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Music transforms a young boy into a Piano Man
Written by Tina Thurmond
When Joshua Pope was four years old, no one in his family ever dreamed that one day he would be in a mansion playing the piano for the Governor of the state of Alabama. But at Christmas time in 2004, that’s just what he did.
The extraordinary thing is that Joshua was only 12 years old at the time.
The son of Daniel and DaLayne Pope of Dawson, Joshua has already been playing piano professionally for several years. “I started taking lessons when I was four,” Josh says. According to his parents, there really wasn’t anything about those early lessons that gave anyone a hint of what was to come for him. He played at church some, but, like any other kid, his parents had to make him practice.
He began to listen to records of the Blackwood Brothers, and really liked the style of their pianist, Jackie Marshall. Since the Blackwood Brothers had their heyday decades before Josh was born, the music was different than any other he had heard. That is where things started to turn around in the Pope household.
Josh began to take his music seriously, practicing three to four hours a day. He would listen to his dad’s old records and mimic the piano parts in the songs. By combining Jackie Marshall with a little Jerry Lee Lewis, he soon developed a style all his own.
People began to notice Josh, not just because of his young age, but because of the obvious calling on his life. He became the full-time pianist for his church, the Highway Church of God. And it wasn’t long before opportunity began to knock at his door.
Buddy and Janet Burton of Rainsville introduced Josh to Charlie Waller, a legend in Southern Gospel music. Waller was so impressed with Josh that he invited him to play at the 2004 Grand Ole Gospel Reunion, a three-day musical event that features some of the best known performers in the genre. From there, things really started to take shape in Josh’s career.
Waller offered to be his manager and book Josh around the country as a solo act. But his father had some concerns and discussed things seriously with Josh. “I told him once you give your word, you have to do it,” says Daniel Pope. “You can’t just say ‘I don’t feel like it.’ If you tell that man you will do this, you are committed to it, just the same as if you’d signed a contract.”
Josh thought about it, and told his dad that he was sure it was the right thing for him.
Soon after, Waller became his manager. “He said I needed to do a CD, so he set it all up and I did it,” Josh says. Waller then began booking appearances for him. Josh played at such events as the National Quartet Convention, the Southern Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and “Family Fest” in Gatlinburg as a guest of Bill Gaither.
Josh was also invited to play at the Governor’s mansion for the annual Christmas party. He was such a hit that the evening ended with the Governor’s family gathered around the piano while young Josh played carols for them.
“That was really fun,” he says with a shy smile. “My favorite thing I’ve done is play for the Dove Brothers.”
Josh was invited to audition for the Dove Brothers, a professional Southern Gospel group. The quartet had been started as a way to bring back the old-time Southern Gospel sound. Josh had such an incredible style and sound beyond his years that he was hired to travel with the group for eight weeks.
He traveled with the quartet to places like Pennsylvania, Missouri and Virginia, playing in concert halls to huge crowds.
It was during this time that Josh really knew what he wanted to do with his life. There was something about walking out on stage and playing in front of so many people that left a resounding impression on him.
“He understands that there is a certain element of entertainment that goes with it,” says his dad. “He’s just out there enjoying himself, and people can see that. They love to watch him, as well as listen to him.
“In fact, there were some nights where Joshua sold more CDs than the Dove Brothers did!” he adds with a laugh.
Josh’s little sister, Sarah, also enjoyed the time when he was on the road. It provided the perfect opportunity to make friends and pull jokes on her big brother. “Girls would say, ‘Oh your brother is sooo cute! Can I have his phone number?’ So I’d say ‘yeah, here’s his email address too!’” she says with a laugh.
Josh admits that for a while he was getting about 40 emails a day from girls all over the country. “Sarah answered most of it,” he says.
After the eight weeks of travel were over, the quartet asked Josh to be their full-time piano player. He didn’t take the job “because I just wasn’t ready for that,” says his mom, DaLayne Pope. “It would have meant him being gone from Thursday to Sunday every week. I couldn’t handle that.”
DaLayne is a devoted mom and has always home-schooled her children. Although he’s only 14, Josh will be going into the tenth grade.
He has also finished his second CD, and is about to make his first DVD. “People want to know what I’m like when I’m not playing on stage,” he says. “I’m just like everybody else. I ride the four-wheeler and stuff.”
Sarah says her big brother is pretty special. “He buys me stuff all the time,” she says. She also admits that occasionally, some good old-fashioned brother/sister blackmail works, too. “If he doesn’t want me to tell mama on him, he writes me a check, or says, ‘Here’s five bucks!’”
Sarah proudly shows off her gold necklace with an old-style radio microphone charm on it. Her big brother gave it to her; Charlie Waller gave him one just like it. The charm is hand-made, and in Southern Gospel circles, to have one is a sign of prestige and honor.
Life is exciting for Joshua Pope and his family. His music is taking him places they never dreamed possible. He is booked to play on the “Singing at Sea” cruise to the Bahamas for several days and nights. He will soon have his own Web site so fans can purchase his music, find tour dates, and just catch up on his activities. Bill Gaither wants to put him in the next “Reunion” DVD, too.
Recently, a representative with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra contacted Josh’s manager, requesting more information and inquiring about Josh’s interest in performing with the orchestra next year for its tribute to Irving Berlin.
Josh doesn’t mind at all that people are fascinated by his age when they hear him play. He rather likes being a novelty. But he doesn’t plan on resting on his laurels in the future. He continues to study music and practice every day. He also hopes to attend Lee University some day on a music scholarship.
Josh knows he has an awesome gift from God. He hopes to use that gift as either a studio musician in Southern Gospel or as a full-time pianist for a Southern Gospel group.
For now he’s just happy where he is. He’s enjoying his success and his childhood, and waiting to see what tomorrow brings. For a good kid like Josh, the possibilities are endless.
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