CJ Hooper is a Washington-based country singer/songwriter with deep Texas roots. Music has been a constant presence in his life from childhood piano lessons to picking up the guitar in his early teens. Raised on a steady diet of classic country thanks to his parents’ cassette collection, Hooper wore out recordings by Hank Williams, Merle Haggard (The Epic Collection), and the Charlie Daniels Band, laying the foundation for his traditional yet personal sound. While attending and graduating from Texas A&M University, Hooper was immersed in the thriving Texas live music scene and influenced by artists such as Jason Boland, Cory Morrow, Mike McClure, Pat Green, and Todd Snider. After college, he spent several years living and working across multiple states in the golf course maintenance industry before eventually settling in western Washington, for cooler summers and easy access to the outdoors. It wasn’t long before songwriting became a serious pursuit ultimately leading him to record his own music. Hooper’s sophomore album, Over Yonder (Feb. 6, 2026), follows his debut release Primero (February 2025). The new record reflects a continued evolution in his songwriting, driven by a desire to challenge himself creatively while staying grounded in the simple joy of turning a song idea into its final form.