Petey Hop- Blues, Rock & Americana Musician & Artist

(Published : 2026/10/07 at 6:24 pm)

Edition One – Week One; Unit 3:

Written by: Mercedes Barreto

Introduction

Petey Hop: A Lifetime of Roots, Blues, Rock & Songwriting

There is something timeless about music that comes from years of playing, writing, performing, and simply living with the craft. For New York-based musician Petey Hop, songwriting and guitar have been at the center of a musical journey that stretches across blues, Americana, rock, roots music, and singer-songwriter traditions. With a career built around both live performance and original music, Petey Hop has developed a sound that is difficult to confine to a single genre. His music draws from the expressive language of the blues while incorporating the energy of rock, the storytelling qualities of Americana, and the personal perspective of a seasoned songwriter.

His catalog reflects that diversity. His debut album Stepping Stone, originally released in 1998, introduced a collection of songs that included fan favorites such as “Mountain,” “You,” “Save Your Prayers,” and “Talk.” Years later, The Levee, produced by blues legend Duke Robillard, brought another significant chapter to his career, earning recognition from The Roots Report and reaching #3 on its Blues chart. The Levee, it also was chosen as number 30 for the top 100 blues records of 2012 by The Roots Report.

Petey has continued developing his catalog in recent years, releasing projects including 2020 Blues and Death Weather, while also revisiting older material and bringing new life to songs that have remained part of his musical journey.

Now, with a body of work that reflects decades of musical experience, Petey Hop represents the kind of independent artist whose music is shaped not simply by trends, but by an enduring relationship with songwriting, guitar, performance, and the stories that accumulate along the way.

Short Review

Petey Hop’s music feels rooted in a genuine appreciation for American musical traditions while remaining open to experimentation and personal expression. His strength lies in the way blues, rock, Americana, and roots influences can coexist naturally within his songwriting.

There is a lived-in quality to the music—something that comes from years of performing and continuing to write rather than attempting to fit neatly into one particular musical category. His guitar work provides an important foundation, but the songs themselves remain at the heart of the experience.

Projects such as The Levee demonstrate his ability to build a full roots-rock sound around his songwriting, while Death Weather offers another perspective by presenting older songs
recorded for the first time alongside his continuing musical evolution.

What ultimately makes Petey Hop interesting is that his catalog tells a story of persistence. From Stepping Stone to his more recent releases, the music documents an artist who has
continued creating, performing, recording, and exploring his craft across decades.

Q&A

Can you take us back to the beginning? What first inspired you to pick up a guitar, and start writing and performing music?

“I was inspired to pick up the guitar because we had moved up to dutchess county when I was 10 and there was no Little League baseball or Pop Warner football leagues. I was the captain of the football team the year we moved. My older brothers had a guitar and a bass but they weren’t really playing them. I picked up the guitar and gave the bass to a good friend of mine down the street. We began playing immediately, learning our favorite songs, and writing as soon as we could figure something out on our own. Writing has always been an integral part from the beginning for me. We did the usual thing high school kids do, we did the Battle of the bands, senior follies, and every party we could. Writing and performing were together right from the beginning.”

You have been making music for decades. How would you describe the journey from your earliest musical experiences to where you are today?

“My first earliest musical experiences were shaped by my six older brothers and sisters and my parents record collection. My parents were swing babies, so I was hearing big band early. My three older sisters record collection, which was more Beatles, 70’s singer-songwriter and such. My brothers were into southern rock, and harder rock and roll. Starting when I was about 14, my older brother Andy used to bring me to all the jams in Westchester county to sit in with the older semi-Pro and pro musicians. I got comfortable on stage very young.

I went to Arlington high School, so our battle of the bands had about 800 or 900 kids at those shows. They were pretty epic from a teenager’s point of view. Then I went to the musicians institute, GIT, and got to perform in LA with some bands and was signed and dropped to a few demo deals, for different reasons. I became friendly with members of Guns n’ Roses and even played on a track for Duffs first solo record, but I lost out to Jeff Beck!

