Lemuel Sheppard

Lemuel sheppard was born in Kansas City, Kansas in 1956. Like many past and present musicians from this city, he too was influenced by it's jazz and blues while growing there. He is a self taught guitarist who took up the saxophone in college. while studying primarily classical saxophone, he became the protege of Dr. Eva Jessey, the original choral director for George Gershwin's folk opera "Porgy and Bess".

Although he was not a singer, she began to train his voice and conviced him to become a folk singer. Lemuel spent the next 25 years traveling the United States and the world performing and composing traditional music. In 2004 Lemuel was asked to write the score for a PBS documentary which would include Jazz and Blues. The album "Introducing Lemuel Sheppard " is his return to the music of his Kansas City roots .