Thom Shepherd is a songwriter and performer from Nashville, Tennessee, whose songs have been recorded by Tracy Lawrence, George Jones, Trailer Choir, Montgomery Gentry, Pam Tillis, Buddy Jewell, Kevin Fowler, and Cledus T. Judd.
He is the writer of the number 1 hit single, "Redneck Yacht Club," from Craig Morgan’s GOLD certified album "My Kind of Livin'".
His first number one was "Riding with Private Malone," recorded by David Ball. It won an Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association, voted on by their members as "the song you wish you had written." Thom even got to be in the video, playing the title role. The song opened the door for Thom to perform for our troops overseas; he has been on seven tours for Armed Forces Entertainment, bringing his music to servicemen and women in thirteen different countries.
"As songwriters, we have no idea how our songs are going to affect people," says Thom; "I met a soldier in Qatar who was on leave from Baghdad, and he told me he joined the military because of Private Malone. He asked me how that made me feel and I said Responsible! Then when we went to get our picture taken, he showed me the shattered LCD screen of his digital camera - shattered because it was in his shirt pocket behind his flack jacket when he took a round from an AK47. That camera saved his life. That is powerful stuff."
Thom was born in St. Louis, Missouri and spent his high school and college years in Stephens City, Virginia. He is a graduate of George Mason University and moved to Nashville in 1993. He is a two time cancer survivor, and a full time songwriter and performer.
He is co-owner of a publishing venture called The Bourbon Street Music Company, and co-president of RedneckYachtClub.com, a website that sells merchandise relating to the song and the boating lifestyle.
