Merrill Shepard Solo Acoustic

You heard it here first- I will be performing at Center Square Grill for St. Patrick’s Day this year!

Stop by one of my all-time favorite restaurants this Wednesday, the 17th, for some holiday-themed food & drink specials and of course, LIVE MUSIC!

I’ll be starting up the acoustic, Irish drinking tunes at 4pm and will play until 7pm– Join us!

84 Center Square, East Longmeadow, MA

Hi Friends,


If this website is no longer a “blip” on your proverbial radar, I 100% understand. It’s no secret that the past year has thrown most of our lives into some state of upheaval.

Like many of us, I was forced to make some difficult decisions to try to maintain both the physical and financial wellness of my household.
It was quite fortunate for me that I was able to find my way into a full-time, benefitted position I enjoy outside the realm of food service. I’ve been missing my server family and sometimes even my old, ever-changing, part-time hours since this move, but because of it I’ve been able to continue supporting myself while also feeling some sense of security with regard to the spread of Covid-19.

While I am incredibly grateful to have been afforded this opportunity during a time of such uncertainty, it’s also the main reason you’ve heard next to nothing out of me, musically, for months.

You might recall a handful of live stream performances I did through Facebook and Instagram around the beginning of lock down, or maybe you even attended one of the last few outdoor gigs I played over the past summer. Those were some of the happiest, most fulfilling moments I can remember throughout the past several months of this quarantine life.
Around July I began working full time and since then it’s been harder and harder to find the time, energy or motivation to pick up a guitar and try to do anything purposeful with it.
I realize that most performing musicians have day jobs and I very much admire those who can really groove in that balance. For me, between the bouts of pandemic-related depression and anxiety and bearing in mind the fact that the physical live music scene is still on indefinite hold, the idea of a mere live stream has felt nearly impossible for a while now.

Today I finally acknowledged the repeated emails I have been receiving from WordPress, urging me to renew my domain registration.

I had been avoiding it, thinking: “What’s the point? I’m not using it, why pay to renew it?” but as the deadline crept closer, I realized that I absolutely do want to try to maintain this web presence. I’m very proud of what I’ve built over the last 5 years, even as so many pieces of that hard-won progress seem to have washed away in the relentless tide of Covid.

By renewing this domain, I acknowledge both inwardly and outwardly that better times are coming and I won’t let all this effort fade away to nothing.
It’s true that I’ve been tired lately but just the small act of committing to maintaining this space has seemed to generate a spark of renewed interest. If I can rely on myself to feed and tend it, maybe it can be rekindled again.

I want to put in the work to find that motivation to keep doing the thing I love and I want to recognize those of you who have supported me along the way, if you’re still there.

I’m still here…
With any luck, we’ll meet again on a sunny patio some Sunday this summer.


Love and miss you all.


Sincerely yours,

-Merrill

TOMORROW, July 19 – Sunday Funday at The Yarde Tavern in South Hadley – Come join us for a cocktail on the patio!

Live music starts at 4pm 🎵

3 Hadley Street, S. Hadley, MA

THURSDAY, July 9 – The rumors are true!

I will be appearing, live, for the first time since early March on the patio at Bond 124!
Please call ahead for seating and come join us!
Music starts at 8pm ♫

124 Main Street, Somers CT

FRIDAY, May 1 – Tune into The Still Bar & Grill via their FB page for a special live stream event featuring Yours Truly!
..I have new, original AND cover songs to share with you 

Acoustic entertainment starts at 7pm ♫

Virtual tip jars for interested parties:
Venmo: @Merrillily
Paypal.me/Merrillily

Here’s a SUPER QUICK sneak peek at the brand new cover I learned for my #socialdistancingfest set tonight!

To tune into tonight’s live-streaming performers, click the “Discussion” section of this Facebook event page:
Event link: Social Distancing Fest 2020

I’ll be playing from 6pm-7pm, hope you can join us!

I want to thank everyone who tuned in to my St. Patrick’s Day FB Live broadcast yesterday afternoon and evening – You made it such a fun & rewarding session for me! To those who who were able to toss something into my virtual tip jar, you can’t possibly know how much your generosity means. You are a ray of hope to me and to other performers currently navigating these strange, new, social norms…

…If you enjoyed my St. Pat’s set, then DEFINITELY DON’T MISS this awesome event that some friends of mine have pulled together. With a little ingenuity and the commitment of numerous, local musicians, we are excited to present to you the online, live music festival we are calling:
♫ “SOCIAL DISTANCING FEST!” ♫
Are you already feeling a little stir crazy? Maybe we can help you out by bringing you some sweet jams!
Check the schedule to see who is on and when, and if you’re able to do so, consider throwing a little $omething into your favorite performers’ virtual tip jars, as each act will have those details readily available to you.

**I will be on from 6pm – 7pm on Friday, 3/20, FYI** 
(Venmo: @merrillily)

If it ends up catching on, we’ll keep doing it! I am already hearing some top-secret rumblings about certain “big names” who may or may not be willing to participate in future shows.. Stay tuned for more details and thank you, as always, for listening. ♫

TONIGHT, Saturday, March 7 – Stop into the Burgundy Brook Café for a bite to eat and some live music!
Acoustic entertainment starts at 6pm ♫

2048 Main Street, Three Rivers, MA