Executive Producer - John Hahn
Recorded in Nashville and produced by multi-instrumentalist songwriter Will Kimbrough who also produced Shemekia’s two previous releases.
This revue is dedicated to Sandra Copeland - a true Angel - wife, mother, grandmother, mother-in-law - Greatly loved and much admired - Sandra touched so many lives wherever she went - Her life was an extraordinary journey undertaken by an amazing woman -
" Do not try to conform to the music business, make the music business conform to you...You know, I'm not trying to please the masses. So, I'm just trying to put out music that I love. And that means something to me. And something that my kid eventually will be proud of ". (Interview - North Jersey Blues Society, August, 2022)
" Done come too far " says John Hahn, Shemekia Copeland's long-time songwriter, as well as her manager, " is the third album of a trilogy which began with Shemekia’s 2019 ground-breaking " America's Child " and 2020's Grammy-nominated " Uncivil War”. On the album, Copeland delivers hard-hitting musical truths; as a young American Black woman, a mother, and a wife. But she also has a sense of humor reflected in two songs on her new album, " Fried Catfish " and "Fell in Love with A Honkey”.
Shemekia lives in Oceanside, California with her husband Brian Schultz, and young son, Johnny (he begins kindergarten this Fall). Johnny is named after Shemekia’s dad, blues legend Johnny Clyde Copeland. True to the blues Shemekia has had her toughest times in recent years. Last June she was diagnosed with kidney cancer. They removed 20% of her kidney. She feels fine and " I'm just going to hope and pray that that's the case with me (not recurring)". Last year Shemekia was about to board the ship in Fort Lauderdale as part of the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise when she tested positive for COVID. Shemekia was quarantined at a hotel in Florida " my first extended little trip". This summer, 2022, the so-called " voice of thunder " lost her beloved mother Sandra very unexpectedly, a huge tragedy affecting Shemekia and her family.
On " done come too far “you can’t escape Shemekia's brutal honesty, her intrepid social consciousness, honesty, and tenderness. Shemekia’s devilish sense of humor also shines through alongside her unmatched passion. Shemekia connects with audiences on a very personal basis, giving fans everywhere " bold and timely blues" (Wall Street Journal).
" This album was made by all sides of me - happy, sad, silly, irate - they're all a part of who I am and who we all are. I'm not political. I'm just talking about what's happening in this country. Once my son was born, I became even more committed to making the world a better place. On " America's Child “, " Uncivil War " and now "Done Come Too Far”, I've been trying to put the " United " back into the United States. Friends, family and home, these things we all value".
"When people tell me about how my songs affect their lives, that means everything to me. I love that ".
Let's check out some of the incredibly affecting tracks on this deeply personal release:
Cedric Burnside steps in with his award-winning Mississippi Hill Country blues guitar on " done come too far" ; Shemekia defiantly proclaims - "If you think we're stopping , you got it wrong " on "Too Far To Be Gone " , featuring guest artist and slide guitar wizard Sonny Landreth ; 'Pink Turns To Red " decries the gun violence epidemic in the United States ; Shemekia shares a brutally honest conversation between mother and son , the dark reality of a Black woman surviving an encounter with the police - Charles Hodges , famed member of the Hi Rhythm Section is brilliantly featured on B-3 organ ; "The Dolls Are Sleeping" deals with child abuse ; "Gullah Geechee " is a history lesson about black culture in South Carolina ; "Barefoot in Heaven " is a beautifully moving and hopeful interpretation of a Ray Wylie Hubbard classic ; and there is the heart-felt tribute to her father , the "Texas Twister" , Johnny Clyde Copeland , " Nobody But You" , written by Johnny himself.
Shemekia’s sly sense of humor, and her devilish sense of fun, are front and center on tracks like " Fried Catfish and Bibles " and the autobiographical "Fell in Love with A Honkey" - " Oh, my God. So, what's funny about this song is it is not about my husband at all, because my husband is a metalhead. He's not long and lean. He's not any of those things. So, he laughed his ass off about it. The only thing that is true is that he is white. But other than that, the rest of it is he's not a country man. It makes it a whole lot funnier. It's all about fun and being funny, and at first John was like, " I don't want to do this”. I said, " No, we're doing this. We're already breaking all the rules, so let's continue to break some".
On " done come too far " Shemekia kicks the blues firmly in the ass and gives listeners another commanding, jaw-dropping performance that ignites conversations that need to be had. Shemekia brings down the walls that hold us back, setting off plenty of sparks, daring to strike hard at our social devils and serpentine prejudices. You have a real sense of admiration for this award-winning singer who continues to grow and mature as an artist. Shemekia gathers people together for the better. "Done come too far " is a remarkable achievement that will land on many 2022 " Best Of " lists world-wide.