Fame has never been a driving force for Dave Cope’s career. The musician from Chestnut Hill says he doesn’t want huge levels of popularity like those of Taylor Swift.

“I’d actually prefer in some ways more success for the music than for my own fame,” Cope says. “I have no delusions about doing the Eras Tour.”

Yet, despite not generating a massive army of followers like the Swifties, Cope has found continued success in the Philadelphia music scene and beyond through a consistent output of original songs that encompass genres including power pop, folk, R&B, and classical music. 

The multifaceted musician will showcase his latest release “Hidden From the World,” during a special listening party at 7 p.m., Dec. 6,  at Hideaway Music in Chestnut Hill. The event marks a return to the longtime Northwest Philly record store where Cope used to be a customer, sell his CDs and also worked for owner Brian Reisman, a longtime admirer of Cope's talent.

“I guess I don’t know much about the music business because I’ve been saying this for ten years: I don’t know why he isn’t huge,” Reisman said. 

From the Hill to Hollywood

Cope’s music career has roots in his early experiences in Chestnut Hill singing for the choir at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Around the age of 12, he first picked up the guitar, inspired by The Beatles. Over the next few years, Cope joined multiple bands while he was a student at Germantown Friends School, covering songs by artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin. He was admitted to several conservatories for his skill as a classical tenor, but Cope would forsake that path to focus more on his own self-expression in multiple genres.

“I could have gone to become kind of an opera singer, but I chose to broaden the spectrum of styles that I could work in, learn from, and use,” says Cope. “I always wanted to write and create.”

Cope attended Wesleyan University, broadening his horizons to write original songs and learn different musical traditions. He studied with renowned composers and musicians including South Indian classical music master Tanjore Viswanathan and beloved Philadelphia area teacher Harold Boatrite. At Wesleyan, Cope also started writing music for film and theater, including his friend’s student film and a comedy troupe production. 

Since then, Cope has worked with the Quintessence Theatre and licensed his music for movies and television shows such as the 2017 film “Patti Cake$,” the Apple TV series “Manhunt” and “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” a Disney+ series that premiered in 2023.  Contributing scores for theater and the screen has not only proven to be a profitable endeavor, but Cope also finds it to be a fun chance to flex his creative muscles.

“It’s a great place to work as you have a goal or task that’s kind of specified and you can use your creative ability to hone in on a specific theme or plotline in a show for theater, film or TV,” Cope said.

A musical tapestry

When asked about his biggest musical inspirations, Cope has a long list: Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Roy Harper, Funkadelic, Stevie Wonder and X-Ray Spex. He also mentions French composers including Claude DeBussy, Maurice Ravel and Gabriel Fauré, part of a diverse list that makes sense for the multifaceted Cope. 

Many of those musical influences surface in “Hidden From the World,” Cope’s  latest album, released earlier this year under the name Dave Cope and the Sass, a reference to drummer Fred Berman and co-producer Andres Villamil who assisted with the project. The album’s music ranges from power pop to soft acoustic sounds. Recorded mostly at home, “Hidden From the World” got its finishing touches at Elm Street Studios in Conshohocken where Cope also worked with Rob Hyman, a founding member of The Hooters and co-writer of the Cyndi Lauper hit “Time After Time.” Brendan McGeehan served as the project’s recording engineer. Cope says the album is dedicated to his brother, who died this past year.

In addition to promoting “Hidden From the World,” Cope is also releasing an acoustic album called “Impossible Dream,” which will be available on streaming platforms on Dec. 13. Having released so much music over the course of his career, Cope says his proudest moments come from seeing people connect with his songs.

“I’m most proud when someone genuinely seems to feel something that I’ve done,” Cope said. “[I’m most proud] also to be able to listen to something, walk away from it, and come back saying, ‘There’s not much I would change. I’m happy with this.’”

In describing his music career’s ups and downs, Cope said most of his challenges  come from his life outside of music which affects his workflow, but in recent years he has been able to be more productive. He relates to the phrase, “Music is a great life, but a crummy job.”

Homecoming on the Hill

Now living in Northern Liberties, Cope is excited to return to Chestnut Hill, which he calls  “a place of inspiration” that reminds him of his early days in music. 

“Brian has always been very kind and supportive,” Cope said. “This is the first time I’ve really had a product on vinyl…Brian was very enthusiastic about (hosting the listening party) in the store. It will be a nice way to get the music out there to some people who might not have heard of it.”

Hideaway Music is at 8232 Germantown Ave.