b. April 10th, 1979 in New York (New York)
TURN THE HEAT UP
Alligator
1998
Fille du bluesman Johnny Copeland, Shemekia propose ici un prometteur premier album pour le label Alligator. Produit par Bruce Iglauer, Jimmy Vivino et John Hahn, il regroupe un bon programme de blues contemporain avec des titres comme "Turn the heat up", "Cold feet", "My turn baby" (un duo avec Joe Louis Walker), une reprise du "Ghetto child" de son père avec la guitare de "Monster" Mike Welch, "Married to the blues", "My kind of guy".
Daughter of bluesman Johnny Copeland, Shemekia offers here a promising first album for the Alligator label. Produced by Bruce Iglauer, Jimmy Vivino and John Hahn, it brings together a good program of contemporary blues with titles like "Turn the heat up", "Cold feet", "My turn baby" (a duet with Joe Louis Walker), a cover of his father's "Ghetto child" with the guitar of "Monster" Mike Welch, "Married to the blues", "My kind of guy".
WICKED
Alligator
December 1999 - June 2000
Pour ce second album, on retrouve la même équipe de musiciens et producteurs derrière Shemekia. Mais ici le son se fait soit trop blues-rock, soit trop commercial et perd en sensibilité. On retient néanmoins "The other woman", "Up on 1-2-5" et le duo avec Ruth Brown "If he moves his lips".
For this second album, we find the same team of musicians and producers behind Shemekia. But here the sound is either too blues-rock, or too commercial and loses sensitivity. We can nevertheless point out "The other woman", "Up on 1-2-5" and the duet with Ruth Brown "If he moves his lips".
TALKING TO STRANGERS
Alligator
2002
Cette fois, la production est confiée à Dr John (également aux claviers). L'album manque un peu de flamme et d'originalité même si on trouve, ça et là, de beaux moments ("Livin' on love", "When a woman's had enough", "Talking to strangers").
This time, the production is entrusted to Dr John (also on keyboards). The album lacks a little fire and originality even if we find, here and there, nice moments ("Livin' on love", "When a woman's had enough", "Talking to strangers").
GENUINE HOUSEROCKIN' CHRISTMAS
Alligator
2003
Dans ce recueil pour Noël, Shemekia chante "Stay a little longer Santa".
In this Christmas collection, Shemekia sings "Stay a little longer Santa".
THE SOUL TRUTH
Alligator
2005
Pour ce nouvel album, on trouve un bon programme entre Soul cuivrée et Blues contemporain produit par Steve Cropper. Shemekia chante parfaitement sur les excellents "Breakin' out", "All about you", "Better not touch", "Givin' up you", "Something heavy".
For this new album, we find a good program between brassy Soul and contemporary Blues produced by Steve Cropper. Shemekia sings perfectly on the excellent "Breakin' out", "All about you", "Better not touch", "Givin' up you", "Something heavy".
NEVER GOING BACK
Telarc
2009
Après une longue collaboration avec Alligator, Shemekia Copeland passe chez Telarc. Elle est entourée de musiciens attentifs comme Chris & Oliver Wood, John Medeski, Marc Ribot, Arthur Neilson. Son producteur Oliver Wood joue de la guitare et est également compositeur de la plupart des titres (en collaboration avec son manager John Hahn). Shemekia chante magnifiquement sur ces excellentes compositions comme "Sounds like the Devil", "Never going back to Memphis", "The truth is the light", "Limousine" ainsi que deux belles reprises le "Black crow" de Joni Mitchell et "Circumstances" de son père Johnny Copeland.
After a long collaboration with Alligator, Shemekia Copeland moves to Telarc. She is surrounded by attentive musicians like Chris & Oliver Wood, John Medeski, Marc Ribot, Arthur Neilson. Her producer Oliver Wood plays the guitar and is also the composer of most of the titles (in collaboration with her manager John Hahn). Shemekia sings beautifully on these excellent compositions like "Sounds like the Devil", "Never going back to Memphis", "The truth is the light", "Limousine" as well as two beautiful covers of "Black crow" by Joni Mitchell and "Circumstances" by his father Johnny Copeland.
