American singer-songwriter Vonda Shepherd has revealed her dreams of moving to Glasgow and duetting with her hero Annie Lennox.
The 61-year-old, who shot to fame singing her songs on TV series Ally McBeal, said she has fallen in love with Scotland’s biggest city and would like to buy a house in the West End.
And Vonda, who played at the Oran Mor in Glasgow last week, said: “It’s been five years since I was last in Scotland and I’ve been desperate to get back.
“About 20 years ago I went for a run round Glasgow’s West End and saw these places with signs saying “To Let.” I had to ask someone what that meant and was told they were rentals.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our Showbiz newsletter.
“Ever since then I was like wouldn’t it be lovely to have home in Glasgow as it’s somewhere very different to where I live in New York. It’s a city with a lovely energy, very warm people and great food – what’s not to like?”
Vonda, who is married to Crowded House keyboard player Mitchell Froom, 71, added: “The Scottish audiences are some of the best in the world as they are super enthusiastic and their love of life is contagious. I want to give them everything when I sing as they give it back.
“Sadly I never get the chance to do much sightseeing when I’m on tour in Scotland but looking out at the beautiful scenery makes me very happy and I’ve taken hundreds of photos over the years and gone running round all the big cities.”
Vonda, who started playing the piano when she was six-years-old, is also a massive fan of Scots singer Annie Lennox and is dying to get up on stage with her.
The mum-of-one, who grew up in California, said: “A few months ago I did a festival with Brandi Carlile in Mexico and Annie Lennox was there. I met her briefly. I think she’s super cool and oh my goodness – she still has it!
“I wanted to jump right up with her on stage that night. I am a massive fan of hers and would duet with her in a heartbeat. What a voice!”
Vonda, who is best known for her role as a fictionalised version of herself in legal drama Ally McBeal, for which she recorded five soundtrack albums as well as the series’ theme song “Searchin’ My Soul.”
The singer credits the show, which ran for five years and starred Calista Flockhart as a lovelorn lawyer working in a Boston law firm, with her global success.
She had been a struggling singer-songwriter for several years before landing the Ally McBeal role after inviting her close friends, actress Michelle Pfeiffer and her partner, TV writer and producer David E Kelley, to one of her shows.
Vonda was unaware that at the time Kelley was developing Ally McBeal and had been looking for a singer to be the voice and inner thoughts of the character.
When Kelley heard Shepard perform, he decided on the spot that her soulful voice and lyrics fitted his vision for the TV show. Vonda said: “I had done three albums and I was struggling at the time, but I had so much energy to do music when I got offered the Ally McBeal gig at the perfect time in my life.
“I was living in New York at the time and flew to LA to shoot the pilot. The minute I watched it I realised it was going to be a hit so I rented a little house in California and worked my butt off – recording 500 songs.
“I was in the bar playing the piano and singing in most of the episodes. In all those shows I said just one line: “She’s not bad,’ but I wasn’t cast as an actor, I was cast as a musician.”
Vonda, whose 17-year-old son Jack has just started college in the States, added: “The music from the series won an award for selling the most television soundtrack albums in history. It was the first soundtrack that really captured people’s imaginations as it was unique and an integral part of the show.
“We heard folk were recording the theme song “Searchin’ My Soul” off the television with tape recorders so producers thought it was a good idea to bring out a soundtrack.
“Although I have recorded lots of albums, it’s the songs from Ally McBeal that people want to hear at my gigs which is why by the end of the set everyone is up having an Ally party in the aisles.
“Ally is a lovely legacy to have and I am proud to have played a big part in its success.”
It’s been 27 years since the series was last on our screens but Vonda said there have been a lot of talk over the years about bringing it back – something she would be up for.
Vonda, whose dad Richmond was a mime artist and improv actor, said: “There have been negotiations about the show returning. There was a lot of talk about them doing a 25th anniversary event and then a reboot.
“It all seemed like it was heading in the right direction but then it all got shut down and I have no idea why but probably money is involved.
“However, there is definitely a possibility it will come back at some point. I would love that it as it would be so much fun. Calista Flockhart and I have talked about it and she is up for it too. The rest of the cast are still out there working so it would not be too much of a stretch to get us all back again.”
Vonda is in the middle of her tour round the UK and Ireland where she is playing her greatest hits as well as songs from her 2022 album Red Light, Green Light.
The songwriter, who has sold more than 12 million albums, said: “I am loving life right now. My son is away to college and although, I’m on the road quite a lot I also get to be home too which is allowing me time to work on my new album.
“I enjoy watching folk cut loose and have fun at my concerts and I have an allstar band. My guitarist James Ralston
played with Tina Turner for 22 years, my bass player Jim Hanson played with Springsteen and my drummer Fritz Lewak was with Jackson Browne for 30 years.
“When I am not writing I am flying here there and everywhere watching Mitchell play with Crowded House. It’s a good life and I am very happy.”
– tickets for Vonda’s UK tour are available at www.vondashepard.com/live
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.