National Public Radio (U.S.)

Variant names
Dates:
Active 1965
Active 1981
Americans

History notes:

Born in Louisiana, blues guitarist and singer Johnny Copeland (1937-1997) was raised in Houston, Texas, where he formed the band Dukes of Rhythm. Although he recorded albums and performed with Sonny Boy Williamson and Bib Mama Thornton in Texas, Copeland only received recognition after moving to New York City in 1975. Six years later, he signed with Rounder Records and released his album with Arthur Blythe and Byard Lancaster, Copeland Special . In 1982, during a tour of West Africa, Copeland recorded Bringing It All Back Home, becoming one of the first American blues musicians to record in Africa, and, in 1986, he won a Grammy Award for his album with Albert Collins and Robert Cray, Showdown . Diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, Copeland underwent seven open-heart operations in the 1990s. Receiving a heart transplant in 1996, he died due to complications of surgery to repair a heart valve the next year.

Source:

Strauss, Neil. Johnny Copeland, 60, Who Sang Texas Blues and Played Guitar. New York Times, July 4, 1997.

From the guide to the Johnny Copeland and Texas Blues, program 87-066., 1987, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

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Subjects:

  • Accordion music
  • African American children's games
  • African American proverbs
  • American Revolution Bicentennial, 1776-1976
  • Banjo music
  • Black Seminoles
  • Blues (Music)
  • Blues (Music)
  • Blues musicians
  • Cajun music
  • Cajuns
  • Cattle trade
  • Coal mines and mining
  • Coal trade
  • Constitutional convention
  • Copper industry and trade
  • Copper mines and mining
  • Creoles
  • Creoles
  • Environmentalism
  • Fairy tales
  • Folk music
  • Frontier and pioneer life
  • Gold mines and mining
  • Gospel music
  • Guitar music
  • Guitar music (Blues)
  • Horizons series
  • Indians of North America
  • Italian Americans
  • Legends
  • Mariachi
  • Mexican Americans
  • Mexican Americans
  • Plays on words
  • Progressivism (United States politics)
  • Rap (Music)
  • Rhythm and blues music
  • Sea songs
  • Songs, Spanish
  • Spirituals (Songs)
  • Storytelling
  • Superstition
  • Violence
  • Whites
  • Blues (Music)
  • Creoles
  • Mexican Americans

Occupations:

not available for this record

Places:

  • Houston (Tex.) (as recorded)
  • Cambodia (as recorded)
  • Orange County (N.C.) (as recorded)
  • Montana (as recorded)
  • Louisiana (as recorded)
  • Sea Island (Ga.) (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)
  • Kentucky (as recorded)
  • North Carolina (as recorded)
  • Texas (as recorded)
  • United States (as recorded)

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