Birthed and raised by a singer and a guitarist, his exposure to music began from the crib. "My whole family (Mum, Dad, and three sisters) all sang. Dad would play guitar and Mum and my sisters would all take a harmony. Dad used to yodel, in fact, he sang on a radio show called ‘The Cowboy Swing Show’ and got offered a tour around Australia for two years with a rodeo. Unfortunately he knocked back the offer as he and Mum had just had their first child and Dad was just made foreman at his workplace. When I was 10 Dad taught me to play the guitar, so at least by the time I was thirteen or so I could stand up at the back of the stage at the ‘Hooper Family Shows’ and strum along."
Along with his parents, his attraction to country music was furthered by exposure to the songs of Johnny Cash, Jim Reeves, and Slim Whitman, mostly that is. "My first song was ’Banks of the Ohio’ by Olivia Newton John. Not sure why I learned that one." Danny says, thinking back to his earlier years. "I guess it was an easy song for me to learn the guitar with. As I entered my teens I found John Denver and he taught me a whole stack of new chords."
Danny's wife and mother of his three children, Lea, whose emotional response to his singing 'You’re The One For Me' at age 18, truly fueled his passion for music. They came together as a couple to sing and won awards for Best Duo and went on to record an album in 1992, entitled 'Talkin’ Bout Love.'
One of Danny's biggest hopes is to become known throughout Australia for his own, original music. With the release of his debut solo album, 'The Legacy' in 2007, and making it onto the Top 100 Country Hits chart he's well on his way to attaining his dream.
"Without a doubt, the coolest thing so far has been taking my raw songs to my producer Rod McCormack, and witnessing some of Australia’s greatest musicians putting themselves into them. My songs were taken to a much greater height than I imagined. People sing along to my songs at my gigs. That’s cool!!!" he enthuses. "It feels good to know I have some material out there that will be around long after I’m gone. To me, it’s also about leaving something behind for people to remember me by. It would be a shame to die and have my headstone read,” Danny Hooper, 1965 – 2050, and the dash (-) meaning nothing.”
Along this road to fame he plans to stop to aid those along its wayside. "I’m looking into setting up some drought relief concerts throughout South Australia. It’s pretty shocking over here at the moment, in fact, it’s bad everywhere."
For Danny, songwriting is more than just a job or a hobby, it is a way to express what he feels and thinks. "I can say things in a song that I would find quite difficult to say normally. I am inspired in different ways. I write songs about things I see and feel. My will to achieve my dreams and goals comes from a much deeper source, which I can’t completely identify. Maybe it’s because Dad had a chance and didn’t take it. I want no regrets."
| written by Joshua Schrader
