He is a multi-instrumentalist known for performances
as a saxophonist, harmonica player, flautist, pedal steel guitarist,
composer, music director, producer and arranger who began his life in music
in Schenectady, New York.He
performed in some of his local rock and roll bands and then travelled to
Oklahoma where he became a studio musician and began looking at the
compositional and arrangement side of things.From Oklahoma he went south to California and continued
his session musician work in Santa Barbara and arranging for bands such as
The R&B Bombers.While
there he became associated with the New Rhythm & Blues Quartet (NRBQ),
who he had first become aware of while in New York and he has worked with
them ever since in the studio and on tours.He then moved to Nashville in 1985 and, besides his work
as a busy session musician, formed the ensembles Aqua Velvet, the Jim Hoke
Nonet, Hoke and His Orchestra Bop and Otto.He has also performed as a member
of Thelonius Moog, made symphonic arrangements for use in symphony
pops concerts and composed, produced and directed the public radio series Webb
Wilder, Last of the Full Grown Men. Working with many artists through the course of his
career he has been heard performing with/arranging and producing for Al
Anderson, Joan Baez, Felix Cavaliere, Kenny Chesney, Guy Clark, The
Divinyls, Crystal Gayle, Vince Gill, Nanci Griffith, Don Henley, Faith
Hill, Janis Ian, Alan Jackson, George Jones, Wynonna Judd, Mark Knopfler,
The Mavericks, Gwen McRae, Aaron Neville, Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, REM,
Kenny Rogers, Paul Rogers, John Sebastian, Billy Joe Shaver, Donna Summer,
Greg "Fingers" Taylor, Pam Tillis, Randy Travis, Travis Tritt, Andy
Williams, Don Williams and Trisha Yearwood to name just a few.A very small selection of the many
albums he has appeared on include his own Hoke & The Jump Daddies,
Bop by Hoke & His Orchestra Bop as well as Splash of Aqua Velvet
by Aqua Velvet, Don't Stop the Carnival by Jimmy Buffett, LegacyHymns
& Faith by Amy Grant, Very Best Of... by Emmylou Harris, My
Lives by Billy Joel, Tangerine by David Mead, Dummy by
NBRQ and Face the Promise by Bob Seger. Today he continues his work as a session musician and
with his various ensembles as well as composing and arranging music for
television and commercials.
