TALENT SCOUT - Dr. JOE

Fuzz/Gospel rockers Dr. JOE are out with a new single entitled 'Tell Your Mother' that takes gritty Wurlitzer and raucous upright piano to new recorded heights. Find-out more about our TALENT SCOUT Artist of the Week!NAME: Joe Sparacino (AKA Dr. JOE)HOMETOWN: Salina, KSMUSICAL TRAINING: Suzuki method classical piano and traditional gospel/soul improv starting at age 5.FIRST GIGS: Solo piano and voice gigs at bars throughout Lawrence, KS and bands in college.MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Elton John, Ray Charles, Charlie Rich, Ben Folds, Leon Russell, Tom Waits, Brian Eno, Elliot Smith, Jack White, Nick Cave, Nina Simone, Beck.WHAT I’M LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW: Gospel (Pastor TL Barret, Mahalia Jackson), Vulfpeck, The Texas Gentlemen, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Gregory Porter, Yonatan Gat.MY BIG BREAK: Moving to Austin, TX, playing SXSW, and playing across the US, and internationally.LATEST PROJECTS: Dr. JOEFAVORITE KEYBOARDS AND WHY? The Nord Wave - I love the robust effects section, the grime you can get out of it, and the classic Nord pitch bend stick. It helps even the playing field with guitars for compelling solos. Also the Roland Juno 60 with it's classic arpeggiator and cutoff filter. Both sound so good and are easy to use. It's such a versatile, simple, beautifully made instrument. Great first synth for noobs as well. The Wurlitzer 200A is probably my favorite keyboard I’ve ever played. It's changed how I think about music. It is an electric guitar if you want it to be, it is a bowl of peaches and cream if you want it to be. It's the main rig for “Tell Your Mother” our debut single. And a Washburn Lyon and Healy 1922 Ship’s Piano. It's a 67-note tank of an upright that I take to every live show for Dr. Joe. I run it through Helpinstill pickups and effect pedals into a '67 Fender Super Reverb to create a sonic blast that you don’t typically get from acoustic pianos. Helps keep the drums from drowning out the piano in live application. Far more fun for me to play and for the audience to experience than a digital piano. Is the heart and soul of what I do.WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? Releasing our debut single, recording new music, and playing more shows.ADVICE TO THE NEXT GENERATION: Take yourself and your music seriously as early as possible (or no one else will). Realize that no one is out there waiting to hand you opportunities - you must create them. Talent is a prerequisite, success is only possible through constant hard work. No one cares if you don’t (care). Be wary of “yes men” (people who tell you you’re great) as truly objective opinions are more valuable than false comfort. Failure is the norm - you must learn to shake it off time after time and get better every day. Enjoy what you’re doing and remember why you did it in the first place. And make great music, whatever your vision of that is!For more information visit