"Brad Hooper may not have been born with a guitar in his hand and a harmonica in his mouth as Arlo Guthrie claims, but he sings of laughter and loss with all of his heart. When people listen to Hooper’s music they will hear the truth from a soul that’s just a deeper shade of blue." Jackie Rybeck - Advertiser Democrat
Here is what The Phoenix had to say about Hooper's newest CD, Memories & Mileage: …there are some fine performances. "The opener, 'Sinkin' Kind of Feelin',' is piano-fueled blues, almost dead-on Royal Albert Hall-era Clapton…
…when Hooper tells us 'if it wasn't for them blues, when I got this low, I'd have nothin' at all,' it spills out of him, like it was forced from within." - Sam Pfeifle – Portland Phoenix, August 2011
Truly one not to be pigeon-holed, the genre he works in is: High Mileage Country Blues. Musically this latitude leaves plenty of "room to move." Hooper's songs are raw and intuitive. Written with all the heat, passion and gravel that comes from years of hard mileage. Brad's ability to understand the emotion of the human experience is allowing him to reach fans spanning generations.
Hooper (Hoopah) lives in Albany Township, a small unorganized area, in the foothills of the Wht. Mtns. of Western Maine. Brad has been honing his writing and performing skills for over thirty years. He has really hit his stride and is receiving some much deserved attention.
Brad just completed a TV recording for Maine Songwriters Presents on Great Falls TV. Due to a cancellation Hooper was offered both time slots and recorded a 40 minute performance. The show is scheduled for release in December 2011but you can view the trailer on YouTube of the previously unreleased song by following the link.The full performance includes a mix of original music including songs from the new CD, Memories & Mileage (Aug. 2011), and his first compilation: Midnight at the Hilltop Hotel (2009). With the help of both Baked Beans Recording and award-winning producer Michael Rizzo with Epic Soul Music, Hooper was able to experience the "production process" and learned a ton of valuable stuff. "Working over the internet was way cool! Experiencing the new model of the music business has been a real eye-opener for me," says Hooper. Knowing this information I would expect any new material to be something incredible. Rizzo, with EpicSoul.com, feels strongly about Brad's singing and songwriting skills. Here is what he had to say:
"Living in Nashville, I was fortunate to work with hit singer/songwriters and publishers. Brad possesses the same qualities of a first-class songwriter and with a classic voice to match! There is a real [John Prine, Ry Cooter] thing going on and people need to hear it."
Michael Rizzo - Award-winning producer with EpicSoul.com (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, UNIVERSAL, DISNEY, etc.)
Memories & Mileage contains five full production numbers PLUS 14 songs from the live recording at Tucker's Music Pub in Norway. "The live recording was awesome and brought family and friends together for an intimate show," says Hooper. "A chance to invoke laughter and tears is more than any player could hope to achieve." Hooper continues, "Seeing tears of joy in my father's eyes told me I was doing the right thing pursuing music as my primary career."
This year (2011) Hooper was chosen as one of six Maine Singer/Songwriters to perform at the Weekday Music Series in Portland, ME. Staged in Post Office Plaza, in the heart of the city, the energy level and inspiration can only be described as cosmic.
The first CD, Midnight at the Hilltop Hotel, a solo effort by Hooper was well received and really set the stage for the potential of this songwriter. The songs are rich in "working man's" blues and stories. The release of Midnight, Brad's debut CD, brought positive reviews and radio play on WBLM, WCLZ and WMPG. The first live show on WMPG showed Hooper's solo abilities. The second live show he appeared with Jewel Clark and Donnie Katlin, two popular local performers. Jewel Clark is the daughter of yodeling Slim Clark, a top performer and cherished showman. "Jewel is the person who 'dragged me out of the kitchen' and back to the stage," says Hooper. "I am forever in her debt."
Hooper received a stellar review from Chris Busby, editor of The Bollard, which actually got the ball rolling. Busby offered Brad some contacts who might help him get some attention. "Chris is a righteous soul. I hope he is still in my corner now that the new material is ready," Hooper quips. "Chris told me to drop back in when the new material was ready and I owe him big time."
Hooper's daughter, Angela, took the photos for the CD cover [Out Here] on the farm in Albany. It is not often that you find an entertainer with the marketing and designing skills Brad posesses. Nearly twenty years in the newspaper business taught Hooper how to sell, package and promote his ideas. The CD case and booklet were designed personally by Brad.
The idea for the die-cut layout came to him while driving home one evening. His goal was to design something that was both environmentally and printer savvy. By working a single sheet design, that fit almost every digital and small format press, Hooper hopes to be able to pass along the knowledge to other struggling musicians. Hooper says, "The coolest thing to me was the ability to maintain little out of pocket, zero inventory and produce more at home by hand. Each CD I sell has been put together by me (or another family member).
Recent troubles, now behind him, have left Brad relentlessly determined to achieve his goal of becoming a full-time singer and songwriter. Brad has now begun performing some of the new material for his upcoming CD (fall 2011, 2012). If audience reaction to the tracks is any indication, the dream is well on its way to becoming a reality. "Fleshing out the songs based on audience feedback and input has been really cool," says Hooper. "I think the songs being worked on right now are the strongest, both musically and lyrically, to date," Hooper continues.
Working with Michael Rizzo with EpicSoul.com was a real turning point for Brad. A guest blog article, The Art of Sellable Music, brought Hooper a fresh view of both the state of the music industry and the art of songwriting. "As soon as I read the article I knew there was a place for someone like me in that brave new music world," says Hooper. "Michael wrote that it was not OK to settle for a good song, if you could make it a great song." At the time Hooper did not fully realize what that could mean. "Working a song at the level Michael requires is highly energizing," he muses. "It's like putting an old plow horse onto the race track," Hooper laughs. " Slapping his ass and telling him to giddyup."
(To be continued - )
