Ellen Shipley

Ellen Shipley (born March 24, 1949, in New York City, New York, United States) is an American musician and songwriter.

Career

At sixteen years old, Shipley got a NYC Cabaret license. She performed a duo act in Greenwich Village in the early 70's with Steve Fields.[1] Shipley was noticed by a Tommy Mottola associate, in a jazz club in NYC, Pearl’s Place, and signed to Mottola's company as a recording artist.[2]

In 1979-1983, she recorded three solo albums of her own songs (see discography below). Shipley has also collaborated with Ralph Schuckett, and appeared on 13 December 1980 on Saturday Night Live.[3][4] Paste magazine archived, for playback, a 12-song performance, at the Paradise in Boston, MA, from 1980-10-17.[5]

Shipley is best known for her work with Rick Nowels.[6] Nowels, who had just gotten his big break writing songs with old friend Stevie Nicks,[7][8][9][10] approached Shipley in a Woodstock, NY cafe and asked Shipley write with him for Belinda Carlisle's first solo album.[11] Together they worked on the Belinda Carlisle[12][13] albums Belinda, Heaven on Earth, Runaway Horses, and Live Your Life Be Free.

They have written for other artists such as Kim Wilde.

In 1994, Shipley was nominated for a Grammy Award (Best R&B Song) for “Body and Soul,” written with Rick Nowels for Anita Baker.[14][15][16] Also in 1994, in Great Performances episode September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill, Shipley and David Johansen, Ralph Schuckett, and Bob Dorough sang "Alabama Song" in a beat-up old pickup truck in search of whiskey.[17][18]

She, with Nicky Holland,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25] co-wrote "Will We Ever Learn", and it was recorded for Oleta Adams' Circle of One album.

"My Song Was Played 3.1 Million Times on Pandora. My Check Was $39..."[26][27][28][29][30]

In 2008, Shipley directed, for the stage, Desert Sunrise by Misha Shulman,[31] in Los Angeles.[32][33][34]

Personal life

Shipley is from Canarsie, Brooklyn,[11] and married Ralph Schuckett.[35][36] She studied theater at Hunter College.[37]

Discography

Studio albums

Ellen Shipley (1979)

  • Track list and credits taken from U.S. vinyl pressing.[38]
  • Produced by Ralph Schuckett and Ed Sprigg.
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Surrender"
4:24
2."Man of the World"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
3:35
3."Catch the Cobra"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
3:45
4."Heroes of Yesterday"
  • Shipley
5:08
5."Good Thing Goin'"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
3:31
6."I'm Jumping Out of My Skin"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
2:54
7."Little Sister"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
3:01
8."Last Tears"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
4:22
9."Stray Dog"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
4:34
10."Over the Edge"
  • Shipley
3:33

Breaking Through the Ice Age (1980)

  • Track list and credits taken from U.S. vinyl pressing.[39]
  • Produced by David Tickle.
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Heart to Heart"
  • Ellen Shipley
  • Ralph Shuckett
3:39
2."Fotogenic"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
3:32
3."Jamie"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
3:25
4."This Little Girl"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
3:32
5."Talk Don't Shout"
  • Shipley
  • Richie Cerniglia
  • Nicholas Lynn
3:43
6."Solo"
  • Shipley
4:04
7."Lost Without Your Love"
  • Shipley
  • Cerniglia
5:50
8."Promise to Keep"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
4:03
9."Living for the Tenderness"
  • Shipley
  • Shuckett
7:00

Reissued on CD in 2018 with five bonus tracks:[40]

  • "We All Want What We Can't Have" – 4:07
  • "Sitting Duck" – 4:53
  • "It's All Over Now" – 3:30
  • "She Stands Alone" – 4:16
  • "Fever" – 4:37

Call of the Wild (1983)

  • Track list and credits taken from U.S. vinyl pressing.[41]
  • Produced by Morrie Brown.
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Heart Out of Time"
  • Ellen Shipley
  • Morrie Brown
  • Lloyd Landesman
4:08
2."Love's Out On the Line"
  • Shipley
  • Brown
4:08
3."Stranded"
  • Shipley
4:25
4."I Come Undone"
  • Shipley
  • Brown
3:58
5."Look the Other Way"
  • Shipley
  • Sid McGinnis
3:12
6."Call of the Wild"
4:25
7."Let Me Take You Under"
  • Shipley
  • McGinnis
3:56
8."He's Not There" (The Zombies cover)3:44
9."Fugitive Kind"
  • Shipley
  • Schuckett
4:13

Reissued on CD in 2018 with eight bonus tracks:[42]

  • "Heart to Heart" (Live) – 3:44
  • "Fotogenic" (Live) – 3:45
  • "This Little Girl" (Live) – 4:15
  • "Solo" (Live) – 4:17
  • "I Surrender" (Live) – 4:40
  • "Promise to Keep" (Live) – 5:14
  • "Some Kind of Wonderful" (Live) – 11:15
  • "Catch the Cobra" (Live) – 4:30

Singles

  • "I Surrender"/"Little Sister" (1979)[43]
  • "Man of the World"/"Heroes of Yesterday" (1979)[44]
  • "Catch the Cobra"/"Little Sister" (1979)[45]
  • "This Little Girl"/"Promise to Keep" (1980)[46]
  • "Love's On the Line"/"Let Me Take You Under" (1983)[47]
  • "Heart Out of Time"/"I Come Undone" (1983)[48]

