Jimmy Hopper Sings Your Songs

When National Enquirer invited readers to meet "the hottest unknown performer in America," it was only a matter of time before Jimmy Hopper would make his Journey of the Heart one which would reach far beyond his popularity in the showrooms and other major venues of Las Vegas. His interim move to the Big Apple provided numerous opportunities to tour nationwide while writing the music and score for the animation project and Broadway musical, The Day There Was No More Music, touted by some to be the next Lion King. The animation version is currently in production stages. Jimmy Hopper Becoming one of the most sought after concert and performance-show entertainers started long before Las Vegas. Jimmy Hopper began singing at the age of three at the top of his lungs from the back-yard swing in Virginia with his audience of six siblings. His mother tells the story that the neighbors would come out to listen and remind her that "He has the voice of an angel...he’ll grow up to be a singer." Prophetic words indeed. At age four, he asked for his first guitar and immediately taught himself how to play. By age 12, he was performing in teen clubs in Hawaii where he and his family resided during his father’s military service. After high school, the business college education in court stenography quickly lost its luster. At age 20, Jimmy decided to have a serious musical career, beginning with his self-taught piano techniques. To this day, he’s never really had a musical lesson, though his multi-talents in singing, writing, piano, and guitar often amaze the musically-degreed members of his band. Fast forward through years of performances and his numerous jingles written for television and radio to the late 1980s, when Jimmy developed a nodule on his vocal chords from having sung rock and roll through the years. After the surgical talents of Frank Sinatra’s doctor and the eight weeks required to forego singing, Jimmy secured vocal training from Darlene Romano, an opera teacher who taught him "proper technique" but, as Jimmy aptly states, "didn’t mess with my style." The two years of training increased his range to an astounding five octaves. His journey continued, from San Francisco in the late 90s where he was awarded "Pop Vocalist of the Year" by the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra, to Las Vegas in 1998. Interestingly enough, it was his first year at the Rio Hotel that he began singing opera. One music critic provided the most apt description when he said, "Hopper is Freddie Mercury meets Andréa Bocelli." The white spiked hair is startling in contrast to the strong opera vocals which flow from his lips, when in the next breath he takes on symphonic rock that brings the house down. The rest of the story is rave reviews—from the four years as the Bellagio’s headliner in Las Vegas, to engagements across the country from Harrah’s Lake Tahoe to New England’s Big E music festival to the Hoku Amphitheatre in Kona, Hawaii. Additional accolades in Las Vegas included "Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year" by Gaming Today and "Performer of the Year" by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Currently the Island Hotel in Newport Beach, California remains his home base while touring the United States with his trio, full band, or full band/orchestra as the journey continues in performance arts centers, corporate retreats, casinos and resorts, and numerous other travel destinations. Throughout his career, Jimmy’s two daughters have clearly been the love focus of his life. His oldest daughter, Brittney, is a News Reporter on the West Coast, and his younger, Priscilla, red-headed and now age nine, loves life. Her innocent and endearing comments make their way into her father’s stage show nightly, known to his audience as "Priscillaisms." Jimmy Hopper delivers a high-energy inimitable evening drawing fans of all ages. He sings the soundtrack of our lives in perfect pitch. As Ron Taft of Ron Taft Productions/Los Angeles summed it up, "Jimmy Hopper…the most amazing voice you’ll ever love!"