Sweet Mystery [play hifi lofi] [license] [buy]

Russ Hopkins has been making music since he was a teenager on New York's Long Island. Throughout his childhood he learned a lot about music and the Big Band era from his grandfather, who had made a living with the saxophone before the Great Depression. His first strong musical connection was with his parents collection of folk records from the early 1960's. In high school his older brother's eclectic record collection held a treasure trove of interest for Russ. About this time Russ bought an acoustic guitar and a Bob Dylan songbook. A Neil Young songbook soon followed. Russ reconnected with folk music in college when a friend introduced him to the deep heritage of ancient music from the British isles.

In the early 1980's Russ started making music his livelihood, performing internationally from his home base in northern Colorado. In 1986 he started a recording business that eventually grew into Kiva Records, where he produces projects for artists of many different stripes. Russ also creates music for film and produces documentary movies.

"I love getting depressed to your album."
- Kevin Jones

"This is a wonderful record! Thanks for the great music and songwriting."
- Wendy Wham, KUNC Radio

"I really love your new cd. I can here a lot of different voices in your music, from Neil Young, to David Gray, to Chris Isaac."
- Ralph Lee

"After engineering over one hundred albums Russ Hopkins has utilized his musical expertise to compile Sweet Mystery... Co-produced by longtime collaborator Jerry Palmer, this collection of country-tinged folk leaves the listener longing for the time when music was unapologetically raw and organic... The album generates a Western ambiance that never ends... Hopkins' introspective lyrics and multi-instrumental skills evoke moments spent contemplating the vast skyline and our connection with nature. Perhaps his close ties to the Native American community are responsible for the obvious earthy undertones throughout the piece... This New York native demonstrates his melodic genius by delivering songs that are naturally rich in poetic suggestion and harmonious charm. Each song integrates with one another seamlessly, and the result is an enjoyable album that showcases Hopkins' talents as a bona-fide troubadour."
- Joshua Espinosa, Scene Magazine