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Joe was born in Toronto, Canada. He learned to play the accordion at age 9, followed by his main instruments: piano and guitar. Heís been a professional musician for over 20 years and a tribute artist since l996. He is also a singer, songwriter, actor, arranger, engineer and producer. Opening for acts such as The Who, Procol Harum, The Band, Johnny Winter, Poco, Bonnie Tyler, heís also recorded and published his original songs for established record labels and publishers -- covering everything from rock, metal, rockabilly, pop and new age styles of music.

Back in the mid-ë90's, Joe was working as the musical director/bandleader at Rock & Roll Heaven, a well-known and very popular Toronto dinner theatre which featured ìlegends-typeî acts. As he says, this was his ìfirst steady gig in a career of one-nighters.î Joe was playing boogie piano for the Elvis impersonator and was hamming it up. The band was off to the side and he was in front, so the audience could see what they were doing. People would come up at the end of the night and say, ìYou play just like Jerry Lee Lewis. Why donít you do him in the show?î

So, Joe approached the showís producer about doing Jerry Lee Lewis. At that time, the cast consisted of Elvis, (The Fabulous) Ricky Nelson, Ritchie Valens, Bobby Darin, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and Big Bopper. As Joe tells it, the producer looked at him and said, ìJoe ÖJerry Lee is still alive! This show is called Rock & Roll HEAVEN!!!ì But the flame was lit and Joe continued on with his idea (in fact, as a youngster, the very first rock and roll songs he ever learned on the piano were Jerry Leeís ìWhole Lotta Shakingî and ìGreat Balls of Fireî).

Undaunted by the producerís reaction, Joe designed and built, with some help, a prop piano which his electric grand piano would fit into. And, because Jerry Lee was known for kicking the stool and destroying pianos, the front leg of the prop piano was designed so it would collapse as the finale to his act. Then he took his invention to a local pyro-tech company and had the piano fitted for fire. As he says, ìITS GOTTA BURN!î

Thus began Joeís new career as a Legends tribute entertainer!

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