Copeland

alternative rock · indie rock

Copeland is an alternative and indie rock band from Lakeland, Florida, formed in 2001 by singer, pianist and producer Aaron Marsh with bassist James Likeness; guitarist Bryan Laurenson joined the same year. The band is known for lush arrangements, keyboard-heavy textures and abstract, emotive lyrics rather than for volume. Its debut Beneath Medicine Tree appeared on The Militia Group in 2003, followed by In Motion in 2005 on the same label, Eat, Sleep, Repeat on Columbia in 2006 and You Are My Sunshine on Tooth & Nail in 2008; a compilation, Dressed Up & in Line, was issued in 2007. Likeness left in 2007. Bryan Laurenson's brother Stephen toured with the group as a guitarist and keyboardist from 2006 and became a full member at the reunion. Drummers have included Rusty Fuller from 2001 to 2004 and Jonathan Bucklew from 2005 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2015. Copeland played a farewell tour and disbanded in 2010, then reunited in April 2014 and released Ixora that year on Academy Fight Song, following it with Blushing on February 14, 2019. In 2022 the band issued Revolving Doors, a set of songs drawn from across its catalog and rebuilt with strings, and performed with the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra at The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee. The current lineup is Marsh on lead vocals, keyboards, piano and guitar, Bryan Laurenson on lead guitar and Stephen Laurenson on rhythm guitar and keyboards, with touring players filling out the rhythm section. Marsh has remained in Lakeland, where he runs the Vanguard Room studio and produces other artists. In its earlier years the band toured with Daphne Loves Derby, The Spill Canvas and Melee and played the Cornerstone Florida festival from 2004 to 2006; more recently it has programmed intimate, seated evenings alongside conventional club dates.

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