T.G. SHEPPARD has always had a knack of being ‘at
the right place at the right time’ in Country Music.
He was the singular artist who put a massive amount of gold in
the teeth of the country music industry’s biggest ‘sales
bite’ in history—during the ‘Golden Era’ of
the late ‘70’s and early ‘80’s as the success
of ‘Urban Cowboy’ helped usher in a new wave of country.
T.G. opened the ‘80’s with a remarkable run of a dozen
#1’s hits that would forever secure his place in industry history.
He brought romance—and yes, sex appeal—to country music
at a time when young men in hats were first saddling up to monopolize
the range on the nation’s airwaves.
As witnessed by his soon to be released debut CD project with his
new Nashville label alliance—Destiny Row—T.G. Sheppard
is once again ‘right on time. Things are again about to get
a littler hotter on record and in concert for the massive flock of
fans who have faithfully followed the good Sheppard through the years
and the rolling green pastures of gold records.
Then, as now, T.G. had a certain class and style that set him apart
from the competition. The illusive “star quality” that
graces only the rarest of careers fell on his career from the earliest
days. It led him to become not only a major recording artist, but
a consummate entertainer—one whose stage show is as ‘at
home’ in a showroom in Las Vegas, or a concert hall in London,
as it is on tour in the heart of Texas. His presence in country music
did more than produce a string of enviable hits: T.G.’s stylized
sound helped produce an era when great country songs and innovative
production values with a hint of pop sensibilities added to the mix
moved country music forever forward to a wider audience of listeners.
Proof of the ‘good timing’ of T.G.’s latest musical
venture is his choice of material at a time when radio and listeners
are in the mood for the kind of distinctive magic T.G. Sheppard consistently
brings to his music. The new CD for Destiny Row T.G. terms a “labor
of love” as he has painstaking researched classic songs that
bespeak a time when romance was a main ingredient in lyrics and music.
Timeless gems such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” “When
I Fall In Love,” “What A Wonderful World,” and “All
The Way,” haven’t really been sung until T.G. puts his
premium blend of smooth, resonant vocals into the mix.
Born in Humboldt, Tennessee, the young man known as Bill Browder
set sail for Memphis at the age of 15 to launch his fledgling career
in music in earnest. Using the stage name, Brian Stacy, he released
his first record, “High School Days,” which caused enough
interest on the pop charts of the mid-60’s to win him spots
as an opening artist for some of the biggest names of the day— legendary
names such as the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, and the Animals. Hitting
a dry patch with his career as an artist, T.G. re-directed his passion
for music to promoting the music of other artists. He established
himself as one of the industry’s most successful record promoters—a
career path that led him to form a close personal and professional
relationship with Elvis Presley while promoting ‘The King’ for
RCA. Elvis gave T.G. more than encouragement—he gave him his
first tour bus and the encouraging words of a classic Elvis hit: “Follow
That Dream!”
However, it wasn’t until 1974 when T.G. was initially signed
to Motown Records on their Melodyland label that his career began
to seriously heat up. With turn downs from eight labels in eighteen
months fueling him forward, T.G.’s recording of the single “Devil
In the Bottle” for Motown’s Melodyland label struck a
chord of success. After years of belief that the song was a hit for
someone, it became his first #1 hit. T.G. followed it with another
#1 hit that he co-wrote, “Trying To Beat The Morning Home.”
What followed was a whirlwind. By the time the ink was dry on a
major deal with Warner Brother Records, T.G. had been named “Best
New Male Artist” by Cashbox. He was riding a tidal wave towards
superstardom in country music. He amassed ten consecutive number
one records—including songs that are now considered T.G. Sheppard
signature songs. “Last Cheater’s Waltz,” “Only
One You,” “Party Time,” “Do You Wanna Go
To Heaven,” “I Feel Like Loving You Again,” “I
Loved ‘Em Every One,” “Finally,” “War
Is Hell On The Homefront Too,” and “Faking Love.” “Finally” and “I
Loved ‘Em Every One,” introduced T.G. to a massive new
world of fans when both made major impact on the Pop Top 40 Charts. “Make
My Day,” a duet with Clint Eastwood featured in the movie, “Sudden
Impact,” again crossed T.G. over to pop chart recognition.
By the mid ‘80’s T.G. moved to Columbia Records where
he worked on studio projects with famed producers such as Bob Montgomery
and Rick Hall. Four album projects and more hits followed on a second
wave of gold: Number one singles with “Fooled Around And Fell
In Love,” “One For The Money,” and “Strong
Heart,” helped him remain one of the most in demand artists
in country music—both in concert and on record.
Broadening his influence as few artists in the industry have been
able to do, T.G. went outside the usual box of the charts and established
himself as both a humanitarian and an astute businessman—the
latter with ventures such as his highly successful namesake state-of-the-art
theater in the Smokies of East Tennessee where he regularly performed
to packed audiences throughout the mid ‘90’s. In a corporate
alliance with Folger’s, T.G. served as national spokesperson
for the Folger’s NASCAR racing team for eight seasons, performing
for six year’s on the popular “Folger’s Wakin’ Up
Country Tour” which headlined across America.
But hits can’t replace ‘heart’—and in that
area T.G. Sheppard is a man most blessed in sharing his good fortune
with others. Throughout the course of his career T.G. has consistently
worked for good causes close to his heart: Childhelp USA, St. Jude
Children’s Hospital, the United Way, Cerebral Palsy, and the
Alzheimer’s Association, among other organizations have all
been made richer for the success of one man and his dream to make
music.
At a point in his career when most artists are resting on their
past accomplishments, for T.G. yet another dream is about to become
a reality. With the release of his upcoming album, T.G. Sheppard
is once again poised to count a vast new flock of music fans among
his followers.
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