Instrument(s): Banjo/guitar
Hometown: Saginaw, Michigan
Member since: 1970
Nick was a founding member of the band, and a founder and member of the Celebration Road Show, an early offshoot of the NRB that toured the USA in the mid-70s. He started performing in the 1960s as a folk singer and played the major folk clubs and coffeehouses in the midwest.
When not touring with the New Ref, Nick was a freelance writer, photographer, and public relations consultant. He also wrote a popular newspaper column called Circling the Drain. In the warmer months, Nick could usually be found aboard Festaurus, his Great Lakes sailboat.
UPDATE
Nick passed away peacefully Friday, November 7, 2014, at the age of 71.
He was born March 5, 1943, to the late Peters and Martha (Smith) Oppermann.
He graduated from Arthur Hill High School in 1961 and later from Northern Michigan University.
He served with the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
Nick was a founding member (along with his brother, Dave) and lead vocalist of the New Reformation Band.
He used his considerable creative talents for Ross Roy Advertising, Parker, Willox, and Fairchild, The Sam Britton Organization, and McCann-Erickson. He was also the Executive Director of the Saginaw Bay Orchestra, Director of Public Relations and Instructor at Northwood University; and editor of the Township Times.
He was a member of Lambda Sigma Fraternity and enjoyed reading, sailing, photography and writing.
He is survived by his son, Robert P. Oppermann, Ann Arbor; his brother, David Oppermann, Saginaw; one nephew and two nieces and their spouses, Jeff (Barb) Oppermann, Saginaw; Darby Ryon, Chicago; Jennifer (Doug) Dickerson, Chicago; several grandnieces and grandnephews, Sean, Libby, Kiera, Ryan, Jane, Hannah, Casey and Andrew; his former wife, Alice (Sis) Houlihan; his stepson, Stefan Markey; and his best friend, Noggin.
Dottie Cameron says
February 1, 2020 at 10:37 pmI treasure a CD that Nick autographed for me when he appeared at Cypress Gardens.gig that i asked for
and thanks to Dave I have the video of Live at the Temple which I play frequently. I want to add to my
collection of CDs when I get a copy of the order form. I have 3 cassettes that I need to replace as CDs but
I will be forever grateful to Dave for sending me the DVD. The order form I have says some are out of stock’
The last two numbers with Dave and Nick are the greatest. I would like an updated order form so I will know which are available.
Pat Murphy says
April 16, 2020 at 12:36 pmDear Dottie: Thanks for your sweet message. I fondly remember our time at Cypress Gardens and we are so sorry we caused the park to close. Today I am mailing you several copies of our NRB CD/DVD order blank so you can buy as much as you want. I am sorry to report we have not re-issued some of our earlier recordings that were on cassette tapes but we will try to get them produced as CDs in the near future. I hope you are in good health and that listening to NRB recordings keeps you young. Best wishes, Dave (David W. Oppermann, Leader, New Reformation Band, PO Box 1922, Saginaw MI 48605. (989) 793-0123
Dorothy Cameron says
October 14, 2020 at 12:43 am10/13/20 I am shocked; I only just found your above note since i did. not expect to hear from you.I have since learned that the Sun Coast Jazz Festival for this year cannot happen but hopefully they are planning a virtual presentation over the internet and they are asking for donations to help pay for transportation for the
bands. I was planning to make a donation if they invite THE NEWREFDIXIELANDBAND to appear.. I want the whole world to know the joy I get from my collection of New Ref Band CD”S and my DVD which have brought me to the age of 94′. The one CD I would love to have is the 25th Annivesary album.