Album Notes

To the listener: I have tried to weave a musical and perhaps an emotional thread through the pieces I have composed or chosen for this recording. Whether or not that is evident, I hope at least this music will afford a few moments of pleasure.

For the curious among you, there are 88 keys on a piano.

88 Radiate is the medley of popular piano pieces John plays at Vinyl Cafe shows.

'Aurelia' is the tune from the hymn:
'The Church's One Foundation' from the 1937 Anglican Hymnal.
'Olwen' is the old Welsh tune from the hymn 'All Poor Men And Humble'.


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John Sheard | Pianist | Producer | Arranger

Throughout his thirty-odd years as pianist, producer and arranger, John Sheard has recorded and performed with many North American artists.

John has also served as music director for Stuart Mclean’s Vinyl Cafe touring orchestra since 1998 and has been the music director for many CBC Radio programs including Peter Gzowski’s famous “Red River Rally” Morningside show.

John's impressive recording history includes: Rita Macneil, Ian & Sylvia Tyson, Dan Hill, Rita Coolidge, Olivia Newton-John, Mary-Margaret O’Hara, Celine Dion, Ronnie Milsap, Colm Wilkinson, Tom Paxton, Willie P. Bennett and The Henrys.

John has composed and/or arranged for Murray McLaughlin, The Pointer Sisters, The Nylons, Shirley Eikhard, Andrea Martin, Caitlin Hanford and Quartette.

His work has appeared on various U.S. television shows: A+E.’s Biography, Sunset Beach, Sesame Street, Sesame Park, Showtime, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and David Letterman.

As a producer John has worked with The Guess Who, Dan Hill, The Henrys( 2 CD’s), Buster Poindexter, Gregg Lawless, Caitlin Hanford, The Good Brothers and more.

While he always enjoyed working with great singers and players, life is short and he decided to record some of his own music. John's first solo CD, JERUSALEM consists largely of pieces that he performed at Vinyl Cafe concerts across Canada. John is grateful to Stuart Mclean for giving him musical carte blanche on his show which was largely responsible for the creation of JERUSALEM and his second CD, NOCTURNUS.

John's disc POLYHYMNIA is a collection of hymns and carols, featuring selections gleaned from the 1938 revision of the ‘Hymn Book Of The Anglican Church of Canada’, and includes John's moving rendition of The Coventry Carol.

In 2008 John released 88 featuring his well known mash up of classic piano pieces '88 radiate'.

John lives in Toronto, Canada