Bubba Hopkins, a 17-year-old from Oklahoma, became interested in country music at an early age due to the influence of his grandparents, the late Robert "Moss" Thompson and Donna Thompson. When Bub was two years old, he began playing a plastic guitar with them at various jam sessions. When he was three, he and his plastic guitar made their debut at the Bluegrass Festival held at Powderhorn Park in Langley, Oklahoma.
At Powderhorn Park, Bub met Noel and Doris Peavler from Oklahoma City. Noel had recently begun playing the fiddle and would spend hours jamming with Bub and his plastic guitar. When Bub was six and had played with Noel for three years, he decided he wanted to play the fiddle. He discussed his decision with J.C. Broughton, a national champion from Sapulpa, Oklahoma. When J.C. told him he would need a 3/4-size fiddle to start, Bub immediately began checking the vendors at the festival to see if one was available. He found one for $75 and agreed to buy it with money saved from his allowance if his parents would pay for lessons. Everyone in the family agreed that the $75 would likely be money wasted, but he bought that fiddle!
In October of 1995, Bub began taking Suzuki violin lessons from Ruth Wilson, a classical violinist from Tulsa. Ms. Ruth gave him a great start. He would play Allegretto and Andantino with her then come home and play Old Joe Clark and Cripple Creek with Pop or back Nan while she sang Sweet Thing. Bub continued the Suzuki lessons for nine months until his family moved from Tulsa to Spavinaw.
In October of 1996, Bub met Monte Gaylord, a real fiddler, and began lessons with him. Monte had the ability to take Bub's Suzuki training, his ear for music, and his desire to learn and teach him tunes like Sally Johnson, Chancellor's Waltz, and Dill Pickle Rag. After fifteen months with Monte, Bub was fiddling! When Monte was offered a touring position with Clint Black, he connected Bub with Dave Gaylord his younger brother. In January of 1998, Bub began lessons with Dave at his home in Vinita, Oklahoma. Dave taught him tunes like Sally Goodin', Don't Love Nobody, Martin's Waltz, Dusty Miller, and Gray Eagle before accepting a position with Alan Jackson. In the spring of 2003, Bub began lessons with Matt Wyatt of Independence, Missouri, learning tunes like Fort Smith, Choctaw, Whoa Mule, Forked Deer, Wednesday Night Waltz, Durang's Hornpipe, and many more.
Well-known fiddler, Jana Jae has encouraged and inspired Bub. He has attended several workshops sponsored by Jana, played with her at various Grove activities, and opened for the Kountry Kuzins at her urging. Bub was honored in 1998 as a "Youth Star of Tomorrow" at the Grand Lake Pelican Fest in Grove due to Jana's influence. At one of Jana's events, Bub met members of the Northeast Chapter of the Oklahoma Fiddlers' Association and began attending their monthly meetings. The chapter awarded him a scholarship to assist with his lessons. In April of 1999, Bub was honored to play a tribute to Bob Wills on the floor of the House of Representatives at the Oklahoma State Capitol. He also received a scholarship to study with Matt from the Oklahoma Bluegrass Association in 2003.
Fiddlers of all ages have played important roles in Bub's continued improvement: Justin Branum, J.C. Broughton, Eric Campbell, Sam Fields, Dave Gaylord, Monte Gaylord, Jana Jae, Frankie Kelly, Kyle Link, Junior and Cody Marriott, John Masters, Rick Morton, Noel Peavler, Fred and Alita Stoneking, Matt Wyatt, and members of the Northeast Chapter of the Oklahoma Fiddlers' Association. He has found that fiddlers love sharing the tradition and are happy to assist him.
In addition to playing the fiddle, Bub plays the alto sax in the Adair High School Band under the direction of Richard Newhart and was selected as a member of the 2002, 2003, and 2004 Mid-Eastern Oklahoma Band Directors Association (MEOBDA) Honor Band and the 2003 and 2004 Northeast Band Directors Association Honor Band (NBDA). His late grandfather, gave him his first guitar lessons on the "river-bottom blues." His grandmother, a long-time vocalist, sings for Bub so that he can learn to play back-up guitar and he has taken piano lessons from Janice Due.
Bubba is the 2005 Oklahoma State Fiddle Champion and a two-time Oklahoma Junior State Fiddle Champion and has placed in contests throughout Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kansas, Tennessee, Illinois, and Idaho. His musical goals are to encourage other children:
