Music Style Country

Musical Influences Clint Black, Strait, Yoakam, Randy Travis

Albums Country Squire (2003), Could Be Worse (2000), Self-titled (1998)

Press Reviews From the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minnesota:"Could Be Worse", Thom Shepherd, Twang Thang Music, *** (3 stars)SHEPHERD'S ‘COULD BE WORSE' COULDN'T BE MUCH BETTERBy James M. TarboxSo I'm sitting in Legend's Corner, a saloon sitting literally in the shadow of Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, up a few doors on Lower Broadway from Tootsie's and Robert's (home of BR5-49), within walking distance of Ernest Tubb's Record Shop, Planet Hollywood, The Hard Rock Cafe, The Wildhorse Saloon, a NASCAR themed joint and kitty corner from the city's groovy new high tech hockey arena, where the Minnesota Wild will soon enough be getting booed by the locals.If that's not enough culture clash, while Music Row is enraptured by the gloss of whatever's passing these days for pop country, Legend's corner stage is young Thom Shepherd, an engaging thirty-something Virginia transplant whose heart, head, and both feet are deep into the traditional sounds of old country. He's commandeered the stage two nights a week for two years now and, with a four-piece band of local on-call musicians, puts on a pretty entertaining show while waiting for fame to find him."Could Be Worse" couldn't be much better, especially considering it's a privately produced disc featuring mostly unknown and uncredited players (but not the same guys he plays with live). On his second effort, Shepherd mixes straight ahead country with ballads and a couple of clever novelty tunes.The title tune notes that whatever else prevails, at least the singer's not dead. "Choose Me Or Lose Me" lays down a lover's ultimatum, while "Bye George" is typical barroom fare. On the lighter side, "Little Hope Baptist Church" (a real place) offers a wedding filled with ironic touches; "Treat Me Like A Dog" plays to any man who's sharing connubial space with a favored four legged friend; and "A Few Words About Mobile Homes" is one of those talkin' songs that's a slap to big-city songwriters who wouldn't know a double-wide if it backed into them.Shepherd is one of hundreds of guys and gals trying to make the big time. He's got the songs and the personality; now he just needs the lucky break. While the purists grieve the death of traditional music, he's trying to breathe life back into its feeble lungs. He and his likes might even make country music fun again.

Location Nashville, TN - USA

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