Brian Copeland’s Bay Area radio career included more than a quarter-century as a host on KGO Radio. Before he hosted The Brian Copeland Show, he was heard in regular guest appearances on The Alex Bennett Show on Live 105, with Sam Van Zandt on KNEW‘s Sunday Funnies, and a guest host of The Blazy and Bob Show on KOME.
Copeland was a fixture on Bay Area television as well, anchoring segments on KTVU’s Mornings On 2, hosting there Emmy Award-winning 7 Live on KGO-TV, and hosting Now Brian Copeland on KNTV.
He is also an award-winning actor, comedian, author and playwright.
Raised in San Leandro, Copeland began his standup comedy career at age 18, appearing at venues in San Francisco. He would soon find himself touring the country, opening for legendary artists such as Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and Ray Charles.
In 2004, Copeland debuted his first one-man play, Not a Genuine Black Man, at the Marsh in San Francisco. The play explored his childhood experiences as a member of one of the only Black families living in the then-94% white suburb of San Leandro. His tale of laughter, tears, and sociology went on to become the longest-running solo show in San Francisco theatrical history with over 1,000 performances. Copeland would later publish a book based on the play.
Copeland’s first crime fiction novel, Outraged, was released in 2024 and was nominated for the prestigious McCavity Award for Best First Mystery. Its follow up, Shadows of Justice, was released in April 2025.
Congratulations to you, Brian on a great career!