Page 23 - SPIRE_JAN_APR_2023_5th_Issue_DIGITAL

As for the continuing evolution of her music, It’s well known that your first public
successful releases on Telarc (including 2012’s major feature stories in hundreds of Copeland is very clear. “Once my son was born,” performance was at the Cotton club when you
Grammy-nominated 33 1/3), Copeland returned magazines, newspapers and internet she says, “I became even more committed to were about 10. What do you remember about
to Alligator Records in 2015 with the Grammy- publications. She’s sung with Bonnie Raitt, making the world a better place. On America’s playing at that historic venue?
nominated, Blues Music Award-winning Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Dr. John, Child, Uncivil War and now Done Come Too Far, Being scared stiff before it started. And being
Outskirts Of Love, melding blues with more James Cotton and many others, and has I’ve been trying to put the ‘United’ back into relieved when it went well. I have to admit the
rootsy, Americana sounds. shared a bill with The Rolling Stones. She United States. Friends, family and home, these audience was stacked in my favor with loads of
With 2018’s America’s Child, Copeland, now the entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait in things we all value.” my parents’ friends from the neighborhood. So
mother of a baby boy, sang about the blessings 2008, a trip she says, “that opened my eyes to With Done Come Too Far, Copeland hits harder after we had a big party.
and curses of the world around her. MOJO the larger world around me and my place in it.” than ever with musically and lyrically What was it like touring the Blues Circut with
magazine named America’s Child the #1 blues In 2012, she performed with B.B. King, Mick adventurous songs and jaw-dropping your father, Johnny Copeland, as a kid?
release of 2018. It won both the Blues Music Jagger, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, Gary performances that are at once timely and Wonderful and sad. Being with him was always
Award and the Living Blues Award for Album Of Clark, Jr. and others at the White House for timeless. The Chicago Tribune’s famed jazz critic special and I learned so much from him. It was
The Year. All Music said, “Witty and President and Mrs. Obama. She has Howard Reich said, “Shemekia Copeland is the also sad because his health was deteriorating.
sincere...Shemekia Copeland is one of the best showcased on PBS’s Austin City Limits and greatest female blues vocalist working today.
singers in contemporary blues, not just for her was the subject of a six-minute feature on the She pushes the genre forward, confronting Would you rather be able to copy and paste in
voice but for her courage to use it to say PBS News Hour. racism, hate, xenophobia and other perils of our real life or undo in real life? What would
something about American culture...showing Copeland was the subject of a recent time. Regardless of subject matter, though, influence this decision?
good times and a social conscience can co-exist.” Washington Post Sunday magazine story and there’s no mistaking the majesty of Copeland’s Overall I’m pretty happy and grateful for the
In addition to earning a Grammy Award appeared on both NPR’s Weekend Edition and instrument, nor the ferocity of her delivery. way my life has gone. So I think I would just
copy and paste. Also undoing and redoing just
nomination (her fourth), Copeland’s Here And Now. And NPR’s Jazz Night In Copeland reaffirms the relevance of the blues.” sounds like too much work.
groundbreaking 2020 release Uncivil War was America recently aired an hour-long program
named the 2020 Blues Album Of The Year by featuring Copeland. In April 2022, she Besides being a mom, what do you do when you
DownBeat, MOJO and Living Blues magazines. performed at the United Nations General are not touring? Hobbies outside of music?
The album, like its predecessor, looked at the Assembly Hall to a worldwide audience of When I’m not being a mom, I’m still busy being
hardships and happiness people encounter, millions as part of International Jazz Day a mom. Nothing takes priority over that.
seeking common ground, demanding change celebrations. Copeland continues to host her Luckily I really enjoy it. I have a lot of fun. Only
and still finding ways to have a good time. own popular daily blues radio show on Sirius other hobby I have is I’m a bit of a foodie who
“Shemekia Copeland is a powerhouse,” said XM’s Bluesville. loves to cook.
Rolling Stone. “She can do no wrong.”
FRI-MON 9 AM

Copeland has performed thousands of gigs at TUE 10 AM LISTEN TO SHEMEKIA'S MUSIC ON YOUR

clubs, festivals and concert halls all over the WED 9 AM

THU 10 AM FAVORITE STREAMING CHANNEL
world, and has appeared in films, on national
television, NPR, and has been the subject of B.B. King's Bluesville with Shemekia Copeland
Grammy Award-nominated music legend Shemekia
Copeland is your host for new and old Blues in BB King's
Photo credit: Bluesville. Nothing but authentic Blues.
© Victoria Smith
But it’s not just press and radio singing
Copeland’s praises. She is beloved by her
fellow musicians across genres and
demographics. Jeff Beck called her “amazing.”
Carlos Santana said, “She’s incandescent...a
diamond.” Bonnie Raitt told BBC radio,
“Shemekia always knocks me out.” The late FOLLOW SHEMEKIA ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
John Prine said, “She doesn’t sound like
anybody else.” Mary Gauthier declared,
“Shemekia is one of the great singers of our
time. Her voice is nothing short of magic.”
Photo credit:
© Victoria Smith