Devin Shepherd

Devin Shepherd began learning the fiddle at an early age and soon became enamored with Irish music, which was nurtured by his mother who immersed him in the deep-rooted Irish music scene of his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Devin was awarded an Illinois Arts Council Master-Apprentice grant to study with Liz Carroll when he was 12 years old. During this formative period he won first prize in the Midwest Fleadh Cheoil fiddle competition for nine consecutive years—another testament to his dedication to the tradition.

hepherd learned much about the styles and repertoire of Chicago by playing with many native-born musicians including Phil Durkin, Frank Burke, Albert Neary, Pat Cloonan, and Úna McGlew. As a young fiddler, he was also inspired by the music and teaching of James Kelly. Most recently he has enriched his style through recordings of legendary fiddlers Bobby Casey, Michael Coleman, John Doherty, and Paddy Cronin.

Since 2000, Devin has been a full-time teacher and performer of Irish music throughout the US and abroad and currently resides in New York City—another highly respected community for Irish traditional music.