Songwriting

“Live Forever”, Midge Ure, Breathe (1996)

References

  1. ^ "Fields and Shipley". badcatrecords.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Ellen Shipley". GetSongBPM.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  3. ^ Rich Cerniglia. "Music Writer's Corner - Photo Gallery". RichCerniglia.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  4. ^ "SNL Season 06 Episode 04 - Jamie Lee Curtis, James Brown, Ellen Shipley - NBC.com". NBC. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  5. ^ "Ellen Shipley - This Little Girl". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Behind the Music Exclusive: Rick Nowels on the Birth of "Heaven Is A Place On Earth"". flavorwire.com. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Belinda Carlisle". Gay Times Magazine. 2017-10-01. Retrieved 1 November 2018 – via pressreader.com.
  8. ^ "Rick Nowels". ascap.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  9. ^ "The Ultimate Belindography pt.2, 1986-1988: The Years in Heaven". oocities.org. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Rick Nowels". Sony/ATV. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  11. ^ a b Jason Miles (30 August 2016). "Jason Miles Interviews Songwriter.artist Ellen Shipley on the State of Songwriting". headphone guru. Archived from [headphone.guru/jason-miles-interviews-songwriter-artist-ellen-shipley-on-the-state-of-songwriting-reviews-steve-addabbos-debut-album-out-of-nothingand-a-comment/ the original] on 2018-11-01. Retrieved 1 November 2018. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  12. ^ Stephens, Stephanie (21 May 2018). "Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go's Returns to Touring This Summer". parade.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  13. ^ Carlisle, Belinda (1 June 2010). Lips Unsealed: A Memoir. Crown/Archetype. ISBN 9780307463517. Retrieved 1 November 2018 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ "Ellen Shipley". grammy.com. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  15. ^ "The 37th Grammy Nominations". 6 January 1995. Retrieved 1 November 2018 – via LA Times.
  16. ^ "37th Annual Grammy Nominations". spokesman.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  17. ^ Harvey, Dennis (7 August 1995). "September Songs; The Music of Kurt Weill". variety.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  18. ^ "September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill (TV)". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  19. ^ "An In-Depth Interview with Singer Extraordinaire NICKY HOLLAND! - All Access Music". music.allaccess.com. 26 July 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  20. ^ "Interview: Nicky Holland". Songwriting Magazine. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  21. ^ "THE PRO FILE - Nicky Holland". keyboardmag.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  22. ^ "Musician Nicky Holland Looks Back at Her 'Greatest Hits'". realclearlife.com. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Going hire and higher: Nicky Holland is available for string". independent.co.uk. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  24. ^ "Key Player". charlestonmag.com. 15 February 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  25. ^ "NickyHollandVEVO". YouTube. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  26. ^ "My Song Was Played 3.1 Million Times on Pandora. My Check Was $39". 20 November 2012.
  27. ^ "My Song 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth' Was Played More Than 3 Million Times On Pandora And I Was Paid Less Than $40". businessinsider.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  28. ^ Mulligan, Mark (16 April 2015). "Awakening: The Music Industry In The Digital Age". MIDiA Research. Retrieved 1 November 2018 – via Google Books.
  29. ^ Lindvall, Helienne (10 October 2012). "Music streaming: what do songwriters really get from YouTube or Pandora?". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  30. ^ "Pandora speaks out against "falsehood" accusations regarding royalties". slashgear.com. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  31. ^ Arfa, Orit (2008-07-09). "Israeli and Palestinian shed their armor in 'Desert Sunrise'". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
  32. ^ "Desert Sunrise: Cast & Crew". plays411.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  33. ^ Weekly, LA (14 July 2008). "Theater Reviews: Assassins, The Comedy of Errors". laweekly.com. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  34. ^ "Desert Sunrise". backstage.com. 23 July 2008. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  35. ^ "Ellen Shipley Vs Ralph Schuckett". UniCourt. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  36. ^ "Ellen Shipley, songwriter, unloads on crooks in music biz". NJN Network. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  37. ^ JOAN QUINN PROFILES (2020-05-22). Joan Quinn Profiles: Ellen Shipley and Judy Chaikin. Retrieved 2025-06-15 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ Ellen Shipley (type liners). Ellen Shipley. New York International Records. 1979. BXL1-3428.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  39. ^ Breaking Through the Ice Age (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. RCA. 1980. AFL1-3626.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. ^ Breaking Through the Ice Age (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. Renaissance Records. 2018. RMED-1354.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  41. ^ Call of the Wild (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. Capitol Records. 1983. ST-12289.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  42. ^ Call of the Wild (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. Renaissance Records. 2018. RMED-1355.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  43. ^ I Surrender (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. New York International Records. 1979. YB-11686.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  44. ^ Man of the World (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. New York International Records. 1979. YB-11775.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  45. ^ Catch the Cobra (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. New York International Records. 1979. FB-9449.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  46. ^ This Little Girl (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. RCA. 1980. PB-12124.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  47. ^ Love's On the Line (liner notes). Ellen Shipley. Capital Records. 1983. 1C 006-18 6836 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  48. ^ Heart Out of Time/I Come Undone (liner notes). Capital Records. 1983. SPRO-9028/SPRO-9029.

https://www.discogs.com/artist/233864-Ellen-Shipley https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ellen-shipley-mn0000183359/credits