Vonda Shepard
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Vonda Shepard (born July 7, 1963) is a singer that gained popularity in the 1990s. She is probably best known for her regular appearances in the television show, Ally McBeal, in which she played a resident performer at the bar where the show's characters usually drank after work. She plays piano, guitar and bass.
Vonda Shepard was born in New York but her family relocated to California when she was fairly young. From an early age she was a keen piano player and after performing as a backing singer for many years, she was eventually given her own record contract.
Shepard's first chart appearance was in 1987, when she recorded a duet with Dan Hill entitled "Can't We Try". She released her first self-titled album in 1989, with little fanfare. By her third album, however, she received strong critical acclaim and was soon signed up to appear on Ally McBeal after being spotted by the show's creator, David E. Kelley. Whilst in the show she recorded two full soundtrack albums and featured heavily on two other Ally McBeal compilations. The songs Vonda recorded for Ally McBeal soundtrack albums were mainly covers of old songs with lyrics that parallelled what was happening in Ally's life onscreen. Since appearing in the show, Vonda has released two more studio albums and, more recently, a live album.
Albums
- Vonda Shepard 1989 US: Reprise Records
- The Radical Light 1992 US: Vesper Alley Records
- It's Good Eve 1996 US: Vesper Alley Records / UK: Epic Records
- Songs From Ally McBeal 1998 US: Sony Records / UK: Epic Records #3
- By 7:30 1999 US: Jacket Records / UK: Epic Records #39
- Heart and Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal 1999 US: Sony Records / UK: Epic Records #9
- Chinatown 2002 US: Jacket Records / UK: Edel Music
- Live: A Retrospective 2005 US: Jacket Records
Compilation soundtracks
- Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas 2000 US: Sony Records / UK: Epic Records
- Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life Soundtrack 2001 US: Sony Records / UK: Epic Records
External link
- Official Vonda Shepard Website (http://www.vesperalley.com)