Shemekia Copeland Concert In Maplewood Friday To Benefit Charity

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – Grammy nominee Shemekia Copeland, plus special guests Shark Hat, will play the Woodland on Friday to benefit Rent Party. Rent Party, founded in October 2009,is a live music series based in Maplewood/South Orange, New Jersey. Proceeds from these shows help fight hunger in our community.

“I cannot emphasize enough how amazingly good Shemekia Copeland is. This is a show you do not want to miss; we’re lucky to have Shemekia Copeland in Maplewood on the Rent Party stage,” said Rent Party Founder Chris Dickson.

Shemekia Copeland is an award-winning R&B/Americana singer considered one of the great blues voices of our time. Born in Harlem, New York City and daughter of Texas blues guitarist and singer Johnny Copeland, young Shemekia first performed at the Cotton Club when she was 9. At 16, her father took her on tour as his opening act, establishing her name on the blues circuit.

Shemekia Copeland has performed thousands of gigs at clubs, festivals and concert halls all over the world and has appeared on national television, NPR, and in newspapers, films and magazines. She’s sung with Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, James Cotton and many others. She opened for The Rolling Stones and entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait. Jeff Beck calls her “amazing.” Santana says, “She’s incandescent…a diamond.” In 2012, she performed with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Buddy Guy, Trombone Shorty, Gary Clark, Jr. and others at the White House for President and Mrs. Obama.

Shark Hat, local to the area, will open the show with their rock-infused funk and country blues. Shark Hat drummer Michael Parillo said, “Shark Hat has been part of the wonderful Rent Party scene since the very first event back in 2009, and we’re honored to share the stage with Shemekia Copeland at this upcoming show. We’re ready to rock.”

Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4056550.