Mike Shepherd Coffee Call

Mike Shepherd loved to hang out at Coffee Call, drink coffee and eat beignets, his granddaughter, Arden Hubbard says.

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A name synonymous with music in Louisiana, Mike Shepherd died Saturday morning after a lengthy illness. He was 77.

His granddaughter, Arden Hubbard, said he passed away peacefully.

Shepherd had been president and CEO of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame since 2003, reviving the nonprofit project founded in 1982 by Baton Rouge print and television entertainment reporter Del Moon, with Shepherd as the primary advisor. The organization's operations were suspended in 1988 for lack of funding. Moon supported its rebirth. 

"Mike lived his life's passion, in the promotion of Louisiana music and the artists that created it," Prairieville country artist Jim Hogg said Sunday. "A generous-hearted person, loved God and his fellow man. The Louisiana music community has lost a giant."

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James Linden Hogg second from left, and his father, Jim Hogg, third from left, each receive a framed poster commemorating their induction into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Making the presentations are Jason Broussard, far left, and Mike Shepherd of the LMHOF.

Shepherd inducted Hogg and his son and fellow musician James Linden Hogg into the Hall of Fame in 2025. They were two of nearly 250 of the state’s music legends and high-profile regionally popular artists Shepherd brought into the Hall of Fame.

"While most recognition programs host black-tie award dinners, Mike opted as often as possible to induct the artists onstage, either at their concert or setting up live shows with a backup band and inducting multiple retired artists," his bio states. "One notable exception was a bedside presentation to Benny Spellman ('Fortune Teller') who was at a senior care facility in Mobile, Alabama. Shepherd brought New Orleans legend Deacon John Moore along to play guitar and sing hits as Benny clutched his award plaque."

Shepherd, a Shreveport native, was raised in Baton Rouge. He booked, promoted and staged many concerts, festivals and large club shows regionally in the ‘60s and ‘70s. Many memorable shows took place at Baton Rouge’s Independence Hall while Shepherd was a partner in Montel Productions with Mickey and S.J. Montalbano.

Shepherd taught himself the workings of audio equipment, lighting systems, marketing graphics and recording. After the era of the local independent promoter faded, he spent a decade staging sound and lights with Concerts West and other national promoters. He subsequently returned to form his own audio-visual service in Baton Rouge, his bio also states.

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Mike Shepherd, president of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, left, inducts Buckwheat Zydeco Jr., right, and his father, the late Buckwheat Zydeco Sr., into the Hall of Fame during the 37th annual Zydeco Extravaganza at Parc International, Youngsville, on May 26, 2024.

Beyond business, Shepherd loved spending time with family, especially his grandchildren, according to Hubbard.

"My all-time favorite memory was when he was inducting Vince Vance ('Bomb Iran,' 'All I Want For Christmas is You') into the Hall of Fame at Rock 'n' Bowl in 2010," she said. "I got on stage with him during his induction and I was one of the Valianettes (backup dancers) that night. Just as a little girl on stage, like that was the highlight of my grandpa's life with me."

Hubbard said she also called her grandfather "the cherry man," as he had a cherry tree in his backyard when she was growing up. He often would bring her a bag of cherries and fresh key lime pie. Hershey's pie and fudge were his baking specialties.

Shepherd's music focus was on keeping Louisiana artists' names alive. He inducted Elvis Presley posthumously into the Hall of Fame.

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Dave Bartholomew, left, is inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame by President Mike Shepherd and fellow member Allen Toussaint in the Blue Room of the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, during a tribute to Dave Bartholomew, the producer and co-writer of Fats Domino's hits, on Nov. 8, 2009.

"Tim McGraw, Laine Hardy. He always had an eye for good musicians and would want to induct them into the Hall of Fame," his granddaughter said.

"American Idol" runner-up John Foster and national country star Lainey Wilson were still on his wish list for induction when he became ill, she said.

"We are going to probably have a display of his Hall of Fame stuff at his celebration of life," Hubbard said.

Although his dreams of a physical museum weren't realized, Shepherd did create a “virtual museum” at  that has since attracted more than 3 million visitors to its thousands of images and hundreds of video resources. There is also a current Louisiana Music Hall of Fame multimedia display in the lobby of Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.

Shepherd’s book, “Shepherding the Music,” was published in 2021.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis Eugene Shepherd and Margaret Collum. He is survived by a daughter, Robyn Lane; granddaughters, Arden Hubbard, Blyss Morris and Cheryl Lewis, and partner Brenda Garcia.

A celebration of Shepherd's life will take place at 11 a.m. June 27 at Christ Community Church, 26574 Juban Road, Denham Springs. Visitation will start at 9:30 a.m.

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.