Biography
Lem began his career in graduate school as a guitarist and vocalist in Paradise Lost and Regained a work created by Dr. Eva Jessey—the acclaimed choral director for George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Lem also appeared with Dr. Jessey in a CBS Special Segment and became a soloist in the Dr. Eva Jessey Choir before embarking on his solo career.
Drawing upon his academic experience and his background in contemporary music, Sheppard created a unique performance style and a vibrant brand of traditional music. He moves seamlessly from a wide range of traditional American music—spanning from early African American spirituals to the Harlem Renaissance, the Jazz Age and beyond. Lem intersperses folklore, storytelling, history, and song to create an engaging show for all ages.
Lem is a member of the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame, was a national finalist in the Telluride Acoustic Blues Challenge, a recipient of the Kansas Folklore Society’s Joan O’Bryant award, and has received the Meritorious Achievement Award from Pittsburg State University.
Lem was selected by a congressional committee to represent Kansas at the Kennedy Center on the Millennium Stage, he composed the soundtrack to the PBS documentary Black, White & Brown which was nominated for a regional Emmy. in 2024 Lemuel contributed to the sound track of I'm so Glad which won Best Documentary Feature at the Kansas City Film Festival. Lem performed in South Africa at the International Eisteddfod, and toured Brazil under the auspices of UNESCO and the US Embassy.
Kansas Humanities Speakers Bureau for 2023
The Kansas Humanities Speaker Bureau will include Lem on its roster of presenters
Kansas City Young Audiences
Kansas City Kansas and Kansas City Missouri School
Regional Touring Program
Fee support avaiable for MO. NE. AR. TX. Through MAAA
Lem Live
Coming soon, Lem will be producing new mini programs for online audiences. They will be updated monthly and you can feel free to download and share them. You can also support these efforts through paypal.me/lemlive Just click on the VIDEO menu
Thanks
Kansas Creative Industries Touring Program Roster
Funding for Kansas and MAAA touring
highlights
2017 Received the Meritorious Achievement Award from Pittsburg State University
2007 Received the Joan O’Bryant Award from the Kansas Folklore Society
2005 Governor of Kansas appoints Lemuel to serve on the State’s Arts Commission
2004 Self produced CD featured on NPR’s online music show
2004 Inducted into the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame for educational contributions
2004 composed the soundtrack to PBS documentary” Black, White & Brown”
2001-2013 National tour of public schools
1999 Congressional Committee selects Lemuel to represent Kansas in a solo performance at The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.
1998 Heartland Artist Fund National Touring
1997 Arts Midwest Regional Touring
1996 UNESCO sponsored performance at the International Eisteddfod in Johannesburg, South Africa. Lemuel was the first American to perform there after the lifting of Apartheid.
1994 United States Embassy Funded tour of Brazil
1993 Arts America International
1992 Kansas City Chapter of Young Audience
1990 State Arts Council of Oklahoma's Artist in Residence
1989 Mid-America Arts Alliance Regional Touring
1985 Artist on the Kansas Arts Commission's Artist in Residence
1983 Joined NACA and began performing on College campuses
1983 MM in Theory and Composition from Pittsburg State University
1982 BMS in Saxophone from Pittsburg State University
- Jan, 12 Salina KS
- Feb, 12 Kansas City Mo Schools
- Feb, 22 Elk School Howard KS
- Feb, 24 College Manor Joplin Missouri
- May, 06 Sunflower Stage Island Park Winfield KS
- May, 07 Sunflower stage Island Park Winfield KS
- May, 19 Tulsa International Mayfest
- Jun, 24 Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival
- Sep, 01 Arrow Rock Missouri
- Sep, 02 Dusk til Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 16 Heritage fest Columbia Missouri
- Apr, 13 Kansas City Kansas Ethnic Festival
- Sep, 08 George Washington Carver Monument
- Sep, 10 Arrow Rock Visitors Center
- Sep, 15 Heritage Festival Columbia Missouri
- Sep, 17 J E Dunn Headquarters
- Oct, 04 Gordon Parks Celebration
- Oct, 13 Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
- Oct, 14 Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
- Nov, 09 Kansas University
- Nov, 09 La Cygne Elementary School
- Feb, 04 Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
- Feb, 05 Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
- Feb, 06 Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
- Feb, 07 Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
- Feb, 08 Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
- Feb, 26 Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
- Jun, 14 School Show
- Jun, 15 High Plains Museum
