Thomas M. Shepard (March 31, 1923 – February 23, 1993) was an Americantrombonist who worked extensively in bothChicago andHollywood as a regular recording artist for the top recording,television, andfilm studios. He had a trombone sound that was often compared toTommy Dorsey. Shepard is also known as a photographer, who took behind-the-scenesphotographs of many of the topentertainers of the 1960s.
Tommy Shepard began playing trombone in his junior year inhigh school. The next year he won a national solo contest and by the time he was 19 he was on the road with the Ben Bernie Orchestra. After twelve months with Ben Bernie, he enlisted in theUnited States Army and played in a variety of Armybig bands, finally winding up withWayne King's Orchestra atFort Sheridan, Illinois, where he played for two years, makingV-Discs, working bond rallies and generally supporting the nation'sspirits.
Released from service in 1946, he settled down in Chicago working first at the Chez Paree, then on the staff of theorchestras atNBC,ABC, and finallyCBS.
While he was at ABC, Shepard was granted six months leave of absence in 1953 to joinStan Kenton on first trombone (his section mates wereFrank Rosolino andBill Russo). The invitation to join Kenton came as a direct result of a rehearsal band that Shepard had formed in 1948. It was a big swinging band that gave some of the top studio musicians in Chicago a chance to perform once a week. Shepard kept the band going until 1953 when he went with Kenton.
In 1960, Shepard started working in Hollywood and quickly became one of the city's busiest free-lance studio trombone players. He was a regular recording artist forCapitol Records,Reprise Records, andVerve Records during this time. He was also part of the house band forThe Hollywood Palace television show,TheJoey Bishop Show (1967–1969talk show), and worked in many Hollywood film orchestras.
During 1963, Shepard began to document his time working in the Hollywood studios with his camera. His photography brought a new perspective to an era of American music that would end with theBritish Invasion. His photographs were eventually donated toUniversity of Arizona's School of Music in 2005, where his collection now resides.
In the 1970s, Shepard began leading his own orchestra again, which performed for numerous events insouthern California. He also contracted for theNelson Riddle Orchestra – when Nelson Riddle was unavailable – and led the Nelson Riddle Alumni Orchestra after Riddle's passing. Shepard continued to lead his own orchestra until succumbing to aheart attack, at his home inIndian Wells, California, in 1993. His remains were interred atCoachella Valley Public Cemetery inCoachella, California.
WithStan Kenton
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