Chop Volpe

Born in Philadelphia, Pa. Chop Volpe got his first guitar from his maternal grandmother, Grand-mom Spagnolia. He taught himself how to play at seven years old.
Chop's dad was the chauffeur for the Beatles for their first USA tour. Afterward, the family moved to Mantua, New Jersey, where his dad was hired as personal driver for TV Talk show host Mike (link hidden)op and his brother Mike signed with Castle records and were asked to play the USO shows with Bob Hope during the Vietnam war, but their father objected because of their ages, so they played back-yard parties and local VFW shows. The Volpe brothers started “Mike Volpe and the New Bells”, opening at the Bellmawr NJ dances for all the oldies groups. They formed “Stone Eagle” with Johnny Frasca, Gene Lysinski, Gary Campanelle, and Denny Dorsey .
In 1968 they won the NJ State battle of the bands contest in Pennsville,NJ, where they opened for Mott the Hoople, Johnny and Edgar Winter/with Rick Derrenger, and local Bandstand star and good friend Billy Harner at Glassboro college/Rowan University . At 13 years old, Chop was the only American student at The Chinese Gung-Fu school in China Town (Philadelphia).
He was very experienced in nun-chuck sticks, and three sectional staff. Chop was an ice hockey player, as well as assistant coach. He played semi-pro with the Cherry Hill Cyclones
as well as was Assistant Trainer and Equipment Mgr., for The Cherry Hill Aces Ice Hockey team, Flyers minor league team, owned by Ex-Philly Mike Schmidt. He was the Zamboni driver
and maintenance man, at the Coliseum Club, in Voorhees, NJ for the Philadelphia Flyers Hockey (link hidden)e Volpes with brother Ron and Terry Lowe were hired by BEATLEFEST INC (New York)
to tour the country as “Abbey Rhode”. When younger brother Steve was old enough, he took Terry’s place. Mike went to tour with “The Dupree’s” (YOU BELONG TO ME),
Steve started “The Toonz’, an awesome rock band. Chop became lead vocalist/bassist For heavy metal band (CARTE BLANCHE), playing the Galaxy, Bonnies, The Empire, The Troc, CBGB’S(NYC) ect., with friends and local (awesome metal bands ) Cinderella, Skid Row, Heavens Edge, Tangier, Brittney Fox , and tons of other BIG HAIR bands. Chop left Carte Blanche, and started attending
“Living Waters” in Hurffville, NJ., where he sang and played with Lew Rusko, Ed Monroe, Billy Vespe, John Voltz and friend Ralph Palidino (Songwriter). Pastor Dan Fessler ministered to Donna Summer, Delirious and Australian P&W/Singer-Songwriter, Chris Falson. Chris invited Lew and Chop to record a live CD in Atlanta at the Gwinnett Civic center, in 1998 with THE TOWN CRYERS,Chop met Australian P&W leader (Jacky Brigstock) and her husband (Pro Golfer-Tony) became friends, and started flying down to record and have a friendship with Christian City Church. 1999 Atlanta fest at Stone Mountain, Ga asked THE TOWN CRYERS to lead praise and worship and open for the three night conference. Before C3 moved Chop and Denise to Georgia, Chop had to turn down an opportunity to play bass for Sammy Hagar, to share the stage with Jacky in Lawrenceville. Chop left C3, and started singing at Daystar International with Elizabeth and Johnny Enlow. He met brother Danny Enlow, and played conferences and every Saturday night at The Well meeting in Loganville, Ga. The Enlow's are an amazing family of missionaries who travel all over the world, and were born in Peru. Chop lead worship at Fathers House with an awesome bunch of people with the heart for homeless,and missions all over the world. Moving from Grayson,Ga, to Flowery Branch,Ga, where he was a prison inmate in Stand Your Ground movie, his second movie roll "Modern Prodigal" which has Chops songs in. Its produced by his guitar player (Jim Royal's wife) Francine Locke, movie star as well as the roll as Avery's mom in the tv show Nashville. Now working on writing songs and playing out in local eatery's. Chop moved to Grand Island,Fl. He still opens for major Rock bands with the group Carte Blanche,his last two were Ratt once at The TLA in S Philly and the second was the Hard Rock in Atlantic city NJ.