Calista Flockhart may play the title character on "Ally McBeal," but singer Vonda Shepard gives voice to Ally's thoughts and feelings.
Shepard's songs reflect Ally's moods and the show's plot. Shepard appears on "Ally McBeal" as the blond singer in the bar Ally and the gang frequent. Shepard doesn't get much dialogue, but her soul-folk tunes have won her a new following.From the opening theme song, Shepard's music fits the tone of the character and the series. The theme is a faster, more rockin' version of "Searchin' My Soul," first recorded for Shepard's album "The Radical Light."
"The Radical Light" and her self-titled debut were released by Reprise Records, but when they failed to become hits, the label dropped Shepard. Those two albums, and 1996's "It's Good, Eve," have been released on an independent label, VesperAlley Records, but they're not easy to find in music stores.
Gail Gellman, Shepard's manager, said the demand for CDs took the record company by surprise. "It hit us so fast the demand was just phenomenal," Gellman said. "They've tripled the manufacturing orders and now we're filling back orders."
While stores wait to receive more CDs, Gellman said 1,000 copies of each album have been delivered to the Artist Underground World Wide Web site (http://www.aumusic.com).
So how did Shepard get involved with "Ally McBeal"? Turns out one of her fans and friends is actress Michelle Pfeiffer, who is married to series creator David E. Kelley. After Kelley saw her perform at a Los Angeles club earlier this year, he sought her out to sing her own songs plus covers of '50s and '60s standards on "Ally McBeal."
Shepard, who has been an opening act for the Indigo Girls at select appearances, is now being courted by major record labels again, and she may tour in May and June while "Ally McBeal" is on hiatus.
Gellman said she hopes a planned "Ally McBeal" soundtrack will be in stores by March.