Joseph Childress

Biography

Singer-songwriter Joseph Childress started writing and playing music in the mountains of Teller County, Colorado when he was 14 years old. Five years later – inspired by Woody Guthrie’s autobiography Bound For Glory – he strapped his guitar, Mama, to his back and hopped a freight train to see the country. Dubbed a "perennial vagabond" by the San Francisco Bay Guardian, Joseph traveled and toured for two years, hopping trains and living in a van. His wanderings were punctuated only so he could play music, work ranch on the plains of Niobrara County, Wyoming, and rest his head in San Francisco, where he eventually settled down. All the while, his heavily circulated self-released CDr, known to fans as "the Rebirths", was inspiring devoted listeners in all corners of the country.

Joseph’s music draws inspiration from the mountains in which he was raised, the ranch on which he worked, his friends, family, and loves. Compared to Jackson C. Frank, Devendra Banhart, and Bob Dylan (his biggest influence), his emotionally charged voice carries stories of love & travels over guitar playing that ranges from sweet finger picking to furious strumming. He has played shows across the western United States with numerous acts including Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Richard Buckner, Vetiver, Lavender Diamond, Entrance, David Dondero, Diane Cluck, Kind Of Like Spitting, and many more… and has toured with lovely acts including the Love Letter Band (Bad Weather California), Mariee Sioux, Messes, and Randazzo Robinson.

"Joseph Childress fleshes out his music and meaning in his songs with his vocals better than any myriad of instruments or backing musicians ever could. The type of voice that rattles your bones when you’re sitting two rows back, where you can’t wipe that smile off your face as you think how long you’ve waited to hear an artist that truly inspires you to pay attention to nothing else but their performance."
-- Naturalismo