John Driskell Hopkins Explains Why His Cover of 'Let It Go' Resonated with His ALS Diagnosis (Exclusive)
The Zac Brown Band member released his fourth holiday album 'Let's Get Frosty' on Nov. 28
Jolie Loren Photography
John Driskell HopkinsJohn Driskell Hopkins is embracing the holiday season.
On Tuesday, the Zac Brown Band member released his fourth holiday album, Let's Get Frosty, in collaboration with Yacht Rock Revue. Speaking to PEOPLE about the release, Hopkins revealed why his cover of "Let It Go" — which his daughter Lily Faith, 11, joined in on for the first time — is significant to him.
"'Let It Go' is a winter-y sort of song, but it's not necessarily a holiday song. It's associated with winter condition and icy magic, and because of that, we were looking for a final real kicker to the record, and it's not something that you would think of right away but the whole vibe of the album is winter weather," Hopkins, 52, tells PEOPLE exclusively.
After his ALS diagnosis in December 2021, the lyrics about finding strength spoke to him.
Jolie Loren Photography
John Driskell Hopkins"The verses have this dark sort of brooding, everything is really hard right now [feeling]. The second verse is like, 'I'm going to find my strength,' [and] it really resonated with my ALS diagnosis, which was very fresh at that point," he explains.
Adding, "Then [Lily] Faith being one of the characters in the song comes in on her unicorn with a magic wand and says, 'Let it go.' She's the ice princess fairy that brings the peace of mind and in so many similar ways, my family is doing that for me, bringing me peace and support. So fitting that the dark, brooding dad is saved essentially by his child."
Hopkins shares three daughters — Sarah Grace, 15, and twins Lily Faith and Margaret Hope, 11 — with wife Jennifer.
Jolie Loren Photography
Lily Faith and John Driskell HopkinsSpeaking to PEOPLE about collaborating with her father for the first time, Faith says the experience was "really fun."
"I want to record with him more," she says, adding that her favorite thing about the holidays is that Hopkins is "home for the holidays."
Hopkins' idea to release Christmas music started in 2015 when he found a recording of his 6-year-old self singing Christmas songs. And he still plans to release more!
The 12-track album includes a previously released single with Debby Boone titled "Snow." It also includes a tropical twist on "White Christmas" with Amos Lee and a groovy take on "Sleigh Ride."
As the holidays approach, Hopkins looks forward to present reveals for his kids on Christmas morning, his wife's sausage cheddar biscuits and his family's white elephant exchange.
In the New Year, Hopkins will tour with Zac Brown Band and continue to raise money for his Hop on a Cure foundation.
"It is just been incredible and we've only scratched the surface. We need to raise so much more money and get it out the door as fast as it comes in. I'm very blessed to be a slow progressor, but I'm still progressing," he says. "So it's important to me to find new treatments, and it's important to so many other people to find reversals and the cure. So we're doing everything we can to raise awareness and spread the word."
On his health, Hopkins says he feels "pretty good" and is looking into "alternative therapies just to make me feel better and get me moving more." Two years after his diagnosis, however, Hopkins has not lost his love for the holidays.
After all, "Santa brought me my first electric guitar."
Let's Get Frosty is out now.
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