The Sheila Sondergard Band

Artist Information

Biography

Sheila was born in Seoul, S. Korea (April 24, 1980) and raised in Maui, Hawai'i, the Black Hills of South Dakota, and Central America. A tale of events triggered a passion for music at the age of six. The stories would eventually evolve into words on paper and notes in the air. It was then that life started to make sense. It was found to be the only reliable source of comfort and she never took it for granted.

Picking up the trumpet at the age of 9 and the guitar at 11, and keys later on, cannon balled Sheila into something she couldn't wait to 'tap'. Involving herself in school plays, musicals, and band gave her motivation to start writing songs at the age of 13. By the age of 16, she was performing at any available open mic.

Through her nomadic life, Sheila continued to write music and play at as many venues as she could. It was a dedication to inspire and be inspired by the universal feeling that music creates. Through this and having become a staple of the San Diego local music scene in the past 5 years gave her the opportunity to play aside many amazingly, talented artists such as: Susan Gibson, Ben Taylor, Tristan Prettyman, Bret Michaels, Sprung Monkey, Bohemia Suburbana, Chris Stills, Shawn Mullins, and Ani Difranco. To name a few.

She has performed at venues such as: CANES, THE MINT, BB KINGS, HUMPHREYS BY THE BAY, HARD ROCK, and many more in California, HI, WA, NM, AZ, CO, WY, SD, Mexico, and Guatemala.

Also including festivals such as: SXSW, BAJA BASH, ADAMS AVE. STREET FAIR, FIND THE FLOWERS, CURE FOR CANCER Fundraisers, SAVE THE MUSIC.

In the beginning of 2007, Sheila Sšndergard teamed up with five of San Diego's very best musicians, forming a band of world caliber talent. Sheila possesses the attributes to keep time with this diversified and intuitive band, while her melodies lend them room for their dexterous chops.
Her drummer has just garnered a Grammy for ÒBest traditional blues album 2007" with Ike Turner. Bill Ray has been playing with Ike Turner for 15 years, and is truly one of the worlds very best, and a great foundation for the many genre sound that is ÒSheila SondergŠrdÓ.
On hand percussions, she has one of the industries most sought after studio musicians, Chuck Prada! A member of the Black-eyed Peas, Breakestra, and many other bands, Mr. Prada has recorded and played on or with hundreds of projects.
On Keys, keeping it locally, but a great musician in his own right, we have Jeremy Miller. Mr. Miller has toured extensively with a few local bands, and through the years has played with many others. His most current projects being the Dave Mathews cover band & Stepping Feet.
On the Bass, we have Jason Littlefield. What more can be said about this guy, but that he will be a legend. Jason can play anything you throw at him. He's super clean and tight. Mr. Littlefield has played in On the One, Skirt Alert, Tommy Price and the StilettoÕs, as well as many others.
Last, but not least we have Sean Martin. Mr. Martin has been playing with Jason Littlefield for the past 10+ years in their band Skirt Alert while they were in school at Ball State and until the present. He is a extremely diversified guitarist. He is able to play the most technical pieces with seeming ease.
Together they form one of the most amazing bands you are going to hear in music today with a sound that is unique, intelligent, and tight.

We would love to play for you!

Instrumentation

Sheila Sondergard - Vocals ,Guitar, & Keys
Chuck Prada - Hand Percussions
Jason Littlefield - Bass
Sean Martin - Guitar
Bill Ray - Drums
Jeremy Miller - Keys

Discography

Spoke Too Loud LP - Released Jan. 18, 2008
Rosewood EP - Released March 4, 2004
Substance of Water - Released March 15, 2001

Tracks playing online & live radio

1. Estrogeneration
2. The Local 94.9
3. KPRI 102.1
4. Song Tiger
5. Indie Global
6. Sound of Traffic
7. Sonic Jive
8. Pro Productions Radio
9. The Band House Live
10. KNYO Radio
11. Bluzz Radio
12. CMediaTV
13. BBS Radio
14. Overground Radio
15. Dirt Radio
16. Fevered Brain Radio Network
17. The Indie Ezine
18. Ledesma Music
19. New Paradigm music
20. Kpri 102.1 (San Diego)

