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5.14.12
Have you checked the calendar lately? There are new summer festival dates posted…including the Three Rivers Arts Festival, Wild Goose Festival, and a handful of local, regional events. Looking forward to seeing you out there!
5.7.12
Hey People! Wow….thanks for making it out to one of our last 9 shows all over the East Coast! JD, Kurt, and I had a excellent time and we can’t wait to do it again! Thanks for your support and making it worth the drive every step of the way! Please check back as there will be some new shows and events posted in the coming days/weeks. Love to you!
5.3.12
We’re on the last leg of the tour and we really hope you’ll join us in Philly, DC, or Pittsburgh! Tell a friend about any of the last few dates and we’ll see you out there!
5.1.12
Hey world! Here is this morning’s performance from my interview on the NBC-affiliate in Springfield, MA. WWLP was great! Hope you enjoy this solo set.
4.27.12
Hey world! I just did a new interview with YAM Magazine. In it, we talk about finding your sound, the dilema of playing for diverse audiences, new sounds, new instruments…and maybe a new album!?! Thanks for reading!
4.25.12
Only 2 days until Kurt, JD, and I head out for this tour. Please visit this page for detailed information on each stop. We really hope you can make it. And if you can, pass on this information to friends and family in the cities we’ll be in. Thanks and see you out there!
4.20.12
Did you miss the April Newsletter that just went out. It’s got updates on new media, a tour through Boston, DC, NYC, Philly, Lancaster a few other cities…and a forthcoming trip to Ecuador! Read it here!
4.13.12
This summer I will be playing the Wild Goose Festival in June! Other performers and speakers will include Jennifer Knapp, Aaron Strumpel, Shane Claiborn, Listener, Brian MacLaren, Michelle Shocked, Jim Wallis, and more! If you could pick a grassroots festival to attend, it would be this one! For 15% off festival passes, use code “IKE”. This code will be good thru Friday, April 20th.
4.11.12
Hey all! Myself, JD, and Kurt are getting very excited about our upcoming tour. It’s only a few weeks away! Everything you’ll ever want to know about it can be found here.
4.9.12
Just added – new show in Boston, MA on April 30th. Save the date and tell someone in that area. And check out the full calendar for a date in your area!
4.1.12
Hi! The April issue of Pittsburgh Magazine is out! American Eagle, headquarted in Pittsburgh, had myself and a few other Pittsburgh-based artists come in and model some clothes from their Spring line. It was definitely alot of fun! But i didn’t get to keep the clothes :) *sigh* You can see photos and read the interview here! p.s the flower is mine :)
3.29.12
Thanks to everyone who came out to last Friday’s show. Here’s a video!
Next Pittsburgh show is May 5 at Club Cafe. Plenty of other shows/cities on the calendar.
3.25.12
Thanks to everyone who came out to a performance this weekend! It was especially great to see you Slippery Rock students! Next Pittsburgh show will be Saturday, May 5 at Club Cafe. Save that date!
3.20.12
Happy Spring, everyone! This Friday’s show is a big one! I’ll be playing with my band at the Kelly Strayhorn Theater in Pittsburgh. Joining me will be Jason Rafalak (upright bass), Eleanor Graham (cello), and Ryan Socrates (percussion). This will be something special! Please don’t miss it! Details on the calendar | RSVP on Facebook
3.16.12
It took a fairly long time to develop and write this post.
Please read if you have the time: Here’s What I Think About KONY 2012
3.8.12
Hey Everyone, New “I Like Ike” T-shirts are in! They’ve got a new design based on what the majority of you all voted on! T-shirts are in black and grey and come in XXL now. They are a very soft 90/10 – Cotton/Polyester blend and girls tees are fitted! Have at it! www.joyike.storenvy.com :)
3.1.12
Dear Friends, My childhood best friend and Regional Director for Young Lives is running an Online Auction to raise funds for various programs for their girls. There are Steeler home game tickets, handmade goods, gift cards, weekend hotel stays, an iPad2 and over 200 items.
