The Blues Foundation announced the nominees for the 41st Annual Blues Music Awards, the blues world’s highest honors, this Tuesday, January 7, 2020.
Shemekia Copeland received two nominations:
The 41st Annual Blues Music Awards will be presented in Memphis on May 7, 2020 at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts.
The full list of nominees can be found on blues.org.
Living Blues magazine announced the winners in their Critic’s Poll for the Living Blues Awards. Shemekia and her latest album, America’s Child, win four awards:
• Album of the Year – America’s Child
• Most Outstanding Blues Singer – Shemekia Copeland
• Blues Artist of the Year (Female) – Shemekia Copeland
• Producer of the Year – Will Kimbrough (for America’s Child)
Award-winning blues, R&B and Americana vocalist Shemekia Copeland, touring in support of her latest Alligator Records release, America’s Child, will headline the Swing Wespelaar festival in Wespelaar, Belgium on Saturday, August 17, 2019.
Produced by Will Kimbrough (who also plays guitar on the album) and recorded in Nashville, America’s Child – named the #1 blues album of 2018 by MOJO magazine – is a courageous and fiery statement of purpose, a major step forward for the singer whose musical consciousness continues to expand as her star continues to rise. With guests including John Prine, Rhiannon Giddens, Mary Gauthier, Emmylou Harris and Steve Cropper, America’s Child bursts with Copeland’s bravado and embraces with her tenderness. In 2019, Copeland received two Blues Music Awards for America’s Child: Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year. Copeland can be heard daily hosting her own blues radio show on SiriusXM.
Read the full story in Keys and Chords. 
It’s evident who inspired much of Shemekia Copeland’s latest album, “American Child,” after listening to the leadoff track, “Ain’t Got Time to Hate.”
“Where’s your little angel wings/my sweet baby child/and how you gonna live/in a world gone wild.”
Copeland’s 2-year-old son, Johnny, changed the blues singer’s outlook on life.
“So much changed after he arrived,” Copeland, 40, said by phone from her Chicago home. “My music has definitely been impacted by him. You can hear that on this album. It all happened organically.”
Copeland…explores a variety of issues on the album. The gritty “America’s Child” tackles racism on “Would You Take My Blood,” the state of a bewildering nation on “Ain’t Got Time for Hate” and a poetic take on individuality with “I’m Not Like Everybody Else.”
By Ed Condran, before Shemekia headlines the North Liberty Blues and BBQ in North Liberty, Iowa, this Saturday, July, 13. Read the full story in The Gazette. 
For Shemekia Copeland, the blues comes in many forms these days. When I got her on the phone last week, she had spent the day before with her son and about 50 “2-, 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds on a field trip.”
“I came home, pulled all my hair out and had a glass of wine,” Copeland said, laughing.
She was enjoying a few days off from her first full tour since having her son, two-and-a-half-year-old Johnny Lee Copeland-Schultz, and she admits that it’s been a big readjustment to go back to a full time touring schedule….Copeland’s ninth album, America’s Child is her most personal and widest-ranging record yet, which she said is the result of her new role as a mother.
“This album is based around my little guy. When he was born, everything for me changed. I wanted a better world for him. I know that makes me sound crazy, like a beauty queen or something. But no, I really felt that way,” Copeland said. “What better way to make the world a better place than by just putting it out there, musically.”
By Avery Gregurich, before Shemekia’s headlining performance this Saturday, July 13, at the North Liberty Blues & BBQ festival in North Liberty, Iowa. Read the full story in Little Village.
The headliner for the event, Shemekia Copeland has been singing the blues for over 20 years and has been awarded numerous accolades for her art. Copeland has a rich voice, powerful lyrics and is firmly nestled in (traditional blues with a bit of an edge.)
“[Copeland] is an amazing contemporary blues artist,” said Andre Perry, the executive director for The Englert of Copeland in a previous interview with the Press-Citizen. “To have someone achieve what she’s achieved headlining is just great, so we’re supper happy she was able to work it out and that she was able to be here for it.”
