Shemekia Copeland has deep roots in the blues: Her father was legendary Texas guitarist Johnny Copeland, and she began performing around age ten, starting with a gig at Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club. She puts a personal spin on tradition, and whether she’s singing the blues, soul, or Americana, she has a gift for swinging it toward her own destinations.
Copeland’s talents are on full display on her 12th and most recent album, 2024’s Blame It on Eve (Alligator). Most of the material is from her longtime songwriting team: guitarist Will Kimbrough, who produced the record, and John Hahn, who’s also Copeland’s manager. As on previous releases, the confessional subject matter is informed by Copeland’s input. “Tough Mother” lays down a fierce, hypnotic groove as Copeland mourns the too-early deaths of her father and mother and describes her own struggle with cancer. “Cadillac Blue,” by Hahn and guitarist Kevin Gordon, is an openhearted, humorously defiant Americana boogie about interracial relationships, and “Is There Anybody Up There?” is an antifascist garage-rock anthem featuring Austin singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo, who provides rangy duet vocals (“Lord save me from the righteous / The ones who never sin”). Additional highlights include an ode to Hank Williams’s little-known Black mentor (“Tee Tot Payne”), a devastating bayou tale of illness and heartbreak performed with Pascal Danaë of French blues-rock trio Delgres (“Belle Sorciere,” by Danaë and Hahn), and a towering version of Johnny Copeland’s “Down on Bended Knee.” Throughout Blame It on Eve, the blues is a cosmopolitan traveler, able to stroll just about anywhere without losing its way or its soul. Copeland is an exciting and innovative artist, and the intimate atmosphere at SPACE should provide an excellent setting to see her live.
Shemekia Copeland Sun 3/30, 8 PM, SPACE, 1245 Chicago, Evanston, sold out, all ages
