Capture the Beauty
Val is an established local artist, singer, songwriter and author, who came up through the Bermuda Folk Club performing at outdoor concerts, private functions, and Chewstick. Her clear voice and mellow guitar styling entertain with classic ballads and love songs. Her current focus is on recording old songs. Check out her bio below!
VAL SHERWOOD – WALLACE – SINGER / SONGWRITER / GUITARIST / AUTHOR
ORIGINAL AND POPULAR STYLINGS
1970 - 1980
Studied classical guitar. Youngest member of Bermuda Folk Club. Sang in small (family-owned) hotel bar. Performed at various local venues. Wrote (mostly love) songs and participated in amateur dramatics. Regular performer at the Grapes Folk Club, Sheffield, while studying in UK.
1980 - 1990
Contributed (original song) "You Were Easy" to Bermuda Folk Club Album 1982 Performed in local musicals called The "Um Um" Shows, and did first Not The Um Um Show. Sang at weddings, children's parties. Continued to perform regularly (often with small band) at Bermuda Folk Club, sometimes opening for overseas acts such as Ralph McTell.
1990 - 2004
Added children's songs and more social comment songs to song portfolio. Documented over 30 songs written, and began digital recording in UK. Continued performing at pubs and clubs. Began digital recording in Bermuda, working with other musicians on arrangements. Songs played on local radio, Mix 106 & 1340 David Lopes. Recordings sponsored by local businesses. Continued to perform at folk club, fundraisers, for kids, and at club venues. Debut CD came out Dec 04.
Read the review in the Royal Gazette.
2004 - 2011
Eddy DeMello sponsored concert March 05 at City Hall – twelve original songs. Locally well received, airplay on four radio stations. Invited to perform at outdoor concert venues supporting environmental issues – with Heather Nova and others. Wrote specific songs re social issues such as bike racing / road deaths. Regularly perform for various charities – Windreach, Bermuda National Trust, Human Rights, etc. Prepared radio ads for folk club. Continued songwriting and performing with other musicians – Irish, Country, Traditional. Attended Bermuda’s first Songwriting Retreat with Jason Blume, began assisting other songwriters and students. President of Bermuda Folk Club 2006 – 2009, frequent emcee. Have been on radio talk shows. Own sound system for gigs. Honoured by Bermuda Federation of Musicians and Variety Artists for being Promotor of the Performing Arts. Chewsticks regular performer. Submitted Colours of Bermuda to Four Hundred Years Contest.
2011 - present
Following her 2004 debut CD of Never Tell Them Why, Val’s second CD, Be Fabulous was released in July 2013, and is on sale throughout Bermuda. Both albums contain twelve original songs.
Through 2014, Val received regular radio airplay of Colours of Bermuda and her Railway Trail Song. There is a beautiful slide show on You Tube photography by Bermudian Alan Marquardt to go with the Colours of Bermuda song perfect for promoting the island or sending overseas.
2015 saw Val’s first music video for the Aquarium (an adaptation of Sir Paul McCartney’s Yellow Submarine) which launched when the Aquarium reopened in the spring of 2016. Val also did a Backstage Interview for Channel 82 with Mr. Magic which focused on her comedy song I’m Not Comfortable with Crime.
Val has two newly recorded songs. Teach The World is an original tribute song for the late Dr. Neil Burnie, which incorporates whale-song recorded by Andrew Stevenson. Second a song for Johnny Barnes called Love At The Roundabout. Both songs were recorded at Just Platinum Studios with John Woolridge as producer and arranger.