Ashton Shepherd

Ashton Shepherd
Birth name Ashton Delilah Shepherd
Born August 16, 1986 (1986-08-16) (age 25)[1]
Origin Coffeeville, Alabama, USA
Genres Country
Occupations Singer-songwriter
Instruments Vocals, Guitarist
Years active 2007-present
Labels MCA Nashville
Associated acts Adam Cunningham

Ashton Delilah Shepherd (born August 16, 1986 in Coffeeville, Alabama[1]) is an American country music singer-songwriter. She was first signed to Universal Music Group Nashville's MCA Nashville division in April 2007. Her 2008 debut album Sounds So Good produced two top 40 hits on the Hot Country Songs charts: "Takin' Off This Pain" and the title track. In 2011, she released her second album, Where Country Grows, which includes the top 20 hit "Look It Up".

Contents

Biography

Ashton Shepherd was born August 16, 1986 in Coffeeville, Alabama. She began singing at an early age, and started writing songs at age five.[2] By age eight, she had entered her first talent competition, where she sang Patsy Cline songs, and soon afterward, she began performing at various local venues as well. Her parents helped her finance a self-titled CD, which she released independently at age fifteen.[2] In June 2006, she entered and won a talent contest in Gilbertown, Alabama. The prize was being the opening act for Lorrie Morgan in concert. Shepherd won the opening slot, and while performing as Morgan's opener, she was spotted by a representative of MCA Nashville Records, who then signed her to the label in April 2007.[3]

Her debut single, "Takin' Off This Pain", was released in September 2007, the same month in which she made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry.[4][5] The song, which peaked at #20 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, was the first single from her debut album Sounds So Good, which was produced by Buddy Cannon and released on March 4, 2008.[2] She also appeared on CMT's Unplugged at Studio 330 television program and subsequent interview March 5, 2008.[6] The album's second single, its title track, was released in May 2008 and peaked at #21.

Shepherd third single, "Look It Up", was released to country radio on January 3, 2011 as the lead-off single to her second album for MCA Nashville. It debuted at number 56 on the country charts for chart week ending January 15, 2011.[7] The song entered the Top 40 of the charts in its third week and became her second Top 20 hit on the chart, reaching a peak of number 19 in May 2011.

Personal life

In 2006, she welcomed her first child, James, with her husband Roland Cunningham, whom she married in 2007. And in March 2011, Shepherd announced she was pregnant with her second child. [8] She then welcomed daughter, Raden Delilah Cunningham, on September 9th 2011. [9]

Discography

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart
positions
US Country
[10]
US
[11]
Sounds So Good 16 90
Where Country Grows
  • Release date: July 12, 2011
  • Label: MCA Nashville
  • Formats: CD, music download
11 37

Extended plays

Title Details Peak positions
US Country
[10]
Look It Up
  • Release date: March 22, 2011
  • Label: MCA Nashville
  • Formats: CD, music download
71

Singles

Year Single Peak chart
positions
Album
US Country
[12]
US
[13]
2007 "Takin' Off This Pain" 20 116 Sounds So Good
2008 "Sounds So Good" 21 116
2011 "Look It Up" 19 95 Where Country Grows
"Where Country Grows" 42
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Music videos

Year Video Director
2007 "Takin' Off This Pain" (version 1) Shaun Silva
2008 "Takin' Off This Pain" (version 2) Danny Clinch/Becky Fluke
"Sounds So Good" Roman White
2011 "Look It Up" Michael Salomon
"Where Country Grows"

Other appearances

Year Song Artist Album
2009 "Polyrically Uncorrect" Cledus T. Judd Polyrically Uncorrect

References

  1. ^ a b "Artists A to Z: Ashton Shepherd". Great American Country. http://www.gactv.com/gac/ar_artists_a-z/article/0,,GAC_26071_5759775,00.html. Retrieved 2007-01-22. 
  2. ^ a b c Leggett, Steve. "Ashton Shepherd biography". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p988912. Retrieved 2008-04-08. 
  3. ^ "Universal signs Ashton Shepherd to deal". Country Standard Time. 2007-04-18. http://www.countrystandardtime.com/news/newsitem.asp?xid=538. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  4. ^ Pickard, Kathryn F. (2007). "Leroy resident to appear on Grand Ole' (sic) Opry". The South Alabamian. http://www.southalabamian.com/news/2007/0927/Front_Page/002.html. Retrieved 2007-11-12. 
  5. ^ "Ashton wows Grand Ole Opry with her premier performance". The Clarke County Democrat. http://www.clarkecountydemocrat.com/news/2007/1004/Community/059.html. 
  6. ^ "Ashton Shepherd offers up CMT Exclusive interview". Country Music News Blog. 2008-03-25. http://www.countrymusicnewsblog.com/ashton-shepherd/. Retrieved 2008-03-27. 
  7. ^ "Chart Highlights: Pop, Rock, Dance/Club Play Songs & More". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/column/chartbeat/chart-highlights-pop-rock-dance-club-play-1004137695.story. Retrieved January 3, 2011. 
  8. ^ Ashton Shepherd Expecting Baby No. 2!
  9. ^ http://celebritybabies.people.com/2011/09/09/ashton-shepherd-welcomes-daughter-raden-delilah/?xid=rss-topheadlines
  10. ^ a b "Ashton Shepherd Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/ashton-shepherd/chart-history/938684?f=320&g=Albums. Retrieved December 11, 2010. 
  11. ^ "Ashton Shepherd Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/ashton-shepherd/chart-history/938684. Retrieved December 11, 2010. 
  12. ^ "Ashton Shepherd Album & Song Chart History - Country Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/ashton-shepherd/chart-history/938684?f=357&g=Singles. Retrieved December 11, 2010. 
  13. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 0-89820-188-8. 

External links