John Sheard | Pianist | Producer | Arranger

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Short bio:

Probably best known as music director for Stuart Mclean’s Vinyl Cafe from 1997-2016, Toronto’s John Sheard has released 8 solo piano recordings and continues to work with artists of all styles and mentor many young musicians. Since 1975, he has appeared on hundreds of recordings with artists such as Rita Macneil, Olivia Newton-John, Ian and Sylvia Tyson, Dan Hill, Rita Coolidge, Mary-Margaret O’Hara, Celine Dion, Matt Andersen, Danny Michel, and many, many more.  He has performed live with too many artists to count, including Rough Trade, Jackie Richardson, John McDermott, Owen Pallett, Suzie Vinnick, Dala, Jill Barber  and Art Garfunkel. As a producer and arranger, he has worked with The Guess Who, Buster Poindexter, Russell de Carle, Dan Hill, Shirley Eikhard, The Good Brothers. John has also produced and written music for television shows such as A+E.’s Biography, Sesame Street, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars, and David Letterman’s Hollywood Film Festival. John has produced hundreds of songs for U.S. educational CD’s, including “Hulk” and “Spiderman” been featured in several documentaries.

Long bio:

John Sheard is a Toronto pianist, producer and composer.
Since he began his musical career in 1975, he has appeared on over 300 recordings including artists such as : Rita Macneil, Ian Tyson, Colm Wilkinson, Sylvia Tyson, Dan Hill, Rita Coolidge, Olivia Newton-John, Mary-Margaret O’Hara, Celine Dion, Ron Hynes, Sophie Milman, Russell de Carle, Willie P. Bennett, David Wilcox, The Guess Who, Jim Brickman, Matt Andersen, Jackie Washington, Grit Laskin,  Reid Jamieson, Ken Whiteley, Ronnie Milsap, Suzie Vinnick, Mose Scarlett, Danny Michel, Buster Poindexter, Tom Paxton, Terry Kelly,
 The Nylons, Chad Mitchell, The Henrys, Quartette and hundreds more.

He has written and/or arranged songs for Celine Dion, Dan Hill, Alecia Nugent,  Murray McLaughlin, The Pointer Sisters, The Nylons, Shirley Eikhard, Caitlin Hanford, Quartette and many others.

He has produced and written music for U.S. and Canadian television shows such as : A+E.’s Biography (The Bunny Years), Sunset Beach, CBC Sesame Street, Sesame Park, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing with the Stars,  So You Think You Can Dance-Canada, Andrea Martin’s Showtime Special, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and David Letterman’s Hollywood Film Festival.

His CD production credits include, among others:
 The Guess Who, Russell de Carle, Terra Hazelton, Dan Hill, The Henrys, Buster Poindexter, Gregg Lawless, Caitlin Hanford, The Good Brothers (multi artist compilation), Glori Gage, Chris Whiteley, Diana Braithwaite and others.  John has written and produced hundreds of songs for U.S. educational CD’s, including “Hulk” and “Spiderman” in association with Bobally Records featuring Bob Schneider.

John has performed in concert with renowned U.S.artists:  Art Garfunkel, Eddie“ Cleanhead” Vinson and Lowell Fulsom, Maryann Price, Gail Bliss, Chris O’Connell, Fabian, Junior Wells and Herb Remington and Leon Rausch (from Bob Wills’s Texas Playboys) … as well as these Canadian artists: Mary-Margaret O'Hara, Dala, Jill Barber, Ron Hynes, Whitehorse, David Wilcox, Quartette, Murray McLaughlin, Jane Siberry, Amanda Marshall, John Mcdermott, Prairie Oyster, Rough Trade, Ruth Moody, Matt Andersen, Jackie Richardson, Doug Paisley, Danny Michel, Lynn Miles,The Diamonds, Salome Bey, Rick James, Laura Smith, Amos Garrett, The Good Lovelies, Harry Manx, Johnny Burke, Ken Whiteley, Owen Pallett, Lisa Brokop, Meaghan Smith, Suzie Vinnick, Sylvia Tyson, Amy Sky, Marc Jordan and Howie Mandel among others.

John’s music has been featured in several documentary films, including 3 recent ones : Eleanor McGrath's - ‘Kanata- an Irish Story’ and ' Forgotten'   and ...       ‘Portrait of Resistance’  by Roz Owen and Jim Miller.

John served as music director for the late Stuart Mclean’s Vinyl Cafe  touring show from 1997- 2016

He was also Dan Hill's music director for many years and for many CBC radio programs including Peter Gzowski’s iconic  “Red River Rally” Morningside show.
 
John has released 8 critically acclaimed solo piano recordings to date.
    
John continues to record and perform with artists of all styles and actively mentor many young, talented musicians.