About
The Sherman Ewing Story
Brooklyn-based Sherman Ewing has crafted a dual success story that celebrates tenacity, hard work and faith. A Columbia graduate, he’s an Ivy Leaguer who ended up balancing two distinct and unlikely careers: one as an indie rocker, and another as a dog-walking entrepreneur.
While Ewing’s elite college colleagues were heading off to graduate school, getting married and buying homes, he was reeling from the tragic death of his mother — a devout, religious woman who did not believe in standard medicine, even in the face of cancer. Ewing struggled to find his footing following her passing, but he does recall her telling him to follow his dreams…and he found them in his love of music and dogs.
As an independent singer/songwriter, he has been compared to Bob Dylan and Keith Richards and covered in USA Today multiple times, with writer Elysa Gardner noting Ewing’s songs “have a wry lyricism that suggests a hard-won emotional integrity.”
Parallel to his music career, Ewing has made a name for himself as a hometown entrepreneur, building his New York-based Club Pet NYC dog walking business from a rag-tag one-man operation to a respected local firm, with dozens of employees and a client list that includes some of the most prominent families in the Big Apple. Club Pet NYC was picked by
New York Magazine as the city’s #1 Dog Walking service, and has also been covered by NPR.
Ewing’s New York roots are intertwined with his dual careers. A resident of Red Hook, Ewing found unlikely inspiration in the devastation he experienced in Hurricane Sandy’s wake. His most recent album “Cross My Broken Heart’ mined the harrowing experience (sadly shared by many at the time,) as his home was virtually destroyed, and he began the process of putting things back together.
Ewing’s New York story also includes attending Columbia University, working with underprivileged kids at Covenant House, walking dogs while working overnights at Fountain House (a residence for people with mental illness,) and embracing a spiritual path within his community and among his friends, that continues to guide him forward to this day.
Musician
Early on, Ewing was influenced by the unrefined, raw style of fellow Minnesotans, The Replacements and Husker Du, as well as by England’s punk music scene he experienced while attending an all boys boarding school in the UK. After prep school, Ewing attended Columbia University in New York City where he met John “Jojo” Hermann, best known now for Widespread Panic (and Missing Cats).
Sherman’s solo career began in 2002 when he teamed up with producer Godfrey Diamond (Lou Reed, Aerosmith, Billy Squier). Ewing and Diamond’s collaborative chemistry was immediate, resulting in the writing and recording of Ewing’s debut CD, “Bluemoon.”
In 2006, after playing together on and off for 25 years, Sherman Ewing and Jojo Hermann officially united as the Alt/Blues/Rock duo, Missing Cats. The duo has toured steadily in the years since, building up a loyal following and making notable appearances, including being invited to play Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam in 2010 with such legendary musicians as Steve Miller and Greg Allman.
In 2011, Sherman released his solo rock album, “Single Room Saloon” to widespread acclaim, including multiple placements in USA Today and elsewhere. The collection included collaborations with Jojo Hermann, George Recile (Keith Richards, Bob Dylan), Tony Garner (Bob Dylan) as well as Anthony Krizan (Spin Doctors), and Tom Marshall (Phish, Amphibian).
In 2012, Missing Cats was joined in the studio by Mike Mills (REM), the North Mississippi All Stars and other special guests, resulting in the release of “Larry Brown Amen.” The duo supported the album with an 18-city tour, backed by The North Mississippi All Stars.
Sherman’s wrenching album, “Cross My Broken Heart” was released in 2015, and as mentioned above, was inspired in part by his experiences during Hurricane Sandy.
Since the 2015 release, Sherman has continued to perform both solo and with Jojo Hermann in the New York City Area and in select cities in the USA.