By Isaac Hamlet, before Shemekia’s performance at the North Liberty Blues and BBQ this coming Saturday, July 13. Read the full story in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
Shemekia Copeland will perform with blues icon Buddy Guy as he is inducted into the Austin City Limits Hall Of Fame. In an all-star concert event to be held on October 24 at ACL Live at The Moody Theater in downtown Austin, Texas, Buddy Guy, along with Shawn Colvin and Lyle Lovett, will be honored. Copeland will perform with Buddy Guy as he celebrates his induction.
Additional guests for this year’s event include Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Jackson Browne, Jimmie Vaughan, Bruce Hornsby, Sarah Jarosz and Willis Alan Ramsey. The program will be hosted by Robert Earl Keen, and will be broadcast nationwide by PBS television on New Year’s Eve.
Award-winning blues, R&B and Americana vocalist Shemekia Copeland’s recent album, America’s Child, was named the #1 blues album of 2018 by MOJO magazine. The album is a courageous and fiery statement of purpose and a major step forward for the singer whose musical consciousness continues to expand as her star continues to rise. The album, with guests including John Prine and Rhiannon Giddens, bursts with Shemekia’s bravado and embraces with her tenderness.
Shemekia recently received two Blues Music Awards for America’s Child: Album Of The Year and Contemporary Blues Album Of The Year. Her instantly recognizable voice –capable of being sultry, assertive and roaring– delivers every song with unparalleled honesty and passion. The three-time Grammy nominee’s wide-open vision of contemporary Americana roots and soul music showcases the evolution of a passionate artist with an up-to-the-minute musical and lyrical approach. The Chicago Tribune says, “Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today.”
Blues Blast Magazine has announced the nominees for the 2019 Blues Blast Music Awards. Shemekia’s America’s Child was nominated in the Contemporary Blues Album category.
The Blues Blast Music Awards are presented by Blues Blast Magazine, the largest free weekly internet blues magazine, with over 36,000 blues fan subscribers located in all 50 States and in more than 90 countries. In early May, a group of blues music industry professionals including music critics, journalists, festival promoters, music venue managers, producers, musicians and other blues music industry professionals nominated the best in blues music in 12 categories.
Fan voting to determine the winners begins July 1 and continues until August 16 on BluesBlastMagazine. com. Voting is free and open to anyone.
The 2019 Blues Blast Music Awards ceremonies will be held at The Tebala Event Center in Rockford, Illinois, on September 13th, 2019.
“I’m just doing a couple songs off of my latest record and having a really good time warming up the crowd for Marc Cohn and The Blind Boys of Alabama and Robert Cray. We’re having a blast,” Copeland said. “They’re all fantastic. Great to work with, you know. It’s a nice vibe being out with these guys. They’re such gentlemen and they’re so warm and welcoming, so that’s what’s made it great.”
Copeland released her latest album, “America’s Child,” in August 2018 after inspiration from the birth of her son, Johnny Lee Copeland. The album comes from taking a closer look at the world and knowing that her son will have a strong foundation from which to take it on.
“I’m always evolving and growing and changing and one of the biggest things to happen in my life so far is having my little guy and the second you have a child you start thinking about the type of world you brought the child into and the things that they will have to endure,” Copeland said. “You know, you’re scared, but you’re also hopeful that things will be better for them than they were for you or certainly not worse.”…
By Sam Palian. Read the full interview and story in The Charlotte Post before Shemekia’s performance at Old Town Amphitheater in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on June 21. Shemekia will be opening for Robert Cray and Marc Cohn and The Blind Boys of Alabama. 
Three-time Grammy Award nominee Shemekia Copeland is joining the air staff at BB King’s Bluesville. She will be the channel’s regular host each weekday from 9am to 3pm Eastern.
Shemekia is one of the leading artists in contemporary Blues with best-selling albums, sold out tours, and numerous awards. Shemekia has played the White House, opened for the The Rolling Stones, and shared the stage with everyone from B.B. King to Mick Jagger.
Plus, she is no stranger to SiriusXM as she’s worked previously as a Blues DJ on the service and also been the subject of artist interviews and live performances.
She says, “I am beyond honored and thrilled to be back on the air with SiriusXM. And can’t wait to be with my fans again. I’ve missed them so much.”
Shemekia’s first show on Bluesville will be this Monday June 17, 2019. 
