Walter ‘ Rootsie’ Hopmans, born in south of Holland on the island of Zuid Beveland at the little town called Goes, down at the Delta , started young in music. His family from father side was quite active in music like singing opera together with almost the whole family and joined the Operette. His father also performed as singer and guitarist after the war in a Hawaii combo. Walter played with his first (school)band the Hawkies when he was in the age of 6. He followed a classical singing education at De Zeeuwse Koorschool in Goes, Holland. Studied Gregorian music and had his final evening song at the Westminster Abby, London.  Meanwhile he started to play and sing in different kind of bands. Mainly blues. Besides playing in bands he also was performing Cabaret together with Mark Meijer under the name of Canasta Cabaret. They made several cabaret programs performing in various theaters and cultural festivals. After roaming Spain and Finland he played from 1993 till 2001 in the legendary rockformation Geronimo (Drums Herman van Boeyen (ex-Vitesse) ,guitar: Pablo Minnoli (ex-Laberinto) ,bass: Ferry Volker and Walter leadvocals, bluesharp and guitars). An Amsterdam based rockformation with blues influences.  From 1992 onwards he plays together with Pasi Saharinen in a blues duo and acts as sideman in many bands from Finland (Tiny Tones, Groovy Eyes Duo, Ugly Acoustic Boys, Saltwater Jinx , Yo Buddy& Down Home King III and many more bands and artists). In 2004 he organised Walter and the Backboners (Vocals; Walter Rootsie, Guitars: Pasi Saharinen, Guitars and vocals: Pasi Rytkonen, Drums: Anssi Lehtivuori, Bass: Jari Virtanen) and started to play own songs. Walter concentrated more and more on writing his own material. In the summer of 2005 the band gets a new name “Walter and the Blue connection”. They start recording their own CD ‘ Get up and Go’. There is some delay cause Walter lives in Holland and the others live in Finland. After this in 2012 the band is renamed Walter Rootsie and his Blue Connection. The name of band next to Walter Rootsie: Blue Connection is because the connection between Holland (Walter) and Finland (rest of the band).Blue is the color of Finland and also from the sky and sea when ever the band is meeting with eachother.

Next to the band Walter Rootsie is performing solo, participate in musical project, playing harp or guitar player as a sideman with other bands. Made in 2015 songs and composed underscore music for a BBC rewarded documentary “The Only One Left” by Simona Manni.

Walter plays; Lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, harp, percussion