ended up, through my life in my career, I ended up with people going, okay,“ We need a James Brown beat.” It was really, really good to have studied that and wood-shedded, that stuff. Or they might say,“ I need a Ringo Starr part.” I’ m glad I have experienced all that because I kind of know what they’ re looking for then. When I do seminars or clinics, there’ s a lot of young guys, 16 to 25 years old out there, and they ask a lot of really great questions. And I try to steer them in the right direction. I’ ll say,“ Buy some Beatles records, get some Stones stuff and listen to Charlie Watts. How simple he played, but the pocket is deadly. Just listen to that. And then listen to John Bonham. Listen to that energy and power behind what he did. And I said,“ And try to mimic that and then find yourself in all that and your style but try to learn what everybody did on those records.” Those records are eternal, man. They’ re classic. They still play. And there’ s a reason for that.
Joe with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in 1977
[ WM ] Well, let me ask you, your extensive discography indicates the majority of your work in the mainstream commercial music industry. However, you have done what many call Christian records recordings as well. Your recording and your touring history is considerable. Do you consider your life in music, a career or a calling?
[ Joe ] Gee, that’ s a tough question. I think it’ s both. Early on, it was a career, and then it became more of a calling, I think. And I like to be able to be an example. And while I’ m out there, and I think I have been, and it makes me feel good when somebody recognizes that in me and that they could maybe follow those footsteps, a good way to go. And so, I would love to be in a Christian band. I love the Gaithers. The Gaithers. That’ s one heck of a band. They’ re so good. And people like that. I mean, a lot of people look at that. That’ s just a bunch of old people. Lemme tell you something, those guys are great. And that’ s just one. But my wife goes to see them and brings home CDs and stuff, and I listen. I was like, man, these guys are pretty good.
So yeah, I think it started as a career, of course.‘ Cause I was young and didn’ t know a whole lot. And all I did was like you. I saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan and said,“ That’ s what I want do!” So, I did that. But then through the years, it turned into more like,“ Okay, I’ ve kind of established myself here. Now what are you going to do with this now?” And let me see if I can’ t be an example for somebody that’ s struggling with something or going through something that maybe I could, if they’ re asking me questions and all that. I’ m more than glad to share with them.
[ WM ] That’ s admirable. Well, I heard a pastor say once that“ a calling keeps calling”.
[ Joe ] Yes, it does.
[ WM ] Listen, it’ s a beautiful thing when a person of faith and art can work alongside a mainstream artist in unity, and they create something great together.
[ Joe ] It can be difficult at times,
[ WM ] Setting aside politics and any other differences, also breaks stereotype assumptions that might be held. What are your thoughts on this?
[ Joe ] Yes. I think the old saying is more profound than ever. Music is a universal language. It really is! And I know everybody’ s heard that a million times, but it’ s really true. It’ s profoundly true. And I try to deal with the climate in the music business right now, it’ s very difficult to deal with. If you stay on that level, it’ s very difficult because there’ s a lot of anger there, and there’ s love there. Every emotion is out there. And it’ s hard to deal with because years ago we didn’ t have that.
We had music and camaraderie and friendship and brotherhood. And what I hate most about politics today is tearing up people, tearing up families. It’ s tearing up people that go, well, I’ ll never worked with that guy. He voted for Biden or he voted for Trump. I said,“ When did this all just deteriorate like that?” Because we used to be a family and we didn’ t even care who you voted for. We didn’ t care. And actually, in the early days, I got to tell you, Alex, I didn’ t even vote. A lot of musicians and my friends, they
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