ToquiNotes: Dr. Mike Hess Might Just be Mike Hess if Not for a Phone Call to His Mother in the Fall of 1981
By Jeff Toquinto on June 15, 2024 from ToquiNotes
It was in the early part of the 1980s, the fall of 1981 to be exact, and not long after Mike Hess had graduated from Bridgeport High School. He was at the very beginning of his collegiate education that would eventually lead him to become one of Bridgeport’s – and the area’s – most beloved doctors.
From an outsider’s perspective, it all seems like where he is at today is a natural progression of things. After all, his father was the late Dr. 
Robert D. Hess who practiced in Bridgeport from 1958 to 1974 before helping start United Hospital Center’s family residency program.
Robert D. Hess who practiced in Bridgeport from 1958 to 1974 before helping start United Hospital Center’s family residency program.
“He became a teacher of doctors,” said Mike, talking happily about memories of his father, who (which is prominent to this blog) happened to be an accomplished pianist.
Knowing that, and knowing the household he grew up in, it would have seemed this was how things were meant to be with no variables. There was, however, a variable. A big one.
It was so big, in fact, Dr. Mike Hess may have never entered the medical field. It all goes back to the fall of 1981 and came out recently when talking to Hess about his friend and fellow BHS alum Rogers Nichols (BLOG HERE) who had recently won a Grammy.
Hess nearly walked away from what has him traveling the career path he’s been on for decades.
“I was having trouble with an Algebra class that was just kicking my butt when I got a call from Roger,” said Hess of the man who was also 
his long-time bandmate in the group Rage that played in the area. “I told him about my trouble at school and he said I could stop everything. I was in his band if I wanted.”
his long-time bandmate in the group Rage that played in the area. “I told him about my trouble at school and he said I could stop everything. I was in his band if I wanted.”
This was no random offer. Hess, fluent in many instruments, was needed by Nichols’ post-prep band as a keyboard player. The keyboard player quit, and they needed the opening filled immediately.
“They were going to pay and fly me to Jacksonville, one way, get a week to learn everything, and then hit the road,” said Hess.
Not only did Hess not dismiss the offer, but he also planned on accepting it. However, he had a family hurdle to clear. The hurdles were labeled mom and dad.
“I called them and told them this was something I wanted to do and if I did it then it had to be right now. I asked my mom what she thought,” said Hess.
His mother, the late Alice Jo (Morrison) Hess, ended it quickly and firmly.
“She told me ‘You’ve started college, and you’re going to finish college. After that, you can do whatever you want.’ Just like that, I was
staying in school,” Hess said with a laugh.
staying in school,” Hess said with a laugh.
The reason that Hess was serious is that music was in his blood. Nearly 43 years later after that phone call that has not changed.
Hess was a rhythm guitarist with Rage. He took piano lessons at an early age and drum lessons. The love of the guitar came when his sister, who had gotten the instrument as a Christmas gift, could not play it because it hurt her fingers.
“I got it and played it until it fell apart,” said Hess. “I loved music at an early age. It was big in my house, and it led to me loving to pick music apart. We did that with Rage, even at that young age.
“There has always been something about music, I felt, that opened up doors beyond performing,” he continued. “It is a big part of me.”
Hess had also made sure it is possible for it to be a big part for others as well. He founded the Children’s Instrument Recycle Program 
(CHIRP), a foundation that gives instruments to children who otherwise would not be able to afford them.
(CHIRP), a foundation that gives instruments to children who otherwise would not be able to afford them.
“We collect used instruments and money as well and set up the foundation that repairs those instruments. We get them into the hands of students who were thinking about dropping out of music because they didn’t have the instrument they needed or couldn’t afford a proper one,” Hess said. “When we get it to them, it’s theirs, and it’s made a difference.”
Hess said the foundation is approaching 100 instruments given out – 89 to date. And, he said those instruments had been put in the hands of students in 17 or 18 counties in West Virginia.
Of course, Hess said the foundation is far from a one-person endeavor. He said there are plenty involved, but singled out Evan Jones at Bandland who stores and repairs the instruments received from the program for being a critical component.
“People know they can drop instruments off on our porch,” said Hess. “I come home a lot of times and there may be a trombone on the porch.”
While the love of music for Hess continues to this day on multiple fronts, that phone call nearly steered him out of college at a time when he was not going to study medicine. He had other plans.
“I was a music major for one semester, but they didn’t have a guitar program,” said Hess.
After a few other steps, he switched his major to med-tech. Part of the study requirements had Hess working at old West Virginia University hospital facilities. Most of the study did not have him thinking about a career that would lead him to follow in his father’s footsteps as a physician.
“I just didn’t have the drive at that time. I was sort of afraid because I was solid B, C, A student so I talked myself out of medicine,” said Hess.
That is not hyperbole. Hess graduated from school with a business degree in personnel management. He worked for seven years in the field when he decided to start over and, this time, try medicine.
“I grabbed one of those college catalogues and started all over. I took physics, some calculus to get the prerequisites for medical school,” said Hess. “I got that taken care of but kept applying for medical school. My grades were better, but the test scores were not there.”
Eventually, everything fell into place. And in 1998, Mike Hess graduated from West Virginia University Medical School and has been practicing ever since.
Studying was not the only thing Hess did between his time in school and the start of beginning a career in medicine. As one might expect, he never got too far away from music.
His love continued during school, including medical school. He talked about playing for four years with Dennis McClung during medical 
school. Hess gleefully told anecdotes about his time leading Al Buterol and the Inhalers; a group of medicine men whose instruments were for music as opposed to surgery.
school. Hess gleefully told anecdotes about his time leading Al Buterol and the Inhalers; a group of medicine men whose instruments were for music as opposed to surgery.
“My father came to see me play one time. We (Al Buterol) were playing at the Holly Ball as an opening act and he came to hear us, which considering his love for music was so big for me,” said Hess. “He told me ‘you guys were pretty good.’ That may have been the only time but hearing that absolutely made it worth it. That is one reason I still love music.”
And, along with countless musical stops in between, he is still going today. The group picture shown is with a bunch of his local musical peers he plays with regularly.
Hess has managed to pull off a neat trick. He is approaching three decades of service as a physician and, at the same time, managing to maintain his passion for music and to perform.
That all happened because his mom said “no” to a phone call in 1981.
“There’s a chance, actually a big chance, I would not be doing what I’m doing now had I left school. Would I have been as happy and satisfied? I don’t know. I think it would have run its course,” he said. “Now, I’m just right. I’m doing all I can do as a doctor and keep up with the skills needed to keep being a musician.”
There are a few people thankful for Hess turned out to be a doctor. Those same people who read this are now probably thankful for his mother.
In fairness, it is not a few people. It’s in the thousands.
Mom’s advice turned out to be good medicine for her son and the community.
Editor's Note: All photos of Dr. Mike Hess, with the exception of the two solo pictures of him playing the guitar, are courtesy of Dr. Hess. The other two photos are courtesy of United Hospital Center. Below, the group photo of those he performs with today, the "Wednesday Night Group," are back row, from left, Kevin "Mack" McFarland, Tom "TJ" Johnson, Mark Krall, Terry Hotsinpiller, and Evan Jones. Front row, from left, Mike Criado, Mike Hess, Bob Workman, Phil Wyatt, Julie Clayton, Mike O'Dell, and Randy Scott.
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