Tufts Sunday Concert Series: Joe Sings Joe

Joe Sings Joe was formed in 2008 to honor the memory of bluegrass pioneer Joe Val. In the 1960s, Joe Val was the first to add a New England voice to the primarily Southern form of music known as bluegrass. His high tenor voice introduced many Northern music lovers to the style and helped turn bluegrass from a regional music to a national style. Joe Val also performed and recorded with a number of Northern bluegrass musicians who went on to become mainstays of bluegrass over the years, like Peter Rowan, Bill Keith and David Grisman. Val’s career was cut short with his early death in 1984, but his legacy has been preserved through a number of events including an annual indoor bluegrass festival that bears his name.

Joe Sings Joe was created to expose new audiences to Joe Val’s music and to re-create the sound, spirit and some of the repertoire of his performances. The band was active from 2009 through 2012, and has re-formed this year for a very limited number of appearances.

Lead singer Joe Singleton ably covers Joe Val’s vocal range and is joined by guitarist Dave Dillon, who toured and sang duets with Val for many years. Banjoist Rich Stillman completes the vocal trio. Long-time Joe Val bass player Eric Levenson provides the rhythmic foundation, while mandolinist John Roc recreates Joe Val’s mandolin sound. Bruno Bruzzese adds his traditional bluegrass fiddle style to the instrumental section.