The Bluegrass Standard - February 2023

Dean Hopper knows as well as anybody that both maturity and struggle often deepen our relationship with music. The long history of The Hoppers spans decades, and that longevity has created a solid, always-evolving devotion to faith through sound.

Hopper is the lead vocalist for this multi-generational gospel outfit that has graced the stage of Carnegie Hall, played at presidential inauguration events, and moved audiences in halls and churches across the country. His dad started the group in rural North Carolina in 1957, so Hopper grew up with gospel. Even as a little one, he was fascinated with music, even if it would take some time before he understood its role in his life and the world of gospel.

“When I was young, I wanted to play the drums,” he reminisced. “I watched from the side of the stage. I was just seven or eight years old. I was just in love with the music.” It was all about the sounds, he said.

“But as I’ve grown,” he continued, “the messages in the songs take on stronger meaning.”

It took growing up into an adult–and even more recently, facing serious illness–to further deepen his relationship with this music that infuses his family’s heart. He had a series of strokes in 2016 and 2017. Although Hopper was able to sing through it, recovering was tough.

“When you go through things,” he explained, “it has a way of re-aligning things.

Seeing as it helped transform me and my family as a whole, the ministry of the music took on more meaning.”

This wasn’t the first time struggle had added more meaning to the music of The Hoppers. His mother battled cancer long ago, and he recalls how that hardship changed her.

“That really transformed her life and my dad’s life,” Hopper said, “and the ministry of music took on a new meaning at that time.”

Today, the lineup includes Dean and his wife, Kim; his parents, Claude and Connie; his brother, Mike; and his daughter, Karlye.

Whether they’re singing about hardships or sharing joys, Hopper sounds as if he loves it all. Performing runs deep, and he thinks it’s because his father–Claude Hopper–has always had a passion that made him want to delve into “every aspect of gospel music.” The Hopper children grew up immersed in it. In addition to performing, the group’s elder patriarch was part of the creation of “Keep on Singing,” a 15-volume songbook. He also serves on the board of directors of the 19