▁Early ▁career ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁Al ▁Hop kins ▁launched ▁his ▁professional ▁music ▁career . ▁He ▁and ▁his ▁younger ▁brothers ▁Joe , ▁El mer , ▁and ▁John ▁formed ▁a ▁group ▁called ▁the ▁Old ▁Moh awk ▁Quart et , ▁which ▁played ▁regularly ▁at ▁Washington ' s ▁Maj estic ▁Theater . ▁ ▁About ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁the ▁family ▁built ▁a ▁large ▁new ▁house ▁at ▁ 6 3 ▁Kennedy ▁Street ▁in ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁North west ▁Washington , ▁D . C ., ▁that ▁was ▁not ▁yet ▁built ▁out . ▁Hop kins ' ▁mother ▁and ▁the ▁younger ▁children ▁summer ed ▁at ▁the ▁family ▁farm ▁in ▁G ap ▁Creek , ▁North ▁Carolina , ▁so ▁their ▁contact ▁with ▁rural ▁life ▁remained ▁strong . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁Hop kins ' ▁oldest ▁brother , ▁Jacob , ▁a ▁sur geon ▁and ▁music ian , ▁established ▁a ▁rural ▁hospital / cl in ic ▁in ▁Gal ax , ▁Virginia , ▁where ▁he ▁often ▁invited ▁local ▁ban jo ▁players ▁to ▁entertain ▁the ▁hospital ▁patients . ▁Doctor ▁Hop kins ▁was ▁ren owned ▁and ▁active ▁as ▁a ▁sur geon ▁and ▁music ian . ▁Al ▁Hop kins ▁worked ▁for ▁him ▁in ▁Gal ax ▁as ▁hospital ▁office ▁manager ▁and ▁secretary . ▁Joe , ▁who ▁would ▁later ▁play ▁with ▁Al ▁in ▁his ▁recorded ▁bands , ▁worked ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁as ▁a ▁Railway ▁Express ▁agent ▁in ▁White ▁Top ▁G ap , ▁Virginia . ▁Joe ▁played ▁guitar ▁here ▁and ▁there ▁in ▁his ▁spare ▁time , ▁including ▁at ▁his ▁brother ' s