About Us

It all started with a dream. A desire to play authentic American Blues Music
with all the heart felt passion and conviction with which was conceived.
It became a reality when same souls came together and
called themselves "Big Daddy and The Hoodoo Men."

Don "Big Daddy" Gopp has over 40 years experience playing
blues guitar. Including a role as a driving force behind the late,
West Memphis, Bluesman Otis Trotter and his "Smokers."
Don has been fortunate enough to also share the stage over the years
with such greats as Albert Collins, Son Seals, Robert Lockwood, Jr.,
Luther Allison, Rod Piaza, John Hammond, Jr., and Johnny Winter.

Big Daddy had a vision to drive folks along a musical journey from
deep in the Mississippi Delta up Highway 61 through all the small towns and
cotton plantations where the blues were born. His dream takes
side trips over the bridge to West Helena on down to New Orleans, then
back up north to Chicago with stops in Memphis and St. Louis.
Eavesdropping in on every little juke house along the famed highway!

In fact this dream has become reality.
American Dream Safari Tours, of Memphis, owned and operated
by Tad Pierson now uses "Big Daddy & The Hoodoo Men's" CD "Delta Ghosts"
in rotation for the "Delta Day Trip." be sure to visit:
http://www.americandreamsafari.com

This band formed out of fateful serendipity. Big Daddy reunited with master
bass player Dave "Z-man" Zagar, who crossed his path some 25 years ago.
Dave has an extensive and very colorful musical
background also spanning over 30 years including such bands as
"Hammer Damage," "The Rubber City Rebels," and the "Top Kats."
Z-man is the real deal, a man deeply in love with the blues who
possesses a no nonsense, straight-ahead mind set.

Big Daddy and Z-man had a common goal to be the best and
most authentic blues band performing today. They simply wanted
to "cut heads" and
wanted a band that could deliver!

To add to this bubblin' cauldron of "Blues Hoodoo" the band has
been fortunate enough to find a very fine harp player and vocalist,
"Mighty" Mark Wymer! Mark is every bit as passionate about
the blues as BD, Z-Man and Steady-Rollin' are. You just have to see Mark in
action with the band to understand the fire he ignites!

To finish off this brew, the boys discovered the perfect drummer
to compliment Z-man's percussive vision of a rhythm section.
Spanning over 35 years behind the kit, Mark "Steady Rollin" Grace,
brings to the table experience in several genres of music.
His diversified background made, Mark the obvious choice for
this band. . . a perfect fit!

Mark has also had the pleasure of playing behind Bo Diddley
for a time. Now Mark takes his rightful place as a "Hoodoo Man."
Mark "Steady Rollin" Grace is without a doubt a drummer's drummer.

The band takes its influences from such original masters as
Robert Johnson, Son House, Sonny Boy Williamson (1 and 2),
Albert King, Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Jr. Wells, Jimmy Reed,
Paul Butterfield, B.B., and many, many others.

Rehearsed for over a year, and now playing live for over five and a
half years, one CD and opening for national acts like
Johnny Winter, Michael Hill's Blues Mob, Jimmy Thackery & The Driver's
and The Fabulous Thunderbirds
"Big Daddy and The Hoodoo Men" are a blues force to be reckoned with!

A fine mixture of blues classics and original material truly casts a
wicked spell over anyone who lends an ear and leaves them
clamoring for more!