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Biography
Infobox musical artist| name = Johnny Copeland| image =| alt =| caption =| image_size =| landscape =| background = solo_singer| birth_name =| alias =| birth_date = birth date|1937|3|27| birth_place = Haynesville, Louisiana , United States | origin =| death_date = death date and age|1997|7|3|1937|3|27| death_place = Harlem , New York City|New York , United States| genre = Texas blues , electric blues | occupation = Guitarist , singer | instrument = Guitar | years_active = 1950s–1997| label = Various, including Duke Records|Duke and Verve Records|Verve | associated_acts =| website =| notable_instruments = Johnny Copeland (March 27, 1937 – July 3, 1997)Allmusic|class=artist|id=p65836|pure_url=yes Allmusic biography - accessed December 2007 was an United States|American Texas blues guitarist and singer .
Career
Born in Haynesville, Louisiana|Haynesville , Louisiana , United States , while Copeland was becoming interested in music , he also pursued boxing , mostly as an avocation , and it is from his days as a boxer that he got his nickname "Clyde."Allmusic|class=artist|id=p65836|pure_url=yes Allmusic Also as a adolescence|teenager influenced by T-Bone Walker he formed the 'Dukes of Rhythm' in Houston , Texas , and made his sound recording and reproduction|recording debut in 1956, signing with Duke Records the following year. In his early years he played with such acts as Sonny Boy Williamson II|Sonny Boy Williamson , Big Mama Thornton and Freddie King . Although his early gramophone record|records met with little commercial success, he became a popular touring act over the next two decades.
His early recording career embraced blues, soul and rock and roll. He cut Single (music)|singles for Mercury, All Boy and Golden Eagle, amongst others. His first single was "Rock 'n' Roll Lily", http://www.amazon.com/Rock-n-Roll-Lily/dp/B0010VGUUW Amazon.com and he later cut regional successes such as "Please Let Me Know" and "Down On Bending Knees." For the most part, his singles featured Copeland as a vocalist more than a guitar player.
Driven by disco to rethink his future, he moved to New York in 1979,cite book | first= Tony | last= Russell | year= 1997 | title= The Blues - From Robert Johnson (musician)|Robert Johnson to Robert Cray | edition= | publisher=Carlton Books Limited | location= Dubai | isbn= 1-85868-255-X | page= 182 and played extensively in the eastern cities. In 1981, he was signed by Rounder Records , releasing album s including Copeland Special (1981) and Bringing It All Back Home (1985), and touring widely. Copeland appeared at the 1983 Long Beach Blues Festival , and the 1988 San Francisco Blues Festival . He won a Grammy Award|Grammy in Grammy Awards of 1987|1987 for Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album|best traditional blues album for the album Showdown! , recorded with Robert Cray and Albert Collins .
Copeland also played at the 1985 Montreaux Jazz Festival, as a guest with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble, with Vaughan and Copeland most famously performing the Bob Geddins song, "Tin Pan Alley (AKA Roughest Place In Town)" together on Vaughan's Blues At Sunrise album.
His later years were dogged by ill health due to a congential heart defect. He died, aged 60, in Harlem , New York City|New York , from complications during heart surgery for a Heart transplantation|heart transplanted six months earlier. http://users.efortress.com/doc-rock/1996.html Dead Rock Stars Club website Copeland was a resident of Teaneck, New Jersey|Teaneck , New Jersey .Strauss, Neil. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9A0CE2D61330F937A35754C0A961958260 "Johnny Copeland, 60, Who Sang Texas Blues and Played Guitar", The New York Times , June 4, 1997. Accessed November 4, 2007. "Johnny Copeland, one of the foremost Texas blues singers and guitarists of the 70's and 80's, died yesterday at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan. He was 60 and lived in Teaneck, N.J."
His daughter, Shemekia Copeland , established a successful career as a singer. He was also survived by his wife, son and two daughters.
1998 The Crazy Cajun Recordings (Edsel Records) name="russell"/>
See also
List of blues musicians
List of electric blues musicians
List of Texas blues musicians
List of people from Teaneck, New Jersey
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.johnnycopeland.com/ Official memorial website
http://www.cascadeblues.org/History/JohnnyCopeland.htm More information
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p65836|pure_url=yes Copeland biography at Allmusic website
Persondata | NAME = Copeland, Johnny | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = United States|American blues guitarist and singer | DATE OF BIRTH = March 27, 1937 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Haynesville, Louisiana , United States | DATE OF DEATH = July 3, 1997 | PLACE OF DEATH = Harlem , New York City|New York , United States DEFAULTSORT:Copeland, Johnny Category:1937 births Category:1997 deaths Category:African American musicians Category:American blues guitarists Category:American blues singers Category:People from New York City Category:People from Claiborne Parish, Louisiana Category:People from Teaneck, New Jersey Category:Kent Records artists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Texas blues musicians Category:Musicians from Louisiana