Official Website

http://myspace.com/sheilasondergard

Links

• Twitter
• Sheila's Website
• Chuck Prada, Mean Hands Clothing
• MySpace
• Bill Ray

Audio

• Clip from "Spoke Too Loud"
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• Clip from "One More"
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• Clip from "Same Ol' Bend"
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• Clip from "Clues"
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• Clip from "Angel I Know"
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Lyrics

• Same ol' bend
• Too Proud
• One More
• Spoke Too Loud
• Tracks

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Spoke Too Loud [+ Show ]
  

  Sheila Sondergard Spoke Too Loud Written by Mike Alvarez Sheila Sondergärd has a lot to say and...Sheila Sondergard
  Spoke Too Loud
  Written by Mike Alvarez
  
  Sheila Sondergärd has a lot to say and her new CD, the aptly titled Spoke Too Loud, is the perfect soapbox from which she can air her thoughts. One of the first things I noticed is that there are a lot of lyrics. And I mean lots of them. It's evident that she puts as much emphasis on them as she does the music. Expertly produced by Sven-Erik Seaholm, the album gets off to a strong start with "Angel I Know," a song that is propelled by a pulsing bass line and muscular percussion. Sondergärd is a mixture of toughness and sweetness as she sings of a dangerous attraction (a theme that recurs throughout the album). The follow-up, "Same Ol' Bend," is a tune that raises the intensity a few notches, calling to mind the Bob Dylan classic "All Along the Watchtower" as it ramps up to a fiery climax.
  
  A clever wordsmith, Sondergärd is not afraid to raise eyebrows as she celebrates her own exotic sensuality in the coy and bubbly "Rosewood." Her voice takes on a pixie-like quality as she croons a tale of seduction that includes a healthy fascination for guitars. The lyrics are, shall we say, rather bold in their self-revelatory nature. As the album unfolds, one can hear explorations into country-pop ("Clues," Rhythms of Silence"), smooth jazz ("Spoke Too Loud," "Tracks"), reggae ("One More"), and Americana ("Change"). Rather than coming across as a dabbler in these genres, she infuses them with her own style and sound, making them her own. There is a strength and confidence in her voice and songwriting. I sensed influences from artists as diverse as Chrissy Hynde and Rickie Lee Jones.
  
  The album is professional and polished. It has a commercial sound that still allows the music's edginess to show through. There is a wonderful balance between the instruments and her voice, and the arrangements really showcase the interplay among all of these elements. Her musicians are all accomplished players as well. Drummer Bill Ray, bassist Jason Littlefield, and percussionist Chuck Prada are a tight rhythm section that expertly navigates through many interesting rhythmic and textural changes. Guitarist Sean Martin is a versatile player who can go from crisp rhythms to blazing solos and all points in between. Jeremy Miller's touch on the keyboards complements the arrangements perfectly. In addition to singing, Sondergärd plays a mean acoustic guitar.
  
  I found this album to be instantly likable. The great care taken in the songwriting, arrangements, and performances ensures that you'll keep discovering nuances to appreciate with each new spin.

• Spoke Too Loud - Delivers on all fronts [+ Show ]
  

  "I heard the first 15-seconds of the song Spoke Too Loud and immediately fell in love with Sheila So..."I heard the first 15-seconds of the song Spoke Too Loud and immediately fell in love with Sheila Sondergärd’s music.
  
  There are so many moving and magical narrative elements in this effort that it seems almost elusive and unreal. Sheila slides from light progressive jazz in one tune to folksinger in the next, and then on to indie rocker and beyond. Her proficient guitar picking is backed ably by an award winning and intuitive band.
  
  The bottom line is that the entire CD is a tremendous first effort. The arrangements are exquisite and deftly showcase her band (Grammy Award winning Bill Ray on drums, Chuck Prada on percussion, Jason Littlefield on bass, Sean Martin on guitar and Jeremy Miller on keyboards).
  
