Bio & Background to “Somethin’ ‘Bout That”
“The first time Pat Roper came into my office,” recalls Lofton Creek Records President Mike Borchetta, “I felt I was in the presence of a star. My fascination continued after I heard his first version of his current single, ‘Somethin’ “Bout That.’ He’s good looking, his voice is fresh and real country and his personality is genuine. He has all the ingredients to succeed in today’s country music marketplace.”
Adds the enthusiastic Borchetta, “’Somethin’ ‘Bout That’ is a simple, refreshing and fun country song that fills the need for radio’s summer airplay list. All you have to do is listen, and I guarantee Pat Roper will rope you in.”
In “Somethin’ ‘Bout That,” Roper sings about a sleepy, riverside village “that didn’t make the map,” a place a lot like his native Hazlehurst, Mississippi. “Naturally, that’s part of why I was attracted to the song,” he explains. “Hazlehurst’s a small town. It did make the map, but just barely. I grew up as a country boy and didn’t have a hope in the world of being anything else.”
After years of sharpening his act in Nashville’s most-demanding clubs, Roper has at last emerged as one of the most exciting voices of his generation.
“I grew up playing on the riverbank, just like in the song, and riding down dirt roads,” Roper says. “I was a big Kenny Rogers fan when I was six. Then there was George Strait, the Bellamy Brothers, Garth Brooks, Vern Gosdin and Keith Whitley. I still can’t get enough of any of those guys. “
At Mississippi State University, Roper fell under the musical sway of classmate Dave Moore, a locally renowned performer, whom he remembers as “a phenomenal singer, guitarist and mentor.” After graduating, Roper went to work as office manager for a large construction company, a job that took him from Baton Rouge to Carthage, Missouri and finally Roanoke, Virginia. In each city, he became a fixture singing in local clubs. “It was in Roanoke that the bug just bit me,” he says. “I was playing three or four nights a week. Every night, several people would come up and tell me, ‘You need to go to Nashville.’ So that’s what I did.”
Roper’s songwriting friend Ben Hayslip pitched him “Somethin’ “Bout That” not long after the two began playing together on a summer league softball team. “I loved it the first time I heard it,” Roper says. (Hayslip is perhaps best known for co-writing the Jeff Bates hit “Long Slow Kisses” and Brooks & Dunn’s meteoric “Put A Girl In It.”)
When it came time to record the song, Roper drafted Hayslip and Jeff Jones to co-produce it with him. “It came out even better than we expected,” he beams. “It was just magic. Everything happened exactly like it was supposed to.”
Hey man how you doin??? Just checkin in to see how things are. Still have the open studio offer. Just updated the whole thing to a Pro-Tools HD system, it rocks....jp
THANKS FOR SIGNING MY TSHIRT THAT MY LIL BRO GOT FOR ME AT THE ROCKING THE RAILROAD FESTIVAL! I'M SURE #55 IS GONNA LOVE ME WEARING IT!!! Sorry we missed you last night , wish you could have come and hung out with us afterwards!
PAT, MUCH LOVE,MANY PRAYERS......YOU ARE ALWAYS CLOSE IN HEART. THANK YOU FOR ADDING ME AS A FRIEND.YOUR MUSIC IS WONDERFUL. ALWAYS KNOW I AM PROUD OF YOU. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU IN HIS CARE. ALWAYS,SANDRAC IN MS
MUSIC THAT MATTERS KY, VA and WV Compilation Album ALMOST COMPLETE. What an honor for us to work with the great INDY POWER while serving a cause. Its been great to see artists and fan bases unite to energize the music scene over-all while making a differance and the Music Matter!!!! 24 artists and counting as we near our mastering date on July 25th. THANK YOU
Heard you were in New Hebron last weekend. Hate we missed you!!! Hollar at us next time you're down this way. I was tellin my kids the other day that Glen & I grew up & went to school with you & they were just like NO WAY...THANKS 2 U I'M A COOL MOM NOW...LOL
Thanks for the add and droppin by my page to check out my music! I am really glad to have you as a new friend. Drop me a line anytime.I would love to hear from you! Have a wonderful evening!
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