33 1/3
Telarc
2012
Pour ce second album chez Telarc (toujours produit par Oliver Wood), Shemekia propose un album inspiré et intense, rempli de superbes moments : "Lemon pie", "Can't let go", "Ain't gonna be your tattoo" (avec Buddy Guy à la guitare), "Mississippi mud" (en duo avec J.J. Grey), "Ain't that good news", "Somebody else's Jesus".
For this second album on Telarc (still produced by Oliver Wood), Shemekia offers an inspired and intense album, filled with superb moments : "Lemon pie", "Can't let go", "Ain't gonna be your tattoo" (with Buddy Guy on guitar), "Mississippi mud" (duet with J.J. Grey), "Ain't that good news", "Somebody else's Jesus".
OUTSKIRTS OF LOVE
Alligator
2015
Revenue chez Alligator, le label qui l'a vue débuter, Shemekia poursuit sa carrière dans la même veine que les deux précédents albums. Toujours aux côtés des fidèles Oliver Wood et John Hahn, elle délivre de superbes titres comme "Outskirts of love", "Crossbone beach" (avec la slide-guitare de Robert Randolph), "Devil's hand", "Drivin' out of Nashville", "Wrapped up in love again" et le gospel final "Lord help the poor and needy".
Returning to Alligator, the label that saw her debut, Shemekia continues her career in the same vein as the two previous albums. Always at the side of the faithful Oliver Wood and John Hahn, she delivers great tracks like "Outskirts of love", "Crossbone beach" (with Robert Randolph's slide-guitar), "Devil's hand", "Drivin' out of Nashville", "Wrapped up in love again" and the final gospel "Lord help the poor and needy".
AMERICA'S CHILD
Alligator
2018
Désormais, Shemekia a pour producteur et guitariste Will Kimbrough. L'inspiration et la variété des influences restent toujours au rendez-vous sur des morceaux comme "Ain't got time for hate" aux fortes résonnances politiques, "Would you take my blood", "Great rain" (en duo avec John Prine), "The wrong idea", "Smoked ham and peaches" (avec Rhiannon Giddens).
From now on, Shemekia has for producer and guitarist Will Kimbrough. The inspiration and the variety of influences are always present on tracks like "Ain't got time for hate" with strong political resonances, "Would you take my blood", "Great rain" (in duet with John Prine), "The wrong idea", "Smoked ham and peaches" (with Rhiannon Giddens).
UNCIVIL WAR
Alligator
2020
Cet album a été conçu avec la même équipe de musiciens et producteurs que le précédent. Shemekia y aborde de nombreux sujets politiques et sociaux. On peut retenir le gospel-blues "Walk until I ride", "Uncivil war", "Money makes you ugly" (avec la guitare de Christone "Kingfish" Ingram), "She don't wear pink" (avec Duane Eddy et Webb Wilder) et deux excellentes reprises : "Under my thumb" des Rolling Stones et surtout "In the dark" de Junior Parker.
This album was designed with the same team of musicians and producers as the previous one. Shemekia addresses many political and social topics. We can point out the gospel-blues "Walk until I ride", "Uncivil war", "Money makes you ugly" (with Christone "Kingfish" Ingram's guitar), "She don't wear pink" (with Duane Eddy and Webb Wilder) and two excellent covers : "Under my thumb" by Rolling Stones and especially "In the dark" by Junior Parker.
DONE COME TOO FAR
Alligator
2022
Encore une fois, Shemekia délivre un album de blues contemporain ouvert à de nombreuses influences avec ses acolytes habituels (Will Kimbrough, John Hahn). Une tracklist consistante et inspirée avec "Too far to be gone" (avec la slide-guitare de Sonny Landreth), "Pink turns to red", "Gullah geechie", "Fried catfish and bibles" (avec accordéon, washboard et violon), "Done come too far" (en duo avec Cedric Burnside), "Fell in love with a honky".
Once again, Shemekia delivers a contemporary blues album open to many influences with his usual teammates (Will Kimbrough, John Hahn). A consistent and inspired tracklist with "Too far to be gone" (with Sonny Landreth's slide-guitar), "Pink turns to red", "Gullah geechie", "Fried catfish and bibles" (with accordion, washboard and fiddle), "Done come too far " (in duet with Cedric Burnside), "Fell in love with a honky".