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Photo: Jay Godwin / LBJ Library, 2019 (Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0 Public Domain)
Modern
Shemekia Copeland
Born: April 10, 1979, Harlem, New York City• United States
Contemporary BluesElectric Blues
Musical Influence
As the officially crowned successor to Koko Taylor, Shemekia Copeland carries the title of Queen of the Blues into a new generation, and her socially engaged trilogy of albums — "America's Child," "Uncivil War" and "Blame It on Eve" — has pushed contemporary blues songwriting directly into conversation with American politics and social justice in a way few contemporaries have attempted. Her three Grammy nominations for "Blame It on Eve" mark the widest mainstream recognition of her career (Kilde: Wikipedia).
Influences
Johnny CopelandRuth BrownKoko Taylor
Family and personal life
Father
Texas blues guitarist and singer; brought her on tour as his opening act as his health declined.
Formative experiences
- •Age ~10: First public performance at Harlem's Cotton Club. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •Age 16: Begins touring as her father Johnny Copeland's opening act as his health declines. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •1998: Debut album "Turn the Heat Up!" released on Alligator Records. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •June 12, 2011: Officially crowned the new Queen of the Blues at the Chicago Blues Festival. (Kilde: Wikipedia)
- •2018–2024: Releases her socially conscious album trilogy — "America's Child," "Uncivil War," "Blame It on Eve." (Kilde: Wikipedia)
Instruments & Equipment
Vocals
Voice
Powerful contemporary blues vocalist known for socially engaged songwriting.
Stories & Anecdotes
"Made her first public performance at Harlem's Cotton Club at around age ten. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"Was formally crowned the new Queen of the Blues on June 12, 2011, when Koko Taylor's daughter Cookie handed her Taylor's own crown at the Chicago Blues Festival. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"Her 2000 album "Wicked" featured a duet with one of her own heroes, R&B singer Ruth Brown. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
"Had albums produced by Dr. John ("Talking to Strangers," 2002) and Stax legend Steve Cropper ("The Soul Truth," 2005). (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
""Blame It on Eve" (2024) earned her three Grammy nominations, the widest recognition of her career. (Kilde: Wikipedia)"
Collaborators
Her father; brought her on tour as his opening act as a teenager.
R&B singer and one of her heroes; duet partner on "Wicked" (2000).
Produced "Talking to Strangers" (2002).
Stax Records legend; produced "The Soul Truth" (2005).
Watch & Listen
Featured
Shemekia Copeland - "Blame It On Eve" (Live at AmericanaFest 2024)
Title track of her Grammy-nominated 2024 album.
WMOT 89.5 FM
Watch & Listen
Henter videoer fra YouTube…
Discography
| Year | Title | Producer | Studio | Label | Chart | Sales | Musicians | YouTube | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Turn the Heat Up! | John Snyder | — | Alligator Records | — | — | — | Debut album, followed by a tour of the U.S. and European festival circuit. | |
| 2000 | Wicked | John Snyder | — | Alligator Records | — | — | Ruth Brown (Vocals (duet)) | Features a duet with Ruth Brown; won three Blues Music Awards. | |
| 2002 | Talking to Strangers | Dr. John | — | Alligator Records | — | — | — | — | |
| 2005 | The Soul Truth | Steve Cropper | — | Alligator Records | — | — | — | — | |
| 2018 | America's Child | Will Kimbrough | — | Alligator Records | — | — | — | First of her socially conscious trilogy; reached #3 on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. | |
| 2020 | Uncivil War | Will Kimbrough | — | Alligator Records | — | — | — | Second of her socially conscious trilogy. | |
| 2022 | Done Come Too Far | Will Kimbrough | — | Alligator Records | — | — | — | Won DownBeat's Blues Artist of the Year. | |
| 2024 | Blame It on Eve | Will Kimbrough | — | Alligator Records | — | — | — | Third of her socially conscious trilogy; earned three Grammy nominations. |
Famous songs
01Married to the Blues
02Wine O'Clock
03Ain't Gonna Be Your Tattoo
04Blame It on Eve
External links
Booking / Contact
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