  Most shining among them is the infectious title track, whose flavor is easily augmented by the jazzy skills of this impressive backing band. Spoke Too Loud is so musically expressive it could run considerably longer in free form style without losing any of it's magic.
  
  But I don't want to take away from Sheila's vocal abilities. She has a classy, full and throaty voice which actually outshines the band on the tracks Same Ol' Bend, Clues and Change. Just listen to her lament "Everyone's heart breaks and we do what we can to make it through the days" on the song Clues and you will see that she can command, and in fact demands the listener's full attention.
  
  In all, this disc delivers on all fronts. Listeners will delight in the breadth of Sondergard's skill and will appreciate the versatility of her craft. Her lyrics weave copious story lines that fit perfectly with the subtle melodies inherent in her words. They have even coined the term "intellipop" to define their musical genus, an extremely diverse and cohesive sound free of boundaries and stereotypes, intelligent, and thought provoking. That is dead-on accuracy."
  
  Mike Canter - Sonic Jive
  

• Sheila Sondergard - Spoke Too Loud [+ Show ]
  

  Sheila Sondergard- Spoke to Loud The lower part of her vocals sounds slightly like Jewel, while th...Sheila Sondergard- Spoke to Loud
  The lower part of her vocals sounds slightly like Jewel, while the higher resembles Shakira. It’s a pleasant up and down motion just like ‘Clues’, the number four track. It starts out like she’s singing on the prairie, with a nice twang, then speeds up when she belts out, “we do what we can to make it through the day…” That phrase deserves a loud delivery and Sheila figures out a way to drop it on your front doorstep. On ‘Too Proud’, she seems certain that you “don’t have the balls… to say my name”. It’s a talent to sing ‘balls’ so many times in such a melodic way- she sounds so sweet when it’s coming out of her mouth. I don’t even think about how hairy they may be.
  

• Rising singer-songwriter is about to hit it big with her trademark sound [+ Show ]
  

  "SHEILA SÖNDERGARD is a sizzling, mouthy melting pot of ideas, beliefs and quick one-liners, and it... "SHEILA SÖNDERGARD is a sizzling, mouthy melting pot of ideas, beliefs and quick one-liners, and it is reflected in her music. This intrepid Korean and Danish singer-songwriter was playing open mics at the age of 16. Performing at local bars in Maui before she was even of age, Söndergard would be escorted by bouncers from the door to stage, as her young friends peered through smoky windows to catch a glimpse of her compelling performance.
  When performing live, Söndergard’s small stature and larger-than-life vocalization command the room. Her smoky, breathy voice and acoustic folk-rock style guitar tell the story of a life in which lyrical wisdom has been born out of hardship and self-reliance. She embodies a hybrid sound. It makes no promises, it is raw and honest and real. From living on the beach in Maui, to a cattle ranch in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming, to the Central American backdrop of Guatemala and then into sunny San Diego, Sondergard has experienced a little more “life” than the average young adult. Because of this, she draws upon the drama of circumstance and everything in between the lines to create her own distinct and haunting sound.
  
  Söndergard first arrived in San Diego in December of 2001. She struggled trying to establish a new life in the post 9/11 economic crisis. "I couldn't get a a job for the life of me," admits Söndergard. "I worked changing oil when I first got here. I lived in my car, in Ocean Beach, with my two dogs for a couple of weeks. It was hard. I kept getting in trouble."
  Getting her first guitar at the age of 11, Söndergard spent an average of seven hours a day, locked in her room playing till her fingers bled. She used the pursuit of musical exploration, which came shockingly easy, to escape from life. "My lyrics seem to be more in depth about life rather than all about love. They are more about the government and politics, as well as love and life. I have had a lot of things happen to me, so I started writing serious lyrics when I was 15 or 16, rather than going through that puberty stage where I had a crush on a boy."
  Since her underage days in Maui, Söndergard has since stormed the local San Diego music scene. Playing at locations like the Local, Canes, Winstons, Hennesseys, Hard Rock, and Humphreys, she has also opened for big San Diego musicians like Tristan Prettyman, at the Martini Ranch in Encinitas. Söndergard's next step is trying to gain the popularity to match her credibility.
  "It is hard to get people to come out to local shows, because we have such a huge amount of things we an do in San Diego. We are so spoiled here," she says. "I just really want local musicians to be able to get out there as much as they can without having a record label behind them. Music is everything that I ever believed in or ever been inspired by," says Söndergard. "I love being on stage because I'm so comfortable there. I think about the song that I'm singing and how I want people to hear it and be inspired by me; so people can make it through their day or lives. I want people to relate to me. I love that connection."
  With a charismatic presence, cunning wit and just barely tapped talent, Söndergard's words and chords are on the verge of possessing the power and talent that will make her something much more than the Hot Chick with a guitar.
  
