Mark Shepherd
Cambridge, England, United Kingdom | Established. Jan 01, 2015 | INDIE
Music
Press
Americana, as you'd expect, is pretty much the preserve of the Americans. Hence it's a welcome surprise that the authentic tunes of MARK SHEPHERD come from Hertfordshire - adding a pleasingly British slant on the most United States of sounds as they do. What's also rather exciting is that the singer himself has more than a hint of Danny Vaughan in his vocal delivery, which provides a more Melodic rock aroma than might otherwise have been expected. With each of the four tracks appearing in both electric mode and an acoustic re-imagining. 'It's About Time' is a glorious sing-along, while the title-track of 'THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS' is a more emotional, if still insistent offering. However, all four cuts are of the highest standard and Shepherd is a very clever Englishman indeed. - Fireworks - Issue 86 - Spring 2019
"Awesome" Tom Simkins -
Discography
I Wish I Knew - July 2022 (The Animal Farm)
Devil in the Mirror (Electric) - Feb 2021
Driving - Mark Shepherd - Single 2020
The Grand Scheme of Things - Mark Shepherd - EP release May 2019
She Didn't Answer - Mark Shepherd - Single 2019
The Grand Scheme of Things - Mark Shepherd - single 2019
Bad Man - Mark Shepherd - Album 2017
Photos
Bio
Mark Shepherd is a singer-songwriter from Cambridge with a strong, distinctive baritone and a dark brand of folky, thought provoking acoustic rock/Americana that explores the stygian side of life with a rough warmth sure to stay with you long after you finish listening.
“Americana, as you'd expect, is pretty much the preserve of the Americans. Mark Shepherd, a very clever Englishman indeed, provides a glorious, emotional and insistent offering of the highest standard.” - Fireworks Magazine
Mark has featured on BBC Introducing and a host of radio stations and blogs. Performances all over the UK and USA have included The Cambridge Folk Festival, Cambridge Rock Festival, Camp Bestival, London: 02 Academy Islington, Borderline, 229 the venue, The Islington, The Spice of Life... New York: Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End, Pianos, Arlene's Grocery and many more.
A musical omnivore, Mark grew up listening to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Peter Gabriel, Jimi Hendrix as well as Miles Davis and Kraftwerk, Devo and Gary Numan. School bands led to a recording deal with a label that went bust before the band’s music was released. Mark played in local rock bands for several years and in 2017 released his first solo acoustic album, “Bad Man”. He followed it up with a string of releases: The Grand Scheme of Things EP (2019), and singles She Didn't Answer (2019), The Grand Scheme of Things (2019), Driving (2020), Devil in The Mirror (2021). I Wish I Knew and World on Fire were released in 2022 on The Animal Farm label.
The music was enthusiastically received on BBC Introducing and BBC Cambridge who invited Mark for sessions.
“Awesome!” - Tom Simkins, BBC Introducing
Pre-Covid, Mark made trips to the US twice a year, performing a host of gigs in small venues from New York to Austin and the Bay area, recording a session for Radio Free Brooklyn and drawing favourable comparisons to artists as different as Paul Weller, Garth Brooks and Danny Vaughn.
Mark's music is on all digital platforms - just search Mark Shepherd. More new music will be out in 2023 on the Animal Farm label.
Band Members
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