Joe Barksdale

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Joe Barksdale, has always had a love, appreciation, and passion for music. When he was younger, he played both the violin and saxophone, but it wasn't until 2013 that he picked up a guitar to help cope with a significant loss in his life. The guitar came natural, and just one year later he began playing with some of the best musicians in the city at local blues jams in St. Louis, MO. In 2015 Joe signed with... More

Growing up in Detroit, Michigan, Joe Barksdale, has always had a love, appreciation, and passion for music. When he was younger, he played both the violin and saxophone, but it wasn't until 2013 that he picked up a guitar to help cope with a significant loss in his life. The guitar came natural, and just one year later he began playing with some of the best musicians in the city at local blues jams in St. Louis, MO. In 2015 Joe signed with the San Diego Chargers and took his talents to California. Joe continued to hone his skills and in 2016 he started ‘Joe’s Jam Session’ at Humphreys Backstage Live. In 2017, Joe decided he wanted to be known as more than just a professional athlete and released his first studio project, "Butterflies, Rainbows, & Moonbeams (BRM)." Blues Rock Review gave the album 9/10 saying, "The amazing thing about Butterflies, Rainbows and Moonbeams is the immersive world created by Barksdale. It’s an upbeat world, where funk and blues mingle, and where songs pop into existence, not because they fit within a certain genre, but because they’ll make the listener (and one suspects, the performer) happy." In 2018, itching to get back in the studio, Joe spent his bye-week recording his second project, Electric Soul, with legendary Narada Michael Walden. Electric Soul was released in April 2019 and in June 2019, Joe announced his retirement in order to pursue music full-time in Austin, TX. When all is said and done, Joe Barksdale - will be a household name. Less