Shemekia Copeland

The Performing Artists Series at Ursa Minor's Cafe is underwritten in part by the Reading Eagle and WEEU 830 AM.

“...she belongs to the school of blues belters whose roars could move rocks up hills.” - TimeOut New York

For those that like Martin Sexton, Etta James, B.B. King:

Shemekia Copeland is already a force to be reckoned with in the blues. While still in her early 30's, she's opened for the Rolling Stones, headlined at the Chicago Blues Festival and 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. Heir to the rich tradition of soul-drenched divas like Ruth Brown, Etta James and Koko Taylor, Copeland's shot at the eventual title of Queen of the Blues is pretty clear. By some standards, she may already be there.

Born in Harlem, New York, in 1979, to the late Texas blues guitar legend Johnny Clyde Copeland, Shemekia's passion for singing, matched with her huge, blast-furnace voice, gives her music a timeless power and a heart-pounding urgency. Her music comes from deep within her soul and from the streets where she grew up, surrounded by the everyday sounds of the city - street performers, gospel singers, blasting radios, bands in local parks and so much more.