About MILTON HOPKINS

Milton Roosevelt Hopkins was born in Houston's Fifth Ward on January 30, 1934. His first musical influence was a local gospel quartet, in particular, and numerous bands in his neighborhood in Trinity Gardens. He picked up an old guitar that had 4 rusty strings and was hanging on a nail on the back porch. It wasn't long before he formed a band with other aspiring neighborhood musicians. One of the first gigs found Johnny "Guitar Watson" sitting in. This would be the beginning of a career that led Milton to play with many great Blues, R & B and Jazz artists.

Throughout his career his talent and work ethic brought him to the attention of many, many great artists such as Little Richard, who formed a band with Milton and Grady Gaines called the Tempo Toppers in 1950. While creating Rock and Roll history, Milton did not feel comfortable with the wilder side of the band so he quit in 1952. Mr. Hopkins has always stayed away from the drinking and drugs that so many people associate with the world of music. His hero was Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and he wanted to stay true to the style of his guitar idol.

By 1953, the legendary Don Robey formed Peacock Records and Milton was recruited to do session work with some gospel groups they were recording. There he met his first "teacher", Joe Scott, who taught him to various chords and where to play them which would form the basis of his distinctive rhythmic style. He soon went on the road with the late, great Johnny Ace and Willie Mae "big Mama" Thornton. The death of Johnny Ace found him back in Houston in 1954.

In 1956, Milton Hopkins was drafted into the Army where he was trained as a mechanic while stationed in El Paso. The Following year he returned to Houston and was ready to use his new training but there were no jobs available in a time of segregation. He continued playing the music and had the opportunity to play with his musical hero, Gatemouth Brown. Things were on the upswing and he reunited with Grady Gaines joining The Upsetters. The Upsetters soon became one of the premier R&B/Rock & Roll bands in the country and were the band of choice for performers such as Same Cooke, Jackie Wilson and the Drifters. Barry Gordy was starting Motown Records in Detroit and tried to convince Milton to join his studio band - a decision Milton regrets declining.

Milton left the Upsetters in 1963 and wound up in San Francisco. He met Lewis Madison, an original member of James Brown's band the Famous Flames. He also worked briefly with Marvin Gaye and Lou Rawls. One night he was asked to substitute for the guitarist for Sly Stone's band playing blues. He knew then that as much as he loved Jazz and Rhythm and Blues, the Blues was his true musical path.

In 1971, he ran into B.B. King who remembered him from his days with the Upsetters and asked Milton to join the band. For the next 8 years Milton Hopkins was B.B.'s rhythm guitar player and traveled around the world with the premier blues band of his era.

Milton Hopkins had a famous cousin named Sam "Lightnin" Hopkins. Lightnin' Hopkins was one of the most famous bluesmen in the world but usually played solo. Unfortunately, Milton only had the chance to play with his famous cousin once during his days in San Francisco. He saw him again later when they shared a dressing room in London but their paths seemed to move in different directions, leaving few chances for collaboration.

Milton Hopkins has been featured in Living Blues magazine and has a Houston Blues Society Lifetime Achievement Award. He has long been recognized as Houston's best rhythm guitarist and, among the people who know him, as a great human being.