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A recent review calls his music “Pure MAGIC! … Worthy of intense
study and airplay.” – Country Western Corner Magazine. “With his writing
ability, Stephen Shepherd could write that next big hit!” - Midwest Country News
Alpha/Omega CD Review …”A writer of scorching country songs.”
Shepherd has been performing music professionally for thirty years in clubs,
coffeehouses, college concerts, and festivals, and his first published song
appeared in 1975. He now writes and publishes music for Circus Girl Records, is
on the Iowa Arts Council’s roster of preferred artists, is a voting member of
the National Academy of Arts and Sciences (Grammy Awards), and holds a Masters
of Fine Arts Degree in Creative Writing.
Shepherd’s first CD, Einstein’s Hair, appeared on DJ Radio Playlists in fifteen
countries: England, France, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, New Zealand,
Scotland, Wales, Holland, Spain, Poland, Ireland, Germany, and Australia. In
2004, the CD charted a number of EUROPEAN HITS: “Einstein’s Hair” was #4 in
France and #6 in Belgium. “Gentle Guitar Pickin” was #3 in Poland, #13 in
Holland, #7 in Ireland, #15 in Scandinavia (Norway & Sweden), “Six Pack
Syndrome” was #16 in Denmark. In 2005 “Going Down To Mexico” was #13 in Denmark,
#20 in Scandinavia, #18 in Austria, #20 in Belgium, and #13 in Great Britain. In
March-April 2005, “Big Truck” was #3 in Australia for five weeks. In May 2005,
“Big Truck” was also #6 in Austria. His second CD Heartbreak Standard Time was
recorded in October – December 2004, and the single “Ten Tall Women” quickly
became #20 in Germany. His third CD, Love Heals All Things, was released in
October –November of 2006. A single from that third CD, “In The Shade,” peaked
at #21 on the US Roots Music Report, and the Album Love Heals All Things (In The
Shade) was on the US Roots True Country Charts for 62 weeks, and was #11 in
Italy. In 2007-2008, Shepherd was ranked as the #1 US Roots Music Artist in
Iowa. Singer/songwriter Shepherd is a registered songwriter with BMI, and his
fourth album, Daylight On the Rise, was released in September 2008.
Shepherd often uses original flat-picking and finger picking styles that blend
folk with country rhythms to form a matrix sound on some of his 50 original
songs performed in concert. Up-beat country crowd-pleasing songs include “In The
Shade,” “Saturday Morning TV,” “Lazy Rascals,” “Ten Tall Women,” “Gentle Guitar
Pickin,” and “Road Cowboy,” while softer country-folk offerings like “Eaten By
The Rich,” “Tuesday Come Monday,” “Daylight On The Rise” and “Crystal Kingdoms”
embrace a quieter introspective edge.
Inspired by his mother, a piano teacher, and his father, a country music fan,
Shepherd listened to both country and classical music while growing up in
Michigan.
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