Meet 14-year-old Max Koepke, central Wisconsin's most successful street musician

Keith Uhlig
Wausau Daily Herald

KRONENWETTER - Max Koepke's summer job is cooler than yours.

The 14-year-old Kronenwetter boy has spent his vacation singing, strumming a guitar and playing a keyboard as the Wausau area's most successful street musician.

Wait. That's not quite right. Max plays a lot outdoors in public areas, such as for Wausau's Open Streets event in May, at farmers markets and at Chalkfest in July, but he's become a lot more than a busker performing for tips. The number of more formal, indoor gigs he's playing is on the rise. He booked his first wedding a few weeks ago, and has begun regularly performing in venues such as Sawmill Brewing Co. in Merrill and Trail's End Lodge, J. Gumbo's and 2510 Restaurant in Wausau.

The teen is a prodigy when it comes to music and performing in front of a crowd. He was about 4 years old when he first picked up a guitar. "He was pretending, but he would strum and sing," said his dad, Rick Koepke. And Max has been a key child actor for years in local musical productions such as "Les Miserables," "Mary Poppins" and "Oliver."

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Learn more: Max Koepke Entertainment

Koepke has been on a musical roll lately. He won the Wisconsin Valley Fair talent show, which qualified him for the talent showcase at the Wisconsin State Fair. He placed third and won $1,000 in competing against 20 other statewide contestants, the "majority of whom were 17, 18 years old. We're very proud," Rick said. "He did 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel and nailed it. They will see him again, I'm thinking."

Max got his solo performing start a couple of years ago at Barnes & Noble bookstore for a Blessings in a Backpack event (it's a program that provides food to economically disadvantaged children). He liked singing in front of a crowd so much he decided that he'd like to perform regularly.

Max Koepke is only 14, but he's building a reputation around central Wisconsin as a solo musician and singer.

"That gig kind of started everything," Max said. "That's when I started thinking, this is something I can do. This is something I can grow."

He's had a lot of help along the way. His mom, Linda Koepke, is the development director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northcentral Wisconsin. His father is the principal of Evergreen Elementary School in the D.C. Everest School District. They both know how to nurture and encourage a kid. 

Rick also was a bass guitarist in a heavy metal hair band when he was in college. He knows how to book gigs and set up equipment. "I'm his sound man," Rick said. Rick taught Max how to play guitar, too.

But it's Max's drive and hard work that propels him forward. He knows about 40 songs that he can perform, and works constantly in perfecting new ones. He's written two original pieces as well. 

Max mostly set up his musical shop in the classic oldies era. Billy Joel is his favorite performer. He loves the Beatles. "Wagon Wheel" and "Sweet Caroline" are among his favorite songs to perform because they are well known "and people always sing along with me. I really enjoy when people do that," he said.

Music is fun and a hobby for Max, but he approaches it with a maturity and professionalism that's beyond his years. The money he makes? A significant portion of it ends up in a mutual fund.

"Max is known among people who know him as an old soul," Rick said with a laugh.

As much as he likes playing and performing, he's not sure that he will make a career out of it. 

"My primary plan would not be music," he said. "But if the opportunity came to me, I wouldn't walk away from that."

Max Koepke's upcoming gigs

RaiseGreatKids.org -- 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Aug. 24. The 400 Block, downtown Wausau.

► Max Plays Sawmill -- 7 p.m. Aug. 25. Sawmill Brewing Company, 1110 E. 10th St., Merrill.

► Max Plays Trail's End Lodge -- 3 p.m., Aug. 26. Trail's End Lodge, 3901 Sherman Road, Wausau.