Monday, Apr. 20, 2009

Olathe musician beautician makes it to top of the stack

Some know him as Olathe’s musician beautician. To others, he’s “Doc Hoc.”

No matter the nickname, Greg “Doc” Hockett is a longtime musician who recently was inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame. He joined musicians such as Melissa Etheridge, Marilyn Maye and the band “Kansas.”

A guitarist and vocalist, Hockett has played in bands for 42 years and currently performs with two bands, “Connie and the Choir Boys” and “Horizontal Mambo.”

Hockett, a hair stylist by day at Head Lines Salon & Day Spa in Olathe, was inducted into the hall of fame for his performances with a southeast Kansas band called “The Sensational Showmen.” He was the lead guitarist for the band in the 1970s, touring the United States and Canada. The band was comprised of musicians from the Chanute and Parsons areas.

“We performed primarily at Air Force bases, hitting every base in the south from Wichita Falls, Texas, through Alabama and Mississippi,” he said. “Our booking agent was America’s Best Attractions.”

Hockett said the band, which typically had six to eight members, wore blazers, ties and white slacks and played music inspired by the rock band Chicago.

“The band was together more than 25 years and spanned four generations,” he said. “I played with them for two years. The hall of fame recognizes lead performers in bands that are together at least 25 years.”

The Beatles inspired Hockett to pursue a musical career. “I first got interested in music when The Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan,” he said. “I was about 13 years old. I started first on drums and then began taking guitar lessons.”

Hockett’s first band was called “Mynor Distraction.” He formed the band with three friends while attending Chanute High School. That band has been inducted into the Chanute Lions Club Rock Hall of Fame.

Hockett worked as a one-man band to put himself through cosmetology school in 1979. Initially, music was his primary occupation and he worked as a hair stylist as a hobby. As he grew older, styling hair became his career and music became his hobby.

Hockett moved from Chanute to Olathe in 1987. He has continued performing in bands for the past 22 years.

“I played in my current band, Horizontal Mambo, from 1991 to 1998, and then the band disbanded for 10 years. We just recently got the band back together.”

The band performs regularly at Grumpy’s in Olathe as well as the Daily Limit at Red Bridge Shopping Center. “Connie and the Choir Boys” performs at Blayney’s of Westport. “I have to be careful with my booking calendar so that I don’t get double booked,” he said.

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