Episode 85: Chris Kroeze From Barron To The Big Time

Picking up a guitar before he ever hopped on a school bus, Chris Kroeze knew from a young age what he wanted to do when he grew up. Becoming so attached to it as a six year old, there's a picture in the family photo album of the little boy falling asleep with one tucked under his arm. Twenty five years later, not much has changed.

Married and a father of two, Kroeze still lives in Barron, population 3,659, a small town in Northwestern Wisconsin. Having long been a household name across The Badger State and with a runner up finish on NBC's The Voice a few seasons ago, success hasn't changed Barron's favorite son one bit. Humble, soft spoken and easy to talk to, Chris has all the characteristics of the Mr. Nice Guy that holds the door for you at the neighborhood Kwik Trip but can rock the house at a moments notice. Once he takes the stage, two decades of picking a guitar quickly grab your attention along with a voice that doesn't come around too often.

Writing songs that vividly capture life here in the Midwest and bring the listener into the story, you can quickly pick up his musical roots that range from classic country to southern rock. My wife and I watched Kroeze and his band in Wisconsin Rapids last Friday night as they entertained the nearly sold out crowd for close to two hours. With a mix of covers and original music, I saw a man that loved what he did for a living and did it well. Human, a song penned for his finale on The Voice, was my favorite of the evening and I look forward to hearing him play it again in April in an acoustic setting for our HHAUSA weekend outside of Madison. 

Thanks to longtime friend and HHA supporter Kurt Walbeck of Outdoor Bound TV, we got connected to Kroeze through Brew Pub Lotzza Mottza Pizza. Having travelled abroad many times to entertain the military, he was a natural fit for the crowd at our biggest event to date. I also have to thank Matt "Mottza Matt" Selvig and his team, for putting this show together.

An avid outdoorsman, I look forward to getting to know Chris better on a personal level and collaborate more in the future to support our service men and women. Gifted with the God given talent to pick and sing, I appreciate his heart for the Veteran community and encourage anyone that appreciates good music and good people to take in a Chris Kroeze show the next time he's in your area. Here at HHAUSA, we like to support and promote the good guys, and Chris most definitely fits the bill.

You can follow Chris on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and check out his website at www.chriskroezemusic.com

For more information about HHAUSA, learn how you can support our mission, or attend an event, visit www.hhausa.org

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