Elizabeth Shepherd

Elizabeth Shepherd’s music is less about following a particular tradition than it is about expressing a creative spirit; she is an artist looking to share her take on the world. Which is not surprising coming from someone who grew up in a highly musical family, living all over Canada and France, played tenor horn in the Salvation Army brass band where her parents were ministers, had an early love-affair with hip-hop music, only to wind up studying French poetry, and eventually, classical and jazz piano at McGill University.

Her multiple industry accolades have landed her 2 Juno nominations (Canada’s Grammy equivalent), tours in Europe and across and North America, Japan, and most recently, a show at the legendary Hollywood Bowl with Jamie Cullum & Count Basie Orchestra. Fans and critics have drawn comparisons to the likes of Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, and Rickie Lee Jones. And what these names all share is both an accessibility and a distinctness – that quality people can’t quite pin down.

Depending on what the song calls for, Shepherd always draws upon her roots – be it Salvation Army origins, poetic singer-songwriter lyricism, the modal inflections of world music, simple and sassy pop, infectiously deep hip-hop grooves, or the harmonic complexities of jazz. Her tunes are always a departure from convention; yet one never has the sense of leaving the home she weaves on stage and invites us to be part of.

CONNECTIONS: Jamie Cullum, Count Basie Orchestra

LATEST RECORDING: Heavy falls the night (2009)

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Toronto, Canada

 VOTE FOR ELIZABETH SHEPHERD, Galaxie Rising Star Competition