A blues folksinger born in Durham, England, Ruth Copeland first came to attention after marrying Jeffrey Bowen, a staff producer at Motown. When Bowen followed songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland over to their own Invictus label in 1970, Copeland was one of his first signings as she joined the fledgling vocal group New Play to become the label's first white performer.
Collaborating with Edith Wayne and future P-Funk producer Ron Dunbar, Copeland wrote "Music Box," New Play's debut single, and the second ever Invictus release. However, the group broke up soon after its release and Copeland began planning for a solo career. She also struck up an unlikely partnership with George Clinton and became a massively influential force on Parliament's debut album, 1971's Osmium. Not only did she co-produce the sessions, she also wrote what remain two of the most bizarre (and decidedly unfunky) songs in that band's entire repertoire, the haunting "Little Old Country Boy" and "The Silent Boatman." Two further songs, "Come In Out of the Rain" (co-written with Clinton) and "Breakdown" (with Clinton and Clyde Wilson) appeared as Parliament singles in 1971 and 1972.
Copeland's partnership with Clinton naturally flowed into her solo career. Viewed today as a virtual twin of Osmium, her Self Portrait debut featured contributions from Eddie Hazel, Lucius Ross, Bernie Worrell, Billy "Bass" Nelson, Tiki Fulwood, and Clinton himself, while the co-writes included a new version of the epic "The Silent Boatman.
Late 1971 brought the release of Copeland's second album, I Am What I Am, recorded with many of the same musicians as its predecessor, only now they were her own band. In an odd twist, Hazell, Worrell, Fulwood, and Nelson had all quit Parliament/Funkadelic, but remained together to back Copeland, first in the studio and then on tour as she promoted the album. The tour was a success; the shows were solid and the audiences receptive. Unfortunately, Copeland quickly found herself in an uncomfortable position. Touring as support to Sly Stone, she took to introducing her band as Funkadelic -- much to the headliner's annoyance. The last straw came when she allowed the band to take one of her encores. Stone insisted she either leave the tour or lose the band. She lost the band.
Following her solo success in 1971 and 1972, Copeland faded from the spotlight. She would re-emerge briefly in 1976 with her third album, Take Me to Baltimore, but it did little and she once more retreated into shadow. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide
I like that song too. 'Your Love' was the 1st Ruth C song that came 2 my attention via youtube. Raunchy, sexual funk/rock at it's best. Definitely a massive hit in my book.......come 2 think of it, it should've been.
Just to let you know that our tiny Durham City is looking wonderful this time of year,...lots of green leaves branching out and kissing the waterways,the usual sun reflected windows glinting motorists eyes and the river's arterial flow still has the odd shopping trolley clogged in it.
Well done for creating this site and keeping Ruth's achievment going. Although a big music fan I never heard of her until recently, I really love the stuff she did and Im amazed how good she was, much better than Janis Joplin. Ruths cover of Gimme Shelter is better than Patti Smith's. What a loss to us all when she gave it up, I guess she had a good reason. Maybe theres a book in there somewhere?
We Start Fires play The Clapham Grand in London on Wednesday 6th June. For tickets go to
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_london&query=detail&event=220573
The 7" single “Magazine” is available now in all good record shops as well as online.
The band will be supporting Good Shoes at:-
Sheffield Fuzz Club - 7th June
Liverpool Academy - 8th June
Hull Welly Club - 9th June
"Debut album from the incendiary new wavers. It sounds like Blondie doing
Elastica doing Weezer. Ace, obviously." NME
"Sludge-sleek pop songs with spiky guitars and ear splitting noise
freakouts. Ones to watch." The Guardian
"Like one of the Deal sisters in a cosmic deathray fight with Be Your Own
Pets Jemina." NME
The incredible 8 piece winners of Glastonbury Unsigned funkin’ hip hoppers ‘The Bellagios’ play Camden Green Fair on Sunday 3rd June in Regents Park at 5.30pm. Come down for the day…it’s all free!
Gimme Shelter - The Invictus Sessions is available to purchase from Amazon & HMV websites. The CD consists of the two albums, Self Portrait & I Am What I Am which Ruth recorded wiv Parliament/Funkadelic in 1970-71. I've got the CD & I abs. love it & i'm sure u will too.
Yeah I agree. Ruth has the most amazing vocal range i've ever come across & she could do it in any style whether it's folk, soul, blues or rock. If only some A&R man from the UK had spotted Ruth performing wiv Funkadelic back in the day, she would have been a megastar by now.
Many thanks for the add. There are s many people like Ruth who could be passed by if it wasn't for good people keeping them out there just for the love of it. Well Done. M