- Aug, 30 Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 21 Columbia Heritage Festival
- Oct, 12 Arrow Rock Historical site
- Oct, 13 Arrow Rock Historical site
- Oct, 19 Liberal Missouri
- Oct, 26 Cow Creek Cowboy Gathering
- Nov, 18 Coffeyville Humanities Program week long Community Residency
- Jan, 18 Manhattan Public Library
- Feb, 10 Parsons Kansas Library
- Feb, 13 Briarwood elementary School
- Feb, 14 University Academy
- Feb, 14 University Academy
- Feb, 21 Jefferson School
- Feb, 23 Junction City community
- Feb, 25 Emporia University
- Feb, 26 Briarwood elementary School
- Mar, 24 Humanities Program
- Apr, 19 Leavenworth Library
- May, 11 Chase Middle School Topeka Kansas
- May, 11 Chase Middle School
- Aug, 22 Park City Library
- Sep, 13 Prairie Days
- Jun, 12 Buskwakers Days Nevada Missouri
- Jun, 21 Lawrence Public Library lawn
- Jul, 10 Carver Days
- Jul, 10 Connect2Culture Jammin in July
- Aug, 14 Jazz In Joplin
- Sep, 03 Dusk Till Dawn Blues Fest
- Sep, 04 Dusk Till Dawn Blues Fest
- Sep, 05 Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 18 Heritage Festival
- Oct, 09 Heritage Festival
- Oct, 09 Heritage Festival
- Oct, 10 Heritage Festival
- Oct, 10 Heritage Festival
- Oct, 30 Neewollah
- Nov, 14 Miners Museum
- Feb, 25 Kansas City MO Public School
- Jun, 11 Bushwhacker Days
- Jul, 09 Carver Monument
- Sep, 02 Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 03 Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 04 Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 15 John Brown Monument
- Sep, 17 Joplin Jazz
- Sep, 18 Heritage Festival
- Sep, 22 Shawnee County Public Library
- Sep, 28 Shawnee Town
- Oct, 15 Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
- Oct, 16 Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
- Oct, 28 University Academy
- Feb, 03 Art Gallery
- Feb, 09 Monticello Historical Society
- Feb, 18 Wichita Public Library
- Apr, 01 House Concert
- Apr, 19 Bicknell Center
- May, 06 Hutchinson Art Fair
- May, 09 Colonial Fox
- May, 26 House Concert Tulsa
- Jun, 02 Art Gallery
- Jun, 02 Switchyard Festival
- Jun, 28 Kansas City Public School
- Jul, 01 House Concert
- Jul, 08 Carver Monument
- Aug, 12 Public Concert
- Aug, 12 Matfield Green
- Sep, 01 Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 02 Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 03 Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 09 Peabody Kansas Festival
- Sep, 16 Wichita Autumn Art festival
- Sep, 17 Heritage Festival Columbia MO.
- Sep, 29 Midland Roots and Blues Festival
- Oct, 14 Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
- Oct, 15 Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
- Feb, 02 First Friday Tulsa Oklahjoma
- Feb, 05 Seward County Community College Library
- Feb, 08 Young Audience School Show
- Feb, 15 Gordon Park Center Fort Scott Community College
- Feb, 21 Kansas City School Show Foreign Language Academy
- Feb, 28 Martin City School
- May, 11 Wilson Creek National Park Republic MO.
- May, 25 Nicodemus Kansas Nation Park
- Jun, 09 Rice County Historical Museum
- Jul, 13 Carver Monument
- Aug, 29 Rentiesville Oklahoma
- Aug, 29 Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
- Aug, 30 Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
- Aug, 31 Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
- Sep, 28 Railroad Inn Roots Festival
Salina KS
Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration guest speaker and Artist
Kansas City Mo Schools
Kansas City Young Audiences
Elk School Howard KS
College Manor Joplin Missouri
Sunflower Stage Island Park Winfield KS
Sunflower stage Island Park Winfield KS
Tulsa International Mayfest
Kansas City Kansas Street Blues Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
Dusk til Dawn Blues Festival
Rentisville Ok
Heritage fest Columbia Missouri
Nifong Park
Kansas City Kansas Ethnic Festival
Kansas City Kansas community College , Kansas City Kansas
George Washington Carver Monument
Diamond Missouri
Arrow Rock Visitors Center
Arrow Rock Missouri
Heritage Festival Columbia Missouri
Columbia Missouri
J E Dunn Headquarters
Kansas City Missouri
Gordon Parks Celebration
Fort Scott Kansas
Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
Kansas University
Lawrence Kansas
La Cygne Elementary School
La Cygne Kansas
Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
Kansas City Missouri
Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
Kansas City Missouri
Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
Kansas City Missouri
Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
Kansas City Missouri
Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
Kansas City Missouri
Kansas City Missouri Public Schools
Kansas City Missouri
School Show
Bonner Springs KS
High Plains Museum
Goodland Kansas
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
Reintisville Oklahoma
Columbia Heritage Festival
Columbia MO
Arrow Rock Historical site
Arrow Rock MO.
