01.11.2025 | Apres Only, Stowe VT
Chelsea ‘Tulsi’ Wright
CWright Photography – Northeast Kingdom, VT
Tulsi
Hey Joe! Happy to be here & to talk with you about your new album. Are you stoked to be in Vermont?
Joe
Awesome, same! I am, I live in Portsmouth, New Hampshire so I’m not too far away
Tulsi
New Hampshire is kind of similar in a way to VT, just with an ocean vibe. I like Portsmouth a lot, good vibes, good food and good music venues there
Joe
Yeah it’s similar, cold and snowy haha
Tulsi
Yeah it is – I saw you played in VT at Higher Ground in October, and Mihali sat in with you?
Joe
Yeah, for sure with Little Stranger
Tulsi
I was really hoping to make it back for that show, I was at Outermost Roots & Blues Fest and was just having the best time hanging out with some old and new friends…I wasn’t working, just there for fun. I made friends with Van Gordon Martin and his girlfriend, and was invited backstage, so I just went with that flow…really sweet to experience it from that perspective. But I heard from a few friends who were there that it was a really fun night in Vermont, and that Mihali sat in on Surfside with you which was epic.
Joe
Ahh yeah Outermost that’s G. Love’s fest right, in Orleans Mass?
Tulsi
Yes it is, at Nauset Beach. It was a really rad one, amazing musicians and collaborations – I even saw Jack Johnson at the local breakfast spot the second day and they were serving Banana Pancakes. So wild, it felt like a dream. So, what does ‘Lifeline’ mean to you?
Joe
Lifeline for me means family, growth and learning – my family is it for sure. My wife and my kids, that’s really what the album is about and where the idea came from. I’ve known my wife since 8th grade. We moved to Key West, Florida together in 2021, and that’s when things started changing and life started happening. We were away for the first time together, it was our new life and we had each other. When I was down she was there, and when she was down I was there, ya know?
Tulsi
Beautiful, I love that you said family, and you didn’t say music – I was thinking that was coming next
Joe
Music’s definitely in there – it’s a life preserver, it keeps me afloat
Tulsi
Ah like a life vest out on the ocean, nice. What would you like to share about your newly released album that folks might not know about?
Joe
It’s more of a personal to me album, every album I’ve put out has been like a log of what I was going through in life. When I put out my first record it was ‘younger Joe’, things that were more fun, by myself and hangin’ kinda vibe…my second one was more me discovering myself. And ‘Lifeline’, like I’ve been saying, is more of that coming of age and growing and starting a family phase of life. It’s definitely a log of how life has been for me the last 3 or 4 years, ya know?
Tulsi
Nice, so like a stepping stone on your path of transformation
Joe
Definitely, that’s a good way to put it
Tulsi
Yeah it sounds like that’s what it’s been for you. I love that about music, especially with musicians that I’ve watched grow over time, watching their albums reflect periods that they’ve gone through in their lives, Trevor Hall comes to mind – it’s been amazing to listen to them freshly and then, see and learn about his experiences, then go back and listen to the albums with that view. Learning why he’s created them, you can make the connections and it just paints a beautiful story.
Joe
Oh yeah, absolutely
Tulsi
So back to ‘Lifeline’ – my favorite song on the album is Home. It’s so deep, and obviously filled with meaning for you, and whoever listens to it can take their own meaning from it which is one of the most beautiful things about music
Joe
Well I’m glad you like it!
Tulsi
Oh yeah, I think anyone who hears it can relate, you know? It creates a resonance for sure. And important to mention, you have both Eric Krasno and Mihali on this album. Did you, Krasno and Mihali write the song ‘Home’ together?
Joe
Actually it was originally a collaboration with Krasno, he’s in a band called Soulive – that was one of my favorite bands growing up and he’s been an idol of mine for years and years. Getting to work with him was awesome…so really it was a collaboration musically with him, and Mihali had done some recording and collabs with him in the past so they’re friendly with each other. When Mihali found out I was working with Krasno, it was just like a no brainer. He’s a New England boy with a family, so I sent him the track because I knew he could relate…and I didn’t even expect him to write anything, I sent it to him just to be like ‘hey do you like it?’, and he just sent me what he wrote with his finished recording of it. So I was like oh, I guess he liked it haha. It happened pretty organically.
Tulsi
Nice! That’s super sweet, and I’m not surprised to hear that – he’s been collaborating with so many top quality