My interests in playing music have been with me since I was about twelve or thirteen. The first time I heard my older brother play his Buddy Holly, and Elvis records I had the itch to create my own music. My first instrument was drums…..I take that back I had a couple of drums sticks and a tin waste paper can turned upside down that I used as a drum for about a year. I finally save up enough money and bought a snare drum and began practicing on it everyday. Eventually I had a complete set and began searching for other musicians to start a group. Once I got into high school I found some guys that wanted to form a group and go out and do gigs. I can’t remember if we were any good, all I know is we had a great time whenever we played somewhere. The band "Alva J and the Travelers" were together all through my high school years. After I graduated we all made an attempt to do something more with our music, but had no idea how to go about it. A little more than a year after graduating I got drafted into the Army. It was Vietnam time and I was worried I was going to get stuck into that mess whether I liked it or not. While in the Army I had no place to play drums so I decided to take up playing guitar. I’d had a little experience playing guitar but I wasn’t much good at it. The one good thing about being in the Army, you have a lot of time to do things after your work day is over. I spent most of my free time perfecting my guitar skills by playing and singing the popular folk songs of that time. About a year into being a soldier I was told I was going to Vietnam. Around the same time I enter a talent show on post as a folk singer.  Oddly enough I took first place in the competition.  Little did I know by winning this contest my soldiering duties would changed dramatically.   I would now be involved with the other winners of the talent contest to prepare a show and go on tour.   The important thing about winning meant I’d be away from my normal duties for at least four months and also my trip to Nam would be canceled. 

After leaving the military I couldn’t wait to get into another band and I pursued every opportunity I could to find some musicians to work with.   Drums were no longer my instrument and I continued to work on my guitar and singing skills.  During my twenties I went on the road as a lounge lizard playing night clubs and hotels around the country.   A true working musician or so I thought.  The insanity that went along with this life style eventually made me to decide to leave the road and pursue a normal life.  

My departure from the music business was only temporary.  About six months after I left the road I teamed up with Jim VanAcker and we formed the “Blue Collar Band.”   For the next twenty-seven years I was working weekends playing bar gigs or for whoever would hire us.  In 1998 the band recorded a CD titled “Champagne.”   It was a lot of fun working with this band, but like all good things they eventually end.  

My preference in music changed and I concentrated on doing an acoustic act and writing my own music.  Writing music was something I really enjoyed….the creativity and the ability to express my own ideas and to record them was great.  I recorded a CD “It’s Not The Way I Planned It” with me basically playing most of the instruments.  I did have some help from fellow musicians Ellis Kell, Buddy Olson, John Burchett, and Rick Maddelein on some guitar and mandolin parts.

Currently I’m doing an acoustic act singing and working with “The Whoozdads” an acoustic band.  I continue to write music and am planning to record a CD with The Whoozdads in the future.

                                                                                     Tony Hoeppner

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