Vonda Shepard

Vonda Shepard is perhaps best known as the resident performer in the fictional bar where Ally McBeal drank after work. But her career as a rock singer had begun several years prior to her engagement on the 1990s television show. Indeed, she had released a single, “Can’t We Try”, with Dan Hill in 1987 and spent some time as a back-up singer for Jackson Browne.

Her eponymous debut album was released in 1989. It didn’t perform well and after her follow-up, The Radical Light, fared similarly, she was dropped by her label. She spent the time between labels building her reputation as a club singer. That reputation and the positive critical reaction to her third album, It’s Good, Eve (1996), attracted the interest of TV producer David E. Kelley who engaged her for his new show. Her success was assured as old hits were re-vitalised and new hits were created on a series of soundtrack albums.