Bruce Hoffman was born in 1964 and raised on a farm in rural Howard Lake in central Minnesota. He was brought up in a musical environment. His father Edward was an accomplished fiddler as well as a multitude of other instruments. His mother Laura-Mae also played music and sang. Bruce began playing the fiddle at the early age of 4 years and soon picked up other instruments along the way. He would make occasional stage appearances with his parents by the time he was 6 years old.

He started competing in fiddlers contests at 8 years of age and by the time he was 14 he started playing in bands. During those years he made several appearances with Garrison Keillor and the Prairie Home Companion radio show. After completing high school, he joined the Minnesota based group “High Noon” and traveled all over the U.S. and Canada. The band had many accomplishments to its name including 2 appearances on “Ed McMahan’s Star Search”, and spawning musicians to go on and work for such artists as  Kenny Chesney, Gretchen Wilson, Martina McBride, and Lonestar. After marrying in 1990 to his Canadian wife Donna-Fay, and starting a family, Bruce decided to quit working the road and in 1993 he moved his family to Branson, MO where he now resides. He has worked with many different artists since moving there.

Here’s a partial list:

Barbara Fairchild, Buck Trent, Comedy Jamboree, Helen Cornelius, Johnny Lee, Leona Williams, Margo Smith, Mary Lou Turner, Moe Bandy, Pam Tillis, Paul Harris, Pierce Arrow, Rodney and Beverly Dillard, Splinter Middleton’s “Down Home Country”, Texas Gold Miners.

Bruce’s talents include fiddle, steel guitar, guitar, mandolin and dobro.