Throughout my career I’ve done everything from Hell’s Angels parties to Carnegie Hall. I’ve played locally, nationally, and internationally. I’ve done weddings, bar mitzvah, christenings, birthday parties, funerals and major festivals.

I’ve been to Europe about 20 times with various people including my good friends Chris O’Leary, Mitch Woods and a few times on my own.”

Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? What do you remember about that experience?

“I don’t think I remember exactly the first song I wrote but I remember the feeling of something being created out of thin air that wasn’t there before. I have old cassettes of my very first ideas and I think they are still pretty good. Some of them wound up being finished songs, many of them not so much. To me the greatest thing over the years has become the “aha” moment when you find a thing, whether it’s a word/lyric, bridge, musical part or something, that finishes a song and brings it all together. I’ve literally felt euphoria and had chills when that happens. There have been some really great co-writing moments with friends as well. It creates a great camaraderie, and deep friendship. I figured out my writing process a number of years ago. It usually starts in the late evening into the night, nights off when I would be gigging. Those are the hours that I’m musically active so, they seem to be the most productive in a writing way. Most of my songs came out of guitar parts, then I begin to hear a melody, then a lyric, then they start coming together. I learned a long time ago that the first half an hour to hour when I pick up a guitar, are where/when most of the ideas come from. I learn to be really conscious of that time and even record lots of it. I learned later on that many people actually write from a lyric or a title. I began to write songs from a title, which is also fun. A song title can give you a feel, style, and much of what you need out of the gate. Especially for more traditional forms like blues and country. I relate songwriting to cooking. Some songs come out in 5 or 10 minutes, some songs takes years and you have to keep revisiting/revising them. Just like cooking, you can throw a steak on the grill and in less than 10 minutes have a great meal, but some things you got to put in the slow cooker and let them work their way out.”

Your music incorporates blues, Americana, rock, roots music, and singer-songwriter influences. How important is it for you to avoid being limited to one particular genre?

“I don’t know that I ever tried to “not be limited” to a particular genre in any way. I’m just a product of my influences and my environment. Songwriting just comes out of me. I listen to a lot of different types of music, and it comes out when, where and how it comes out. Being such an eclectic artist is a blessing and a curse. It enables me to play live in a lot of different styles)situations which is a blessing. The curse is that record labels and such don’t know what to do with me, or where to put me. I suppose that’s why I’ve never had a label deal or been signed.”

Where can we hear more and why should we?

“My music is on Bandcamp, and most of the streaming platforms that rob artists! We get pennies on the dollar now, that’s why I direct people to my Bandcamp page so they can buy it directly from me. Bandcamp takes the least percentage of any platform.

Obviously I still play live quite a bit, so I’m out and about and you can find my dates at the top of my Facebook page, Petey Hop. You should listen to my music because I think it has good quality, is sincere, and I have pretty much something for everybody/anybody.”

Anything to add here?

Regarding my record The Levee, it also was chosen as number 30 for the top 100 blues records of 2012 by The Roots Report.

I’ve got tons of music still to put out. That’s already written and finished, never mind new songs I’m still writing. I’m not against a record deal, so if you know anybody, help a brother out!

Questions For The Photographer

What makes Petey Hop so unique in photos, on the stage, and off the stage?

“I’ve known Pete for many years in the Hudson Valley music scene but have never had the chance to meet or work with him. I finally got the chance. He is a seasoned musician and an excellent guitarist, and his vocals match the material he performs perfectly. Speaking of the material, it is an eclectic mix of classic rock tunes that you never hear others play, but Petey does this his own way and, in some cases, much better than the original.”

How do you recommend Petey Hop, to whom, and for what?

“I highly recommend Petey if anyone is looking to hire a musician that loves what he does, and is very good at it and the audience will enjoy his selection of music very much.”

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