Arrow Rock Historical site
Arrow Rock MO
Liberal Missouri
Shilo School Sesquicentennial
Cow Creek Cowboy Gathering
Crawford County Museum Pittsburg Kansas
Coffeyville Humanities Program week long Community Residency
Coffeyville Kansas
Manhattan Public Library
Manhattan KS
Parsons Kansas Library
Parsons Kansas
Briarwood elementary School
Prairie V illage KS
University Academy
Kansas City MO
University Academy
Kansas City Missouri
Jefferson School
Independence KS
Junction City community
Junction City Kansas
Emporia University
Emporia Kansas
Briarwood elementary School
Overland Park KS
Humanities Program
Overland Park Kansas
Leavenworth Library
Leaventhworth KS
Chase Middle School Topeka Kansas
Chase Middle School
Topeka KS
Park City Library
Park City KS
Prairie Days
George Washington Carver National Monument
Buskwakers Days Nevada Missouri
Museum
Lawrence Public Library lawn
Lawrence Kansas
Carver Days
Diamond MO
Connect2Culture Jammin in July
Mercy Park
3002 St Johns Blvd
Joplin, MO 64804
Jazz In Joplin
Mercy Park
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Fest
Reintisville Oklahoma
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Fest
Reintisville Oklahoma
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
Reintisville Oklahoma
Heritage Festival
Columbia Missouri
Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock MO
Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock MO
Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Festival
Neewollah
Independence KS
Miners Museum
Franklin Kansas
Kansas City MO Public School
Kansas City MO
Bushwhacker Days
Nevada Missouri
Carver Monument
Diamond Missouri
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
Reintiesville Oklahoma
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
Reintiesville Oklahoma
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
Reintisville Oklahoma
John Brown Monument
Osawatomie Kansas
Joplin Jazz
Joplin Missouri
Heritage Festival
Columbia Missouri
Shawnee County Public Library
Topeka Kansas
Shawnee Town
Olathe Kansas
Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
University Academy
Kansas City Missouri
Art Gallery
Tulsa Oklahoma
Monticello Historical Society
Lenexa Kansas
Wichita Public Library
Wichita Kansas
House Concert
OverlandPark KS
Bicknell Center
Pittsburg State University Jazz Concert
Hutchinson Art Fair
Hutchison KS
Colonial Fox
Private Event
House Concert Tulsa
Art Gallery
First Friday Art Walk Tulsa Oklahoma
Switchyard Festival
101 Archer Tulsa Oklahoma (downtown)
Kansas City Public School
Kansas City Missouri
House Concert
Matfield Green KS
Carver Monument
Diamond Missouri Carver Days
Public Concert
Matfield Green
Matfield Green
Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
Rentiesville Oklahoma
Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
Rentiesville Oklahoma
Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
Rentiesville Oklahoma
Peabody Kansas Festival
Wichita Autumn Art festival
Bradley Square Wichita Kansas
Heritage Festival Columbia MO.
Midland Roots and Blues Festival
Wilson Kansas
Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
Arrow Rock Heritage Festival
Arrow Rock Missouri
First Friday Tulsa Oklahjoma
Tulsa
Seward County Community College Library
Liberal Kansas
Young Audience School Show
Children's Mercy Hospital KCMO
Gordon Park Center Fort Scott Community College
Black History Month Program
Kansas City School Show Foreign Language Academy
KCMO
Martin City School
KCMO
Wilson Creek National Park Republic MO.
Concert Series
Nicodemus Kansas Nation Park
Roadside Park performance
Rice County Historical Museum
Lyons Kansas
Carver Monument
Diamond MO
Rentiesville Oklahoma
Dusk Till Dawn Blues Festival
Rentiesville Oklahoma
Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
Rentiesville OK
Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
Rentiesville Oklahoma
Dusk till Dawn Blues Festival
Rentiesville Oklahoma
Railroad Inn Roots Festival
Wilson KS.
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Follow The Drinking Gourd140 playsLem Sheppardhttps://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/112884/1484097660.mp3https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/112884/1484097660.mp3Follow The Drinking Gourd
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John Hardy11 playsLem Sheppardhttps://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/144125/07_John_Hardy.mp3https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ae-p/system/music/file/144125/07_John_Hardy.mp3John Hardy
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Lem Sheppard - Go Down Moses -
Lem Sheppard - Troubled in MindMy arrangement of the standard Troubled in Mind
mobile phone: 620-875-9131
lemshep@gmail.com