Shemekia Copeland

In spite of her young age, Shemekia Copeland is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to the blues. While still in her 20s, she has opened for the Rolling Stones, headlined at the Chicago Blues Festival, scored critics choice awards on both sides of the Atlantic, and shared the stage with such luminaries as Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Taj Mahal and John Mayer.

Copeland’s passion for singing, matched with her huge, blast- furnace voice, gives her music a timeless power and a heart- pounding urgency. Born in Harlem in 1979, Copeland came to her singing career slowly. Her father, the late Texas blues guitar legend Johnny Clyde Copeland, recognized his daughter’s talent early on and brought her on stage to sing at Harlem’s famed Cotton Club when she was eight.

Shemekia stepped out of her father’s shadow in 1998 with her debut recording, Turn the Heat Up!, and soon after appeared in the movie Three To Tango. Her song “I Always Get My Man” was featured in the film Broken Hearts Club, and her second album, Wicked, scored three Handy Awards and a Grammy nomination.

She joined Telarc International this past February for her latest recording, Never Going Back. This new chapter in Copeland’s story represents a crossroads on her ongoing artistic journey. While she will always remain loyal to her blues roots, Never Going Back takes a more forward view of the blues, and in so doing points her music and her career in a new direction

Michael Feinstein

Michael Feinstein, one of the premiere interpreters of American popular song, has been a household name since the success of his 1988 one-man Broadway show, Isn’t It Romantic. More than a mere performer, he is nationally recognized for his commitment to the American popular song, both celebrating its art and preserving its legacy for the next generation.

Michael started playing piano by ear at the age of 5. He was introduced to Ira Gershwin in July 1977 and became his assistant for six years, granting him access to numerous unpublished Gershwin songs.

In 1998, Feinstein became a Concord Records artist. He received his fourth Grammy Award nomination for Michael Feinstein with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 2003. He went on a national tour in 2004 with songwriting icon Jimmy Webb based on their CD, Only One Life – The songs of Jimmy Webb.

His latest Grammy-nominated CD, The Sinatra Project, celebrates the musical sensibilities of “Old Blue Eyes.” Feinstein is currently preparing a PBS-TV series, “Michael Feinstein: Man On A Mission” which will air in 2010. He will also serve as the Artistic director of the Carmel Performing Arts Center, which will host an annual international Great American Songbook festival. Michael has written the score for two stage musicals and has appeared on numerous television shows. In addition, he scored the original music for the film Get Bruce.

His Manhattan nightclub, Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, has presented the top talents of pop and jazz, and he recently opened the new theater, Feinstein’s at the Shaw in London. The Library of Congress recently elected Michael to the exclusive “National Sound Recording Advisory Board.” He and other industry leaders meet regularly in Washington, D.C., for a forum on safeguarding America’s musical heritage. Louis Gossett, Jr.

Louis Gossett, Jr. is an internationally acclaimed actor, social entrepreneur, humanitarian, and a passionate advocate of civil rights and diversity. An enduring Hollywood presence for more than five decades, Mr. Gossett ranks as one of the most respected and beloved actors of our time. He is perhaps best known for his Emmy award-winning portrayal of “Fiddler” in the groundbreaking 1977 television miniseries Roots. He is also the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the hard-charging Gunnery Sgt. Emil Foley in the 1982 film An Officer and a Gentleman.

Mr. Gossett was raised in Coney Island, N.Y., in an ethnically mixed neighborhood that served as the foundation for his commitment to promoting diversity and civil rights. He attended New York University on a basketball scholarship, and briefly played with the New York Knicks.

The recipient of every known acting accolade, including multiple Golden Globes, Emmys, and People’s Choice Awards, Mr. Gossett’s career has connected him with fans of all ages. The International Press Academy recently honored him with their 2008 Mary Pickford Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Entertainment Industry; he was the first African American to win the award.

Having acted in scores of movies, stage productions and television programs, Mr. Gossett has decided to dedicate the last quarter of his life to “an all-out conscientious offensive against racism.” In 2006, he founded the ERACISM Foundation which seeks to promote education and awareness of racism, ignorance and social apathy. Ronan Tynan

Ronan Tynan moves audiences like few others can. His stirring performances, especially while a member of The Irish Tenors, have brought him international fame, and his personal story of triumph in the face of adversity have made him one of the most sought-after speakers today.

Tynan has been in the national spotlight in recent years, performing at some of the most memorable events – from the 9/11 memorial services at Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden to Ronald Reagan’s funeral and President George W. Bush’s Inaugural prayer service at the National Cathedral. His rendition of “God Bless America” has been a fixture at New York Yankees games, including during the World Series.

A champion disabled athlete as well as a physician and celebrated tenor, Tynan’s life was the subject of the BBC documentary, Dr Courageous. Born with a lower limb disability, Tynan had both of his legs amputated at age 20. Within a year after the operation, he was competing in the Paralympic Games – both in track and field and as an equestrian. Between 1981 and 1990, Tynan won 18 gold medals and set 14 world records, nine of which are still in place today.

Tynan was the first disabled person ever admitted to Limerick’s National College of Physical Education and became a doctor specializing in orthopedic sports injuries. He then set his sights on yet another goal. Less than one year after he began studying music, Tynan won both the John McCormack Cup for Tenor Voice and the BBC talent show Go For It. The following year, he won the prestigious International Operatic Singing Competition in France.

From sold-out concerts to speaking engagements around the world, Tynan’s career knows no bounds. In 2002, he starred in a PBS concert, Ronan Tynan: The Impossible Dream; published his memoir, Halfway Home: My Life ‘Til Now; and came out with his first solo CD, My Life Belongs to You. Tynan’s message is as humble as it is empowering. “You can mentally make your mind strong enough to overcome any obstacles that come your way. Make a deal with yourself to take risks, because when you do and they come out, it’s an unforgettable feeling of accomplishment.”