Leon Hopkins

Either on tour or in the office, Leon Hopkins has spent more than 25 years contributing to the success of hundreds of live shows. The Recording Arts grad is a road staff manager at sound reinforcement provider Clair Global, and before that he was a live sound engineer, out on the road with artists like Paul McCartney, ZZ Top, George Michael, Janet Jackson, and more.

Already a live performer and a technician, Leon came to Full Sail to further hone the professional side of his craft. After graduating in 1985, he bought a one-way plane ticket to Dallas, accepted a job with Showco, and was thrown into the world of live touring.

Today, Leon’s role has shifted from the stage to the office. As a road staff manager with Clair Bros. (the company merged with Showco in 2000), Leon oversees the hire and training of new staff members, and works to align and deploy them with the right tours. It's more mentorship than music, lights, and pyrotechnics, but it's still essential to a successful live production.