Richmond Shepard
Richmond Shepard
Richmond Shepard is an American writer, director, producer and mime with a 50 year history in entertainment. He built, owned and operated his own theaters in Los Angeles on Theatre Row where he produced over 30 shows...
, a mime
Mime
The word mime is used to refer to a mime artist who uses a theatrical medium or performance art involving the acting out of a story through body motions without use of speech.Mime may also refer to:* Mime, an alternative word for lip sync...
and improv actor. Vonda has three sisters: Armina, Rosetta (now Brianna) and Luana.
After performing as a backing singer for many years she was eventually given her own recording contract. Shepard's first chart appearance was in 1987 when she recorded a duet with Dan Hill
Dan Hill
Daniel Grafton "Dan" Hill IV is a Canadian pop singer and songwriter. He had two major hits with his songs, "Sometimes When We Touch" and "Can't We Try," a duet with Vonda Shepard.-Early life and career:...
entitled "Can't We Try". Before this she tried out for the part of Michael J. Fox's
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
sister in Light of Day
Light of Day
The soundtrack to the film was released in 1987. As a single, "Light of Day" reached number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received additional album-oriented rock airplay due to the connection of Joan Jett and Bruce Springsteen....
but lost the part out to Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
. She was also poised to sing on Peter Cetera's
Peter Cetera
Peter Paul Cetera is an American singer, songwriter, bassist and producer best known for being an original member of the rock band Chicago, before launching a successful solo career...
duet "The Next Time I Fall" but he picked Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
instead. She released her first self-titled album in 1989 with little fanfare. The album did yield one chart single, "Don't Cry Ilene", a mid-tempo, piano-driven jazz-R&B flavored song dealing with the break-up of a relationship between a black woman and a white man, arising from adult peer pressure. The track is sung from the perspective of the woman's white female friend, who harbors a desire to have the man for herself, but keeps her distance out of respect for her friend. The song peaked at Number 17 on the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary chart and stayed on the charts for 12 weeks.
After her third album, Shepard was signed up to appear on Ally McBeal after being spotted by the show's creator David E Kelley. While on the show she recorded two full soundtrack albums and was featured on two other Ally McBeal compilations. The songs Shepard recorded for Ally McBeal soundtrack albums were mainly covers of old songs with lyrics that paralleled what was happening in the title character's life onscreen. Since appearing in the show, Shepard has released two more studio albums and a live album.
Shepard has been married to music producer Mitchell Froom
Mitchell Froom
-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
since 2004; they had their first child, Jack Froom, on 15 April 2006. She is also the stepmother to Froom's daughter from his marriage to Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Vega
Suzanne Nadine Vega is an American songwriter and singer known for her eclectic folk-inspired music.Two of Vega's songs reached the top 10 of various international chart listings: "Luka" and "Tom's Diner"...
, Ruby.
Shepard recently provided vocals on the score by James Newton Howard for the 2010 film, Love and Other Drugs, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.
Albums
- Vonda Shepard
- The Radical Light
- It's Good, Eve
- Songs from Ally McBealSongs from Ally McBealSongs from Ally McBeal is an album by Vonda Shepard released in 1998 as a soundtrack for the American television series Ally McBeal.It reached number three in the UK album charts and was a success in the US, Canada and many European countries too...
- By 7:30By 7:30By 7:30 is an album by Vonda Shepard, released on 20 April 1999. The album reached position #39 in the UK Albums Chart.-Track listing:All songs written and composed by Vonda Shepard, except track 8, lyrics by Shepard, music by Shepard and James Newton Howard.# By 7:30 - 4:05# Mercy - 4:57# Clear -...
- Heart and Soul: New Songs from Ally McBealHeart and Soul: New Songs from Ally McBealHeart And Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal was released in 1999 by Sony Music Entertainment Inc. The album features Vonda Shepard. The music comes from the TV series Ally McBeal.-Track listing:...
- Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas
- Chinatown
- Live: A Retrospective
- From the Sun
- From the Sun Tour: Live In San Javier
Compilation soundtracks
- Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas 2000 US: 550 Music550 Music550 Music was a unit of Sony Music Entertainment, which operated through Sony Music's Epic Records division while in activity. Launched in 1992, the "550" name was inspired by the address of the Sony building, located at 550 Madison Avenue in New York...
/EpicEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
/SME RecordsSony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
/ UK: Epic RecordsEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... - Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life Soundtrack 2001 US: 550 Music550 Music550 Music was a unit of Sony Music Entertainment, which operated through Sony Music's Epic Records division while in activity. Launched in 1992, the "550" name was inspired by the address of the Sony building, located at 550 Madison Avenue in New York...
/EpicEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
/SME RecordsSony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
/ UK: Epic RecordsEpic RecordsEpic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... - The Best of Ally McBeal - The Songs of Vonda Shepard / Sony Legacy / October 6, 2009
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
CAN AC | CAN Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
SPA Spain Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula... |
|||
| 1989 | "Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow" | — | — | — | — | Vonda Shepard |
| "I Shy Away" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990 | "Don't Cry Ilene" | 17 | — | — | — | |
| 1992 | "Wake Up the House" | — | — | — | — | The Radical Light |
| 1998 | "Searchin' My Soul" | 22 | 22 | 6 | 1 | Songs from Ally McBeal |
| "Hooked on a Feeling Hooked on a Feeling "Hooked on a Feeling" is a 1968 pop song written by Mark James and originally performed by B. J. Thomas. Featuring the sound of the electric sitar, the song reached number five in 1969 on the Billboard Hot 100.-History:... " |
— | — | — | 7 | ||
| 1999 | "Maryland" | — | — | — | — | |
| "Tell Him" | — | — | — | 29 | ||
| "Baby, Don't You Break My Heart Slow" (with Emily Saliers Emily Saliers Emily Saliers is an American singer-songwriter and member of the Indigo Girls. Saliers plays lead guitar as well as banjo, piano, mandolin, ukulele, bouzouki and many other instruments.-Background:... ) |
21 | 8 | — | — | Heart and Soul: New Songs from Ally McBeal | |
| "Read Your Mind" | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000 | "Someday We'll Be Together Someday We'll Be Together "Someday We'll Be Together" is a song made popular as the last of twelve number-one singles for Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. It is the final Supremes song featuring Diana Ross, who left the group for a solo career in January 1970... " |
— | — | — | — | |
| 2001 | "Chances Are" (with Robert Downey, Jr.) | — | — | — | — | Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life |
| 2002 | "Rainy Days" | — | — | — | — | Chinatown |
Guest singles
- "Can't We Try" (duet with Dan HillDan HillDaniel Grafton "Dan" Hill IV is a Canadian pop singer and songwriter. He had two major hits with his songs, "Sometimes When We Touch" and "Can't We Try," a duet with Vonda Shepard.-Early life and career:...
) - Pop Number 6, Adult Contemporary Number 2, 1987