Although best known for his role as Luke Duke in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” Tom Wopat, the performer, is so much more than that. In the decades following his big TV success, he’s been making waves as a singer and songwriter in between acting gigs. According to the Murfreesboro Voice, Wopat now has 13 studio albums including his 2022 release. Aptly titled “Simple Man,” Wopat’s 13th album includes his own songs along with covers, like “Wait For It” from “Hamilton,” per the outlet. It’s a fitting combination given Wopat’s Broadway history.
“I do what I like to do in a show,” Wopat told the outlet in regard to how he builds an album. “It’s songs that I feel that I can sing and sell. Either it’s a song that has a ballad with a lyric or a song like ‘Rita’, which is a Willie Porter song which is kind of a rocking along story-song.”
“Simple Man” follows a formula many of Wopat’s other albums follow. For instance, his album “The Still of the Night” also integrates Broadway songs with other genres. These albums lend Wopat’s dreamy musical stylings to familiar lyrics.
