Elizabeth Shepherd

Elizabeth Shepherd is a Canadian singer, songwriter, pianist and producer. Early life Born in 1977, Shepherd is the daughter of two ministers of The Salvation Army. From an early age, she grew up on choral music, brass bands and classical music. She studied classical piano at conservatories in Canada and France, then completed a degree in jazz piano from McGill University in Montreal after considering a career in music therapy. Career In 2004, Shepherd moved to Toronto and worked as a waitress at a piano bar. She began performing, and became a regular entertainer at the restaurant. She formed The Elizabeth Shepherd Trio with Scott Kemp on bass and Colin Kingsmore on drums. In 2006, she recorded her debut album, Start to Move, which was voted among the top three jazz albums of 2006 by the listeners of The Gilles Peterson Show on BBC Radio 1. The album was nominated for a Juno Award in 2007. The trio performed songs from the album at The Jazz Café in London, England. Shepherd's second studio album, Parkdale (2008), dealt sympathetically with its Toronto neighbourhood namesake, which is known for its grit. The album was produced by Nostalgia 77, a DJ in London, and was nominated for a Juno Award in 2009.