kˈoʊplənd bɪɡˈæn hɪz kɚɹˈɪɹ ɪnðə mjˈuːzɪk ˈɪndʌstɹi wɪððə hˈɛlp ʌv hɪz bɹˈʌðɚ mˈaɪlz, fˈɜːst æz ɐ tˈʊɹ mˈænɪdʒɚ fɔːɹ wˈɪʃboʊn ˈæʃ, ænd ðˈɛn æz ɐ bˈʊkɪŋ ˈeɪdʒənt ɪn lˈʌndən æt dʒˈɑːn ʃˈɛɹi ˈɛntɚpɹˌaɪzᵻz, wˌɛɹ hiː dɪskˈʌvɚd ðɪ ˈævɹɪdʒ wˈaɪt bˈænd ænd ˈʌðɚɹ ˈɑːɹɾɪsts.
Copeland began his career in the music industry with the help of his brother Miles, first as a tour manager for Wishbone Ash, and then as a booking agent in London at John Sherry Enterprises, where he discovered the Average White Band and other artists.