Mark Sheppard, has never been afraid of defying the norm. Growing up in a conservative christian family were the humble beginnings that set the foundation for the tour-de-force he is today. Raised in Alberta, Canada, the conservative nature of the Canadian prairies left much to be desired for the stage lover. Always involved in music, performing, and art, it was on an early trip to New York City that the possibilities and limitless nature were made apparent.

“New York breathed a life into me, I never knew existed” says Sheppard. The unrelenting unapologetic nature of the New York Nightclub scene were at the very least, awe inspiring and eye opening.

Returning to Canada as a teen, dabbling in many aspects of art; stage performance, theatrical makeup, costume design, photography, video, writing, singing, it was the combining of them that really struck home for Sheppard.

After 3 years of running his own creative photography/makeup company in Canada, he once again heard the call of the city that never sleeps.”I had comiled a library of songs I had written, and started recording. Finally making the full time Jump to the stage.” “I put the recording on hold, because I felt that I owed it to myself, and New York, to live there. To really understand the energy that has inspired me and be a real citizen of the big apple.” In 2009 he did just that

Jumpstart was chosen, from the extensive list of Sheppard’s song writing, as the first song to be recorded. “I wrote Jumpstart, on the roof of my apartment in New York”, “That’s exactly what I want to give, a Jumpstart. A surge in the way of progressive thinking. Open people’s eyes, and abolish the proverbial boxes that people want to put you in”, “It felt like the perfect first thing to say as an artist”.