It seems a bit bizarre, but you will
remember it.
The birth of the name came from
none other than the self-proclaimed
leader and bassist, Brady Walsh.
Walsh was a part of the 2012
MPHS drama department’s “Seus-
sical the Musical,” as was lead
singer Caleb Coppinger. Coppinger
played the defiant role of Horton,
the elephant, in the production. But
before taking the stage, Coppinger
had to get a haircut to allow for his
elephant ears to fit.
Walsh was already on a roll of
giving every cast member a color-
ful, military code nickname, and
Coppinger would be no different.
His new haircut even made things
easier in more ways than one. Cop-
pinger was “Haircut Actual.” Thus
out of impulse and a joke, Haircut
Actual was born.
Early gigs were rough, and all
things considered, not always easy.
Even though each member is basi-
cally as talented as they come, lead
singer Coppinger says, “Learning
anything from scratch is really
hard, especially because we’re
teenage kids.”
The band doesn’t give themselves
enough credit, though. Each mem-
ber is extremely gifted, and critics
who would know say that together
they sound awesome.
Things are starting to get busy for
the guys. On Friday night, they
play the grandstand at the Logan
County Fair, after the talent show.
Then the band is playing at the Illi-
nois State Fair on Aug 13 from 6 to
8 p.m. at the Apex Stage. Upcom-
ing gigs for the band also include
the Black Sheep in Springfield on
Aug. 22, the Lincoln Art & Balloon
Festival, and the Mount Pulaski
Fall Festival.
The band plays a variety of hits
and even a few originals. “We play
pretty much anything from like the
‘50s until now,” Coppinger says.
“Basically, say you don’t like coun-
try, wait one or two songs and we’ll
be back into the ‘70s hard rock,”
adds Johnston.
Haircut Actual plays whatever
because they can make whatever
sound good.
Smith is the only band member
who does not attend Mount Pulaski
High School. Moody met Smith at
a church that they both attend in
Riverton. Smith is the youngest of
the bunch and will be just a fresh-
man at Riverton High School.
Walsh, Moody and Johnston will all
be juniors at Mount P. Coppinger is
a 2013 graduate of MPHS and will
attend Lincoln College in the fall.
They say that “as long as no one
plans to go far away for college, we
will continue playing as long as we
can.”
Haircut Actual recently placed
second in the “Battle of the Bands”
at the Black Sheep in Springfield.
Which is a pretty big deal.
Not only does each band member
have supportive and influential
parents, the parents also help book
gigs. For booking information, you
can contact Terry Coppinger at
217-871-1928 or Pat Walsh at 217-
414-6501. You can also like them
on Facebook, follow them on Twit-
ter, subscribe to them on YouTube
and check them out on MySpace.
Haircut Actual is a group of teen-
age boys with a bright future and
an irreplaceable talent to play great
music. They have a dream to be
somebody big, and they most cer-
tainly are on the right track.
[By CADY LOWERY]
2013 LOGAN COUNTY FAIR. A special editon of LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.com July 30, 2013 page 217
