News & Scoops

Something New Is Happening with the Legendary Hoppers This Week

NASHVILLE, TENN. (August 23, 2010) – THE HOPPERS, one of Gospel music’s most acclaimed and awarded family recording artists, have just completed an all-new studio recording entitled SOMETHING'S HAPPENING (Spring Hill Music), which will hit the streets August 24th. The new release, produced and arranged by legendary composer and producer Lari Goss, has been in the works for nearly two years.

“When you are in the studio, you’re always trying to make sure you are getting it right,” describes soprano Kim Hopper. “Singing before an audience is entirely different. When on stage, you want to paint pictures for the audience as you sing. This recording process gave us a chance to go in and re-do what we had recorded based on what we found worked live. We changed the flow of lines and were able to capture on the recording something closer to what we do in concert.”

The group has captured some unique moments on the new release, which includes songs penned by Bill Gaither, Rusty Golden, Dianne Wilkinson, Joel Lindsey, Tony Wood, Kyla Rowland, Nancy Harmon, Larry Hinson and Gerald Crabb among others. One of those stand-out moments is Connie’s collaboration with Goss on the title cut.

“We had listened to the song ‘Something’s Happening,’” adds Connie. “Kim liked it. Lari loved it but said that it needed something between the verses—something describing what’s going on. He said, ‘Connie, why don’t you go write that?’ This is what we came up with.”

“Lari is a well that never runs dry,” describes Dean. “He pieces the story together regardless of the style of song and has such knowledge. He is constantly thinking from the top to the bottom of the process…seeing the song from beginning to end. It’s like God’s given him a three-dimensional view into a song with the heart that he has in each stroke of the pen while writing arrangements.”

One of the unique vocal arrangements on the release is “Living in the Arms of Mercy,” which finds drummer Mike Hopper behind the microphone, taking the high part alongside Dean and Kim for an unexpected blend from this family. “Nobody’s Too Bad or Too Good” features a solo from Dean and Kim’s daughter Karlye. Group patriarch Claude Hopper is featured on a re-make of the classic “I Know Who Holds Tomorrow.” The group also joins artists Greater Vision, The Booth Brothers and Legacy Five for the song “Statement of Faith,” a song recorded collaboratively and released by each of the groups on their individual recordings in addition to being released into the choral market through LifeWay.

The release of Something’s Happening falls on the heels of the successful launch of THE GAITHER GOSPEL SERIES: THE BEST OF THE HOPPERS (Gaither Music Group). The DVD soared to #2 on Billboard’s video chart while the CD entered the Billboard Heatseeker chart at #4. Additionally, the CD entered the Nielsen SoundScan Southern Gospel chart at #1 and the Contemporary Christian chart at #10.

The Hoppers maintain a heavy touring schedule, performing on the Gaither Homecoming stage, at the National Quartet Convention (over 60,000 attendees), the Great Western Gospel Music Fan Festival (8-9,000 attendees), at the Cove and at Singing in the Sun in addition to around 150 dates annually.

SOMETHING'S HAPPENING, available through EMI CMG Distribution, will be available at online outlets, including iTunes and Amazon.com among others, and also in retail stores where Christian music is sold. For further information regarding The Hoppers, visit http://www.thehoppers.com