Ahead of the trans musician’s gig in Dublin on Tuesday October 7th, a look at how a pioneer was rediscovered late in life.
In the 80s, Beverly Glenn-Copeland was more well known as a children’s entertainer than a pioneering artist.
When not starring as Mr. Dressup in the Canadian children’s programme of the same name or writing for Sesame Street, Glenn-Copeland made albums of folk-jazz, soft rock and contributed vocals to the records of singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn among others.
A synth and a drum machine
In the mid-80s, Glenn-Copeland got a Yamaha DX7 keyboard and a Roland TR-707 drum machine and started making a record with only those instruments and his voice, at his home in Ontario.
The limitations of the recording resulted in one of the most serene and joyful ambient albums of the decade, Keyboard Fantasies.
Except no-one heard it.
The album’s gentle synthesizers and marimba-style percussion were inspired by Buddhist ideals of peace and solitude and the music’s meditative mood allowed new age awakened vocals to come to the fore.
The opening track – ‘Ever New’ is a contender for one of the most beautiful heartening songs you’ll ever hear – a song that blooms and arrives like a newborn baby into a gentle world, with the wise and wizened sounding vocal from Glenn-Copeland.
Welcome the spring,
the summer rain
Softly turn to sing again
Welcome the bud,
the summer blooming flowerWelcome the child whose hand I hold
Welcome to you, both young and old
We are ever new
We are ever new
The album’s gentle minimalist lullabies offer an arc of comfort as on ‘Winter Astral’, are filled with glistening synths on ‘Let Us Dance’ and the percussive extraterrestrial expression of ‘Sunset Village’ with its encouraging lyrics “let it come, let it go down, it’s OK,” is a worry-relieving reverie.
Released in 1986 to no critical acclaim, Keyboard Fantasies sunk without a trace. Glenn pressed 200 copies. 50 were sold.
After years toiling privately, becoming a Buddhist and identifying as transgender much later in life, here the story took another turn.
Reissues
A discerning Japanese collector Ryota Masuko wrote to Glenn-Copeland requested any remaining copies of his long out-of-print work in 2015.
The new age electronica of Keyboard Fantasies was suddenly in demand on various independent labels, leading to a 35th anniversary edition on UK Transgressive Records in 2021.
His first tour
The surge of first-time interest lead the septuagenarian artist to tour Europe with his much-younger band Indigo Rising, which is lovingly documented in Posy Dixon’s 2019 film Keyboard Fantasies.
Further albums
This wholesome rediscovery of Glenn-Copeland’s artistry lead to Reimagined – a compilation of covers of his work from contemporary peers like Blood Orange, Julia Holter, Kelsey Lu and Bon Iver.
In 2023, a new album The Ones Ahead brings some of the healing energy of Keyboard Fantasies alongside a piano-lead paean to his wife on ‘Harbour (Song For Elizabeth’) and spiritual hymnals of love, life and resilience. The same year Romy of the xx sampled Glenn on ‘Enjoy Your Life’ from their debut album Mid-Air.
In 2024, Glenn re-recorded ‘Ever New’ with Sam Smith for Red Hot’s compilation album TRAИƧA in celebration of trans musicians, the same year that Beverly Glenn-Copeland was diagnosed with dementia, as he told The Guardian.
“We are actively asking the universe to show us where is the life here,” he told The Guardian, sharing the news.
Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s story is a heartening one – a life lived in the shadows, suddenly spotlit into his ’80s, as a moving piece of art is rediscovered and appraised for the first time, leading to a creative life that Glenn previously thought unimaginable. The universe has answered.
Glenn-Copeland is currently on touring performing tracks from his acclaimed 2023 album The Ones Ahead as well as fan favourites from across his career, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth Copeland.
Beverly Glenn-Copeland live in Dublin
The tour arrives in Dublin next Tuesday October 7th for a show at Button Factory. Tickets from €47.80 from Ticketmaster.
Doors 18:30pm | Show start 20:00 | No support
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
