Jay Hopp was born in Lagrange and started playing music with Gospel (drumming at first until his cousin formally introduced him to the guitar). Gospel and R&B music was very influential in his formative years. The guitar grooves and distinctive sounds always caught his ear. As he aged, Jayy Hopp expanded his musical vocabulary. He started listening closely to Jimi Hendrix’s playing style, which led him to Magic Slim, Albert Collins, Jimmy Dawkins, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Son Seals, Hubert Sumlin, Robert Ward (his uncle), and Ike Turner. Jontavious Willis enlightened him about the roots of blues and different playing styles and how they affected our various genres today. He has become more fluent in the Country Blues playing style and plays with a solid syncopation.
