Alumnus Greg Topper ’69 (B.A. communications) recently celebrated his 40th anniversary of performing live rock ‘n’ roll in Orange County nightclubs.
While at Cal State Fullerton, Topper was known for several notable achievements as a member of the Student Senate. Through his efforts, the Titan weekly newspaper became daily. Our then-ragged fledgling baseball team received new uniforms, and he was responsible for the production of ASB gym concerts featuring the likes of Frank Zappa and William F. Buckley Jr.
Music, however, would prove to become an essential aspect of his life, as Topper later became known as the OC’s “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Topper, now a Newport Beach resident, found his penchant for music too powerful to take on any other career outside of music. “I was always a closet entertainer,” he said. “It was always my first love and hobby.”
As an interpretive musician, Topper plays music dating from the ‘50s through the ‘70s. He has played with several notable rock ‘n’ roll singers such as Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and Fats Domino — three of whom are a part of what he refers to as the “five giants,” alongside Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry.
Topper’s foray into in the film industry, unlike his long career in music, would be short-lived as well as eye-opening. He discovered his distaste for the lifestyle under the constant eye of the camera while filming the movie “Hooper,” starring Sally Field and Burt Reynolds. “That kind of life wasn’t for me,” he said.
“Performing live is a much classier and entertaining way to make a living – the action is more spontaneous. When you’re on the camera, there’s no reaction,” he explained. “It’s proven by the fact that so many actors like Bruce Willis, Woody Allen, and Dennis Quaid, for example, want to go out and make their own bands.”
Topper has been playing since 1961 and has recently finished his 11th CD. When asked about his future plans regarding his career, Topper declared: “I am 60 now and I’m still rockin’.” 
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