Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth Copeland on the Hard Commitment of Love

About this episode

Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his wife Elizabeth discuss their return to music amidst Glenn's dementia diagnosis and the enduring power of their love.

For decades, Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music went virtually unnoticed. Beginning in 1970, he released records that crossed folk, R&B, electronic music, and other genres, always seeking new territory. That changed in 2017, when his 1986 album  Keyboard Fantasies was rediscovered, ushering in renewed interest in his work. Since then, Glenn—who came out as a trans man in 2002—has toured and released new music for a growing, devoted audience. In 2024, however, he was diagnosed with dementia. While at first they thought this would be the end of his performing career, Glenn and his wife, Elizabeth Copeland, are returning to play a short run of Canadian dates and releasing a new album,  Laughter in Summer , on Feb. 6 via Transgressive Records. KEXP’s Dusty Henry speaks with the couple about returning to music in the face of Glenn’s diagnosis, the purpose and power of their work, and the love that binds them together. “I always considered that the music that I ‘wrote’ was sent to me from a higher source,” Glenn says. “You can't do that if you don't work at your craft, whatever it is. But if you do, and there's…

People in this episode

Guests: Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Elizabeth Copeland

Topics covered

• Beverly Glenn-Copeland
• Elizabeth Copeland
• music
• dementia
• love

Keywords

• Keyboard Fantasies
• Laughter in Summer
• Transgressive Records

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Keyboard Fantasies, Laughter in Summer

Books & works: the Hard Commitment of Love, Keyboard Fantasies, Laughter in Summer

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