Johnny Copeland
b. 27 March 1937, Haynesville, Louisiana, USA. A former boxer, Johnny Clyde Copeland was active as a guitarist and singer on the Houston blues scene during the late '50s and '60s. He made numerous singles for such labels as Mercury (All Boy 1958), Paradise, Golden Eagle (Down On Bending Knees) and Crazy Cajun. His version of Bob Dylan's Blowin In The Wind’ was issued by New York-based Wand in 1965 and there were later records for Atlantic. The renewed interest in the blues during the '70s brought a recording deal with Rounder and Copeland's Nappy Brown-influenced vocals were heard to good effect on a 1977 album with Arthur Blythe (saxophone). He joined the festival circuit and a rousing performance at Chicago in 1984 with fellow Texan guitarists Albert Collins and Gatemouth Brown led to the Grammy-winning SHOWDOWN! (1985). This collaboration with Collins and Robert Cray included the Copeland originals Lion's Den and Bring Your Fine Self On Home. Later albums were released by Rounder and included BRINGIN’ IT ALL BACK HOME, recorded in Africa.