Doctor trades X-rays for sheet music

Radiologist worked on single with Kool & the Gang singer

By JAN HOGAN
VIEW STAFF WRITER

One might say that he is left brain by day and right brain by night.

Dr. Bruce Topper, a staff physician with Desert Radiologists, is well versed in reading X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and other medical scans. But lately his focus has turned to music.

Topper, a Summerlin-area resident, just released a CD single titled "This Life." The soft rock song was produced by Skip Martin, one of the original members of Kool & the Gang. It is now being shopped for play on local radio stations.

Topper was classically trained on the piano as a child. His sister, Michele Topper, said that he often was a one-man band for high school musicals.

"Each year, he learned the entire score of a show, like 'Anything Goes,' by heart and played throughout the performances without one sheet of music before his eyes," she said.

Although he attended Columbia University in New York City as a music major, he said his career aspirations were always skewed to medicine. They were further defined after he took a first-aid course. He said he ended up teaching the class and also helped establish an ambulance corps on campus that still exists.

He graduated from medical school in 1986 and said music took a back seat to seeing patients.

After moving to Las Vegas in 1992, Topper often donated his talents to the Nathan Adelson Hospice's annual "Serenades of Life" concert.

Fast forward to last year, when a tune came into his head. He said he sat down at his Steinway Upright and perfected it. Then came a chance meeting with Martin, who also was the lead vocalist for Dazz Band, which won a Grammy Award for "Let It Whip."

"I thought, 'This guy is a professional, obviously successful, maybe he can help me,' " Topper said.

Martin and his business partner, Tom Schuman of Spiro Gyra, were the producers.

"He was worried that he wouldn't sound professional," said Martin. "I told him he didn't have to sound professional, as long as he sang on key."

"This Life" was released this summer. Topper is working on a second song, "Took So Long."

Contact Summerlin and Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.