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Show scheduled for Saturday, June 8

Longtime country music performer T.G. Sheppard will take to the stage at McMinnville’s Park Theater Saturday June 8 at 7 p.m.

With 21 Number 1 hits to his credit, Sheppard is known for hit songs like “I loved ‘em Every One,” “Slow Burn” and “Devil in the Bottle.”

“I was a runaway at the age of 15 and ran away to Memphis to chase this dream and God let me catch it,” Sheppard said of his career.

A native of Humboldt, Tennessee, Sheppard said his mother was his earliest musical influence.

“She was a piano teacher and a gospel singer and she sang in the choir in church so music was in our house always when I was growing up,” he said.

A little later on, the sounds of Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison would catch his attention. A chance encounter at a Memphis roller rink with the former would mark the beginnings of a lifelong friendship with Presley that would last until his death in 1977.

As the rink was shutting down, a few Cadillacs pulled up as Sheppard was waiting outside, he said.

“Elvis gets out from behind the wheel of the lead Cadillac and walks right up to me and asks where are you are going, and I said well I’m leaving they are closing the roller rink down,” Sheppard said. “He said oh no, they are opening it up for me.”

Sheppard would play football on skates with Presley for four hours that night, and was then invited back to Graceland, where he lived for seven years.

“Elvis kind of took me under his wing and really and truly saved my life,” Sheppard said. “It was an amazing thing in my life to have him as a friend. The chances of that ever happening was a miracle of course, but it happened and I am so blessed to have had him as a friend.”

A resident of Hendersonville, Sheppard said he is looking forward to being able to bring his music to The Park Theater.

“Playing this close to home is really kind of great because I get a chance to come home after this show and sleep in my own bed that night and The Park Theater is a great theater, just an incredible place to play and I do hope that everybody will come out and catch our show,” he said.

When it comes to his show, Sheppard said he comes with a full band, background singers and always tries to give his fans what they want.

“I believe a show should have ebbs and flows, highs and lows,” Sheppard said.

“It is a journey from your first song until the end song and I think when you come to see a performer, people not only want to hear you sing they want to find out who you are and if they like you as a human being.”

When asked about some of his favorite songs he has recorded, Sheppard said he likes different ones for different reasons.

“Slow Burn” is one of those songs, it was produced by Jim Ed Norman who produced the Eagles at that time and I have always been an Eagles fan and their harmonies and that song was kind of reminiscent of an Eagles record,” he said. “Then of course you have “Party Time” which is a song that everybody loves to hear. It puts everybody in a festive party mood, and then of course I guess another one would have to be “I Loved ‘em Everyone,” which was a big pop and country record.”

Sheppard said he has a busy summer ahead of him, with a full show calendar and an upcoming album with his wife Kelly Lang titled Chemistry: The Duets Collection due out June 28.

After more than five decades recording albums and touring, Sheppard said he still gets enjoyment out of performing live.

“I think what keeps me going is the fact that I know each time I walk on stage there is going to be somebody that will hear my music for the first time and to be able to let somebody hear your music for the first time is kind of special,” he said.

For tickets or more information about the June 8 T.G. Sheppard concert, visit www.onfireconcerts.com.