  Sondergärd’s next step is trying to gain the popularity to match her credibility." Kelly Grace - (Downtown San Diego Magazine)

• Seduction [+ Show ]
  

  “The lovely and talented Sheila Sondergard will first capture you with her eyes, but listen, close y...“The lovely and talented Sheila Sondergard will first capture you with her eyes, but listen, close your eyes and listen! She's been a staple of the local San Diego music scene for a few years and has grown into a top notch songwriter and performer! Great songs, style and grace! She rock's and seduces, that's Sheila Sondergard...” Tim Pyles – FM 94.9

• Sheila Sondergard Delights us once more [+ Show ]
  

  The textured and sensitive sensuality revealed through throaty vocals, in Sheila Sondergard’s recent...The textured and sensitive sensuality revealed through throaty vocals, in Sheila Sondergard’s recently released “Spoke Too Loud” show her growth and maturation as a promising new up-and-comer. While Sondergard’s past work, has lent towards a more angelic meets acoustic sound, “Spoke too Loud” echoes the complexities of finding an independent voice amongst the world of have nots and heartbreaks. Performing with a full band that includes Sean Martin, Jason Littlefield, Jeremy Miller, Bill Ray and Chuck Prada, “Spoke too Loud” commands a larger than life presence, where songs layered in full form stylings and moody undertones reveal the subtleties of Sondergard’s confessional style. Stand out tracks like the “Same Ol’ Bend” and “Change” illustrate Sondergard’s effortless range and wry wit. Overall, “Spoke too Loud” wonderfully highlights a new voice of beauty and independence that is as much pure emotion as insightful intellect. – Kelly Grace Thomas

Setlist

SS Songs:

1. Angel I Know
2. Same Ol' Bend
3. Rosewood
4. Clues
5. Spoke Too Loud
6. One More
7. Change
8. Rhythms of Silence
9. Too Proud
10. Tracks
11. These Jeans
12. Substance of Water
13. Wallowed
14. Owe Me One
15. Local Vibe
16. Blind
17. Bit By Ivy
18. Nut and Honey
19. Makes Me
20. Rachel's Ballad
21. Standby
22. Eyes on the Prize
23. Now, Not Never
24. What IT Brings
25. Simple Things
26. Gals In Heels
27. Made
28. Here With Me

Covers:

1. Cancion Para Mi Muerte (Charly Garcia)
2. Aire (Bohemia Suburbana)
3. Bizarre Love Triangle (New Order)
4. Tennessee Stud (Johnny Cash)
5. Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan)
6. It Ain't Me Babe (Bob Dylan)
7. Needle and the Damage Done (Neil Young)
8. Heart of Gold (Neil Young)
9. Brand New Key (Melanie Safka)
10. Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)
11. Another Lonely Day (Ben Harper)
12. 4th of July (Ani Difranco)
13. Building and Bridges (Ani Difranco)
14. Say It Ain't So (Weezer)
15. 1,2,3,4 (Feist)
16. Shot in the Arm (Wilco)
17. Angeles (Elliott Smith)
18. Rivers of Babylon (Bob Marley)
19. I Could Have Lied (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

Basic Requirements

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