Interview: Joey Green
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Texas area native and Nashville transplant, recently known for his success on NBC's The Voice, Joey Green has become a household name in Texas for his rock 'n' roll to soul country rollercoaster ride of a live show. He considers his genre post-Americana - a mix of Americana, rock and country. During an interview with Media Hub, he described it as “Americana with a pop sensibility, story songs with banger hooks.”
Joey says he got his start singing “Duke of Earl” in a sixth-grade talent show. By the time he was a high school senior, he had his own band and they were playing gigs around their hometown. Green has seven albums to his credit, the latest being “The War,” an 11-song project released in 2015. He released his debut album, “Outside the Circle,” in 2004, and for a while performed in a band called Defining Briscoe. Other releases include “Vinyl Destination” (2008), “Whatever Lady” (2009), “EP Tone Home” (2011), “Lo 5” (2013), “Live at the Whiskey Girl Saloon” (2013).
Green has toured or performed with national acts, including the Eli Young Band, Stoney LaRue, Kevin Fowler, Sean McConnell, Sam Riggs, and Randy Rogers. For the past several years, he’s been part of an international tour in London, Australia and Mexico called the Texas Music Takeover with other well-known Texas artists, Pat Green, Cody Canada, Wade Bowen, Vaden Todd Lewis (The Toadies), Sara Jaffe, Josh Abbott, Koe Wetzel, Parker McCollum, Brandon Rhyder, Mike Ryan, Casey Donahew, Jason Boland, Luke Wade, Shane Smith, Austin Allsup, William Clark Green, Jonathan Terrell, Kylie Rae Harris, Roger Creager, Eric Middleton, and many more.
Joey celebrates twenty years in music this year with a penned #1 on the Texas Regional Radio Charts, “Old Timers” with George Ducas, and a new album slated to release in the spring of 2022.
What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?
My mom just heard me singing along to the radio and said my pitch was good!! Lol
So, at age 13 I got my first guitar and I fell in love!!
Honestly, I don’t think I’d be doing anything else. If anything it’d be something creative.
What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?
I like to rest of course but I enjoy golfing and lake/pool days. Like most artists, I also enjoy a good patio day... drinking experience. If in season, Dallas Cowboy football baby!!!
How long has music been your career?
I played my first show my senior year of high school. I’ve bartended and waited tables when music was not quite covering my cost of living, but 21 years into this thing I have songs old enough to drink now !!
Where are you based and how did that influence your music?
I split my time between Nashville, TN, Fort Worth, TX and touring. and I feel like in the past five years in Nashville I’ve dialed in on my commercial side, but Fort Worth still surges my Americana heart.
Tell me about the best and worst shows you have played.
Best shows are hard to say... I loved playing shows in London and festivals are always fun.
The worst is when you forget something like a mic stand or your instrument, or your double booked. I haven't always had a manager or TM to keep me straight...lol.
Tell me about your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?
I really enjoyed playing Gruene Hall and Billy Bob’s both in Texas.
Of course. I would love to play the Opry or the Ryman one day!!
If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?
Gavin DeGraw, Ben Rector, Need to Breathe, Cadillac Three
What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into music?
Dig your deal and be yourself.
Go all in on it and prepare for failures and know that those failures are just mini victories because you learn from them.
If you could go back in time and give yourself advice, what would it be?
Don’t cut corners. Pick the best songs. Rehearse often. And be grateful for all of the opportunities.
Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?
Natchitoches Blues. Because I wrote it by myself as a Father’s Day gift for my Dad and it turned out to be my biggest song to date .
Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?
White Girl, Natchitoches Blues, Good Liar. Luckily, they are the most requested and my favorites.
What is the creative process for you, and what inspires you to write your music?
It’s different every time.
Sometimes it comes to ya' in a dream, sometimes it’s something someone says or past experiences that inspire a song. As far as the process I tend to finish songs in the same writing session and edit later.
What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?
That I can relate to the human situation of many walks.
And storytelling... not every single song is gonna be about a personal experience but more a character's perspective.
Do you ever have disagreements when collaborating and how do you get past them?
Disagreements are normal in those situations but the way I’ve been able to handle those is to diagnose the reason for the butting of heads and see if a middle ground exists where all parties involved feel like we got a winner.
What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?
More writing... more touring, music videos, and more content overall. I'm hosting my first music festival in Cancun in June in Cancun, Mexico. And, I have a big project that means a lot to me that will be coming in October. My song, "This House Ain't Big Enough" will be used for a music video representing "One Safe Place" for Domestic Violence Awareness month. Really proud of that one.
Social Media Links:
https://www.listentojoeygreen.com/
https://www.facebook.com/joeygreenmusic