The auction Launched today and I am personally auctioning off House Shows in Washington DC, Pittsburgh, and Central PA. Please visit the site and check out all that is good! It’s for a beautiful cause!
2.24.12
Hey folks! You can watch yesterday’s CBS Philly interview here!
2.21.12
Hey Philly/Wilmington! We’ve currently sold 130 tickets for the World Cafe Show this Thursday, Feb 23rd. Room Capacity is 160 and there are only 30 tickets left! So if you are planning on coming, please get your tickets asap! This will be a stellar show and I’m so excited to be a part of it!
And you can catch me on CBS Philly’s “Talk Philly” that afternoon as I play on-air and talk about the show.
2.15.12
NEW VIDEO! Here’s a live video of “How She Floats” shot by local Videographer Steve Ellington. I hope you like it!
2.14.12
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY everyone!!! If you remember, last year around this time, I release “TIME” – a 3-song project that I worked on with my friend and bassist, Jason Rafalak. The song is in 3 versions – guitar/mandolin, piano/upright bass, and electronica. You can get it for FREE for just a little longer before it goes on iTunes! Happy Love day!!!
2.13.12
Hey T-shirt lovers! Please VOTE for your favorite T-shirt design. The one with the most votes goes the printer! Thanks! -Joy
2.11.12
Hey folks! It’s been quite some time since I last played in Erie, PA. C’mon out this Sunday evening for a concert at First Presbyterian Church on the campus of Gannon University. Please tell your friends in that area. Details.
2.5.12
Thanks for everyone who came out to the WYEP event over the weekend. The next notable show is this Tuesday, February 7th at the Shadow Lounge. I’ll be opening for Ethiopian artist Meklit Hadero…and we will both be rockin’ our afros (that’s if you care)! hehe :) Come one, come all! Details
…and thanks to The Pittsburgh Post Gazette for the interview and write-up about the show! You can read it here
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2.2.12
Hey World!! Some really fun shows this weekend! Friday - Friday: University of Pittsburgh @ The Cup & Chaucer, Sunday – WYEP “Alternative Souper Bowl” @ Carnegie Library. Visit the calendar for details!
1.28.12
1.27.11
Tonight! Concert at Duquesne University’s Red Ring Restaurant. Come out for great food, and easy listening music from 7-9pm. (more).
1.25.11
Hey folks! Check out the new Yinzspiration Interview. Pittsburgh resident Kate Stoltzfus has a goal to interview 100 Pittsburghs for her blog and I’m #47. Thankfully, Kate is one of the first people to deviate from the traditional questions that I always get asked. That’s a breath of fresh air.
1.23.11
Hey Philly/Wilmington, save the date! Big show happening at the World Cafe Live in Wilmington on Thursday, February 23rd. I’ll be opening up for Jessica Latshaw. You can find her playing rap songs with her ukulele. And you can find me singing folk(ish) songs with my piano. Oh yes… this will be fun! RSVP on Facebook. Get more details.
1.17.11
College shows! College! There are a bunch of college shows coming up in the next few weeks – locally at LaRoche, Duquesne, & Pitt…and a few others (regionally) in the coming months. If you’re a student and would like me to come to your school, just say the word! Shoot me a message. And now for a nostalgic moment at last fall’s Grove City College show.
1.12.11
Hey folks, I will be playing a local show in Pittsburgh this weekend at SongSpace. It will be an intimate evening of great music and I’ll be accompanied by Jason Rafalak (upright bass) and Ryan Socrates (percussion). This would probably make a great date night :) Check the calendar for full details.
1.9.12
Wow! Thank you to everyone who came out to one of last weekend’s shows in Harrisburg, Lancaster, and DC. What a memorable trip! Videos, pictures, and blogs can never fully capture the moment, but i wanted to post a write-up an attendee shared on her blog yesterday. It’s a beautiful re-telling of Friday’s concert at Midtown Scholar. Happy Monday and happy reading :)
Happy New Year, music lover!
2012 is going to be great and I am so excited for what’s in store…though I don’t know what it is :) I’ll be on the road for a few days this weekend, playing some shows in a few familiar cities – Lancaster (above), Washington, DC, Harrisburg, and Wilmington. Visit the calendar for details. I hope you can make it out!
12.28.11
New shows announce in the following cities! Check the calendar for details! Happy New Year…almost :)
Dec 31: Pittsburgh, PA - First Night @ August Wilson Center
Jan 6: Wilmington, DE – World Cafe Live at The Queen
Jan 6: Harrisburg, PA - Midtown Scholar
Jan 7: Lancaster, PA – Tellus360
Jan 8: Washington, DC – The Corner Store
12.26.11
I hope you had an excellent Christmas.
Finally…pictures from my trip to Nigeria are posted. If you have the time, be my guest and check them out. Most of the photos are accompanied by stories.
12.22.11
Merry Christmas to you! I hope you spend it with the ones you love :)
12.18.11
Thanks to everyone who came out to the various Christmas shows and Advent services this week. We appreciate your support and had a great time sharing Christmas songs, original songs, and worshiping with the folks at Christ Church at Grove farms. Merry Christmas! I’ll be posting some videos up soon.
12.17.11
As you can see, the site is back up! Some evil robots sought to take over…to stop the music. Worry not! We killed every last one of them…and now let the merriness of Christmas continue! Hope you like the new design! – Joy :)
12.15.11 Tis the season to Fa-la-la! C’mon out this Saturday for a really fun time of original and Christmas tunes at the Christine Frechard Gallery here in Pittsburgh. Myself, Elise (and her trio), and JD (and his band) have some fun holiday arrangements for you and we’re really looking forward to the evening. Remember, its a food drive for East End Cooperative Ministry’s food pantry and there are many many things they need. You can find the full list of needed items on the calendar page. 2 or more non-perishable items gets you $2 off the door cover.
12.13.11 Hey its Tuesday and I have a few interviews that you can tune into today! Visit Fairfield, IA’s KRUU-fm for a lengthy interview on Lyrical Venus. It airs at 10:30am (EST). At 4:15pm (EST) you can catch me doing a live interview on Pittsburgh’s local WORD-fm on The John & Kathy Show. See you there!
12.12.11 It’s a new week and this one is filled with Christmas shows. And really there’s something for everyone! Please check out the calendar and drag your friends or family to an upcoming event. And if you’re in the McMurray, Bethel Park, Washington, PA area come out to David’s Music House tomorrow for a special female singer/songwriter night w/ traveling artists Tiffany Thompson, Jenn Bostic, and myself. It’s a good week :)
12.7.11
Hey folks! My friends and I just released a FREE holiday EP, “A Merry Mixtape”, with 6 original and traditional Christmas songs. We’re excited to share it with you and hope you like it! In addition, I just launched the Christmas Store! All CDs are $5, and there’s FREE Shipping on everything! There are also additional discounts and nifty new tote bags for the ladies! Go check it out!
12.6.11
Here is the final installment of “Tales from the Motha’ Land”. I did an interview on Abuja, Nigeria’s Kiss FM affiliate just a few days ago.
11.28.11
Greetings! I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! I posted a newer blog on what it was like to celebrate Turkey Day in Nigeria. I’ve also been uploading some videos on YouTube.
11.20.11
Hello World! Greetings from Africa! I had some time to publish some journal entries that I’ve written over the past week. Head over to the Blog.
11.9.11
Hey folks. I will be out of the country for a few weeks. But if you need some “Joy” in your life, you can do one of two things
1) visit the media page for plenty of videos
2) LISTEN to a full broadcast of a show I recently played in Wilmington, DE. Thanks to Graffiti Radio for the audio!
Enjoy!
