Shemekia Copeland, Grammy nominated Blues Singer, who has been proclaimed as a contender for the title of the next Queen of the Blues, performed in Mumbai recently. Daughter of the late Texas Blues guitar legend, Johnny Clyde Copeland, She started performing at Harlem’s famed Cotton Club when she was just eight. She brought out her debut album, the critically acclaimed ‘Turn The Heat Up’ in 1998, when she was 19. By the time she was 20, she had opened for the Rolling Stones and headlined at the Chicago Blues Festival. She has won performed at numerous festivals around the world, scored critics choice awards on both sides of the Atlantic and shared the stage with such luminaries as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Taj Mahal and John Mayer.
Her second album ‘Wicked’ (2000) scored three Handy Awards (Song of the Year, Blues Album of the Year, Contemporary Female Artist of the Year). ‘The Soul Truth’ was released in 2005 and ‘Never Going Back’ in 2009.
Here she talks to Stanley Paul, about blues and the music scene today, in her own remarkably outspoken style.
Is Blues relevant today, considering how the Blues originated?
Oh absolutely, Blues is about telling your story and if you have a story to tell, it is relevant.
With changing musical tastes, especially of the young, don't you think Blues has a limited audience?
It is, its a smaller audience, but you know I do this because I love it. I'm not trying to become a pop star, you know what I mean. Blues is what’s in my heart and in my soul and what I was born to sing. There’s enough people doing the rest of the stuff. My last album was a bit of a departure from the traditional blues idiom but in order for an artist to grow – and for a genre to grow – you have to do new things. I’m a blues singer, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only thing I’m capable of singing, or that’s the only style of music I’m capable of making.”
In general, what are the problems facing the Music Industry today?
Oh God, tons. The fact is that music is not about music anymore. Its about what you look like more than the music. Its about sex and selling beautiful bodies and about things that are not important. So the quality of music is going down... its really sad.
So where do you think this is all leading to?
I have no idea, because I have watched the music business take a huge turn in the past decade. I just can't believe it, with all the things that’s happened, people don't buy records any more. When I was a little girl I couldn't wait to go to the store to buy a record. I used to get my money, my allowance and I'm like off to the store. If I have children they won't even know what an LP is or a CD or a cassette and that’s really sad to me. So I have no idea where this'll all lead to.
Who are your favorite musicians or bands, who have influenced you?
Oh boy, so many. I mean I can't pick one. Ruth Brown, Koko Taylor, Ottis Redding...
You seem to be stuck in the blues groove?
Oh yeah, blues and soul and gospel.
What about bands, like say the Beatles?
Oh, I like the Stones, I like the Beatles too, but ooh, I'm a big Stones girl and I like the Band.
As a recording artist, as few people buy CDs anymore, doesn't it affect your career and earnings?
Well blues artists have never ever made money selling records, you know what I mean. We make most of our money touring.
You think in future, touring is where most artists' earnings will come from and not record sales?
Definitely touring.