Vonda Shepard’s career has run the gamut from having an early hit in the late 80s with “Don’t Cry Ilene†(Reprise Records) to being an independent artist and then on to selling more than 12 millions records worldwide with the success of the hit show Ally McBeal. Her wonderful new CD From the Sun (Summer, 2008) finds her indie roots firmly planted, and happily so. It is also her first proper solo release since 2002 and her fourth collaboration with legendary producer Mitchell Froom (Crowded House, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman). Infusing her singer/songwriter style with splashes of powerful, stacked vocal parts, Froom describes the album as having a “modern-day soul feel†with Vonda’s solid piano playing and bluesy, soulful voice driving the tracks.
From the Sun also boasts guitarist James Ralston (Tina Turner, The Del Fuegos), bassist Jim Hanson (Johnny Cash, Rodney Crowell, Bruce Springsteen), and drummer Matt Chamberlain (David Bowie, Tori Amos, John Mayer), as well as mixer/engineer David Boucher (Daniel Powter, Indigo Girls, Andrew Bird).
“I love performing live so much I wanted to write songs that I could really wail on. I am content to record and release my own records exactly the way I envision them, then go on the road, get the music out there any way I can and have a blast doing it all!†However, she is the first to tell you that she’s ready for a “come-back.†“I have a massive amount of energy for music and life.â€
A “come-back†is definitely not out of the question for an artist who began performing original material at small venues on the L.A. club scene at the young age of 14. Having released five studio albums of original material, a live retrospective and DVD, and four soundtracks for the series Ally McBeal since then, Vonda is without a doubt among today’s most successful and talented singer/songwriters. Plans are already underway for Vonda to support From the Sun with a full national promotional campaign that features live performances, TV appearances (including a round of Fox morning shows), in-store appearances, Triple-A radio, and a nationwide publicity blitz. The CD will also be released in Europe via Kontext Records with an extensive European tour on tap for Fall.
In a time when pop stars come and go in the flash of an eye, From the Sun is yet another chapter in the ever-expanding tale of a singer/songwriter whose talent and substance continue to define her as an artist who is here to stay.
