Not By Chance

"The first time I heard of Chance was when a mutual friend passed a CD of his onto me. After all, I'm used to having CDs thrown at me from all directions. Nonetheless, after a few weeks of procrastinating, I finally gave it a listen and immediately sat forward on my chair and asked myself why I hadn't listened sooner. Maybe once in a few years I find myself reacting like this. I was very impressed with Chance's writing and performances. His voice was distinctive, his melodies and hooks were memorable and his guitar work both clean and confident. To my amazement, nothing in Chance's renderings seemed to be missing.

I later had the opportunity to meet with Chance for over a week during which time we discussed in detail the music industry and his career plans. During these meetings it became equally evident that Chance was talented beyond his years regarding his ability to focus on his future.

I have spent lots of years in the music business and, for many reasons, have shied away from standing on a soap box and endorsing an artist. Chance Hoffman is the exception to my resolve not to do this sort of thing. To the contrary, I totally believe, if Chance continues to practice all he has learned off stage as well as on, he will be an undeniable force in the entertainment industry." - Winterwood Recording Studios - Eric T. Schabacker

“As a club owner, I have 28 years of experience booking bands and I have seen all levels of talent. When the band “Not By Chance” approached me to play as an opening act for a very popular group that was scheduled to play at my club, I was hesitant because they play only original music. I have never had an "original only" band have success in this area. I went against my better judgment though and hired them for an hour and a half long set. It turned out to be the best decision I’ve ever made in all my years of booking acts. I have never seen such a positive crowd response with a band. I can only say wow. I can’t wait to get them in as a headliner.” - Brown Pub - Terry Brown

Singer, songwriter and guitarist Chance Hoffmann likes word play.

It should come as no surprise that his band's name, Not By Chance, is layered with meaning.

Hoffmann, 17, wanted the name to reflect the fact that the band is not all about him, he said in a phone interview from Hinckley, Ill. The name acknowledges not only the fact that the four-member band is a team effort, but that, ultimately, God is in control, he said.

"We want to stay humble. That's one of the biggest reasons that I like that name because it reminds us to stay humble," said Hoffmann, who lived in Manitowoc before graduating from high school in January and moving to Illinois in February.

Other band members include Valders High School senior Jon Lehman on bass and Trinity Divinity School (Deerfield, Ill.) juniors Greg Hess on keys and Robbie LeClair on drums.

Taking advantage of winter break from school and all the music that band members had under their belts, they recorded their first EP at Rock Garden Studio in Appleton on Jan. 11, Hoffmann said.

"The Tension EP," introduced earlier this month at an EP release concert in Manitowoc, features five original songs written by Hoffmann.

"Basically, the main inspirations are conflict and tensions that are going on in my life, things that I'm learning and going through. But I don't base it totally on experience," he said. "I try to write songs that are based in truth. I get a lot of that inspiration from the Bible and other books I read, having the right balance of heart and experience but also countering that balance with a foundation in truth so it really has an impact."

This isn't a Christian band that preaches to the choir, as they say.

"A lot of people don't understand that Christian bands can be rock 'n' roll, too," said Lehman, 18. "As Chance once explained it, 'We're not necessarily a Christian band, but we're a bunch of Christians in a band.' We point people to Jesus, but it's also fun for people who don't have a Christian background or a church home."

Not By Chance was formed exclusively to open for the concert by contemporary Christian singer Matthew West at the Capitol Civic Centre last summer, Hoffmann said.

The band will divide its time performing concerts in Illinois and Wisconsin, he said.

"We kind of branch over a lot of different genres," Hoffmann said. "The simple answer, we're a rock-pop band. But we have a lot of things with a blues flavor. Basically, I would describe our band as being about the songs, not pigeonholed. We treat every song like a special entity, as one of our children."

Among his favorite songs on the new EP is the last one, "I'm Going Home," inspired by the book of Philippians in the Bible.

"Paul talks about this desire to go home and live with Christ and that is balanced with his desire to stay with those he loves, his friends and family. To me that means a lot," Hoffmann said. "It really makes me think about the priorities in life, your relationship with God and relationship with your family because I believe life is about relationships."

To order a copy of the EP, visit www.notbychancemusic.com and send an e-mail to the band.

Hoffmann and Lehman studied music theory and composition at Visible Music Arts College in Memphis last summer.

Both became interested in music at an early age.

Hoffmann attended Lincoln High School and then was home-schooled for the last two years of his education, attending Lincoln for choir and jazz band.

He took piano lessons when he was young but his interest in music intensified when he was about 14 and his uncle bought him a guitar, said Hoffmann, one of five children of Jeff and Renee Hoffmann of Manitowoc.

"Pretty much from the start I was writing songs and my drive was to write better songs," he said. "I had a lot of involvement in church and I played on the worship team there so that helped a lot."

Lehman is one of 10 biological and adopted children of Charles and Kim Lehman, Whitelaw. He also was home-schooled for a time, but learned to read music at Valders High School and has been active in the school's band and choir.

"You can express all your emotions through music," Lehman said.

As a child Lehman liked to bang on things, so his mother suggested he take drum lessons. He later picked up bass. He and Hoffmann know one another from church, so when Not By Chance needed a bass player Lehman was a natural choice.

Lehman thinks the band is a good influence on him.

"Hanging out with these guys and playing music with them makes me a better person," Lehman said. "They're a really good group of guys. Your friends rub off on you."

- HTR news - Suzanne Weiss