Ollie Shepard (né Oliver Shepard; born July 1909, Oberlin, Louisiana, United States – 1960) was an American blues pianist, vocalist, and songwriter.
Career From about 1954 to about 1963, Shepard performed at Jerry's Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge in Oneonta, New York, at 15 Dietz Street, in the Walnut Street Historic District. The restaurant was owned by Joseph G. ("Jerry") Monser (1926–1975), who opened it on August 5, 1954. The building was demolished in July 1970 to make way for a parking lot. Mark Bresee, et al., purchased the property from Robert W. Melmer, his father, John J. Melmer, and his brother, John E. Melmer.
Poet and academician Richard George Frost (born 1929) who, for a stint, had played drums with Shepard in a lounge in Oneonta described him as follows: Ollie, who had once been a house pianist for Decca Records, was a tyrant. The arrogant cuss seemed determined to derange me. He played in a fast, galloping blues-based format that often threw me. When he believed I had lagged or faltered, he would make unpleasant faces and groan loudly at his honky drummer.
Selected discography Original releases Ollie Shepard and His Kentucky Boys, Decca Records Ollie Shepard (vocalist), Chu Berry (tenor sax), Sammy Price (piano), (unknown) (drums)
Decca 7400 Side X – C91348: "Honey Bee" (1937) Side X – C91350: "Sweetheart Land" (1937)
Decca 7408 Side X – C91349: "No One To Call You Dear" (1937) Side X – C91347: "She Walks Like A Kangaroo" (1937)
Decca 7463 Side X – 63514-A: "What's Your Guess?" (1938) Side X – 63510-A: "Good Woman" (1938)
Decca 7665 Side X – 65975-A: "Baby It's My Time Now" (1939) Side X – 65973-A: "King of All Evil"
Decca 7480 Side X – 63513-A: "Biscuit Rolling Time" (1938) Side X – 63515-B: "Hope You Haven't Forgotten Me" (1938)
Decca 7508 Side X – 63796-A: "Frankenstein Blues" (1938) Side X – 63795-A: "Little Pigmeat" (1938)
Decca 7435 Side X – 63512-A: "Drunk Again" (1938) Side X – 63507-A: "One Woman Blues" (1938)
Decca 7651 Side X – 65971-A: "Don't You Know?" (1939) Side X – 65974-A: "Lil Liza Jane" (1939)
Decca 7629 Side A – 65422-A: "Sweetest Thing Born" Recorded in New York City April 18, 1939 Side B – 65972-A: "Jelly Roll" Recorded in New York City June 17, 1939
Decca 7602 Side A – 65425-A: "Sugar Woman Blues" (1939) Side B – 65423-A: "Shepard Blues" ("Pig Latin Blues") (1939)
Decca 7541 Side A – 63511-A: "Pee Wee, Pee Wee" (1938) Side B – 63516-A: "At Your Mercy" (1938)
Decca 7493 Side A – 63793-A: "Solid Jack" (1938)
Side B – 63794-A: "This Place Is Leaping" (1938)
Decca 7585 Side A – 65420-A: "New Low Down Dirty Shame" Recorded in New York City April 18, 1939
Side B – 65421-A: "The Numbers Blues"
Decca 7613 Side A – 65427-A: "My Dripping Blood Blues" Recorded in New York City April 18, 1939
Side B – 65424-A: "Outdoor Blues" (add Lonnie Johnson, guitar) Recorded in New York City April 18, 1939
Decca 7639 Side A – 65428-A: "Blues 'bout My Gal" Recorded in New York City April 18, 1939
Side B – 65970-A: "Oh Maria" Recorded in New York City July 17, 1939
Decca 7448 Side A – 63509-A: "S-B-A Blues" Recorded in New York City March 31, 1938
Side B – 63508-A: "Brown Skin Woman" Recorded in New York City March 31, 1938
Decca 7716 Side A – 65426-A: "Hell Is So Low Down" (1939) Side B – 67083-A: "Octavia Blues" (1940)
Decca 7805 Side A: "You Got Me Wandering" (1940) Side B – 67084-A: "I'm Stepping Out Tonight" (1940)
Decca 7761 Side X – 67082-A: "Jitterbugs Broke Down" (1940) Side X – 65970-A: "Oh Maria" (1940) Ollie Shepard Ollie Shepard (vocalist, piano), accompanied by Ted McCord (clarinet, tenor sax), George Francis (guitar), Johnny Wells (drums), unknown female (vocal 1) Recorded in New York City, May 2, 1941 Okeh 06277 Side A – 30392-1: "Cool Kind Papa" Side B – 30394-1: "Throw This Dog A Bone"
Okeh 06409 Side A – 30397-1: "Army Camp Blues" Side B – 30391-1: "Hard Times Is On Me"
Okeh 06533 Side A – 30396-1: "Pay Day Blues" Side B – 30393-1: "True Love Blues" Ollie Shepard with Hot Lips Page & His Orchestra Ollie Shepard (vocalist, piano), accompanied by Hot Lips Page (trumpet), Alfred Cobbs (trombone), Vincent Bey (alto and baritone sax), Buddy Tate (tenor sax), Carl "Flat Top" Wilson (bass), Clay Burt (drums) Recorded in New York City, November 1, 1950 Okeh 6840 Side A – CO44587: "Baby Blues" Side B – CO44588: "Don't Come Knockin' Upon My Door"
Curatorial discography (re-issues and compilations)
Ollie Shepard, Complete Recorded Works, Document Records (1996) Vol. 1; 28 October 1937 to 18 April 1939; Vol. 2; 18 April 1939 to 2 May 1941;
Selected compositions
"It's A Low Down Dirty Shame" (1938) State Street Music Pub. Co.
"Sweetheart Land" (1938) State Street Music Pub. Co. "I'm Going Back To Kokomo" (1943) Ollie Shephard (sic) (w&m) Charling Music Corp. "Exactly What I Need" (1943) Ollie Shephard (sic) (w&m) Charling Music Corp. "Good Old Tennessee" (1944) Ollie Shepard (w&m) "Take Everything There Is" ("But Leave Me You") (1944) Ollie Shepard (w&m) "It's A Low Down Dirty Shame" (1946) "Do You Wonder Why?" (1953) Ollie Shepard (w&m) "Tee Nay" (1956) Ollie Shepard (w&m) Charles K. Harris Music Pub. Co., Inc. "Restless As The River" (1956) Ollie Shepard & Sammy Gallop (w&m) Charles K. Harris Music Pub. Co., Inc. "Stepping Out" (1956) Ollie Shepard (w&m) Peer International Corp. "That's What True Love Can Do" (1956) Ollie Shepard (w&m) Peer International Corp. "I'll Never Make You Blue" (1957)
"Hot Dawg" (1957) Ollie Shepard (w&m) Desired Music, Inc. "Now I Know" (1959) Ollie Shepard (w&m) Cincinnati: Jay & Cee Music Corp.
"If You Want Me To" (1960) Ollie Shepard (w&m) "Sweetheart" (1960) "You Care" (1960)
"Jitterbugs Broke It Down" (1967) Ollie Shepard (w&m) "My Babe Is Gone" (1957) "Sweetie Pie" (1957) "Regardless" (1957) "You Better Believe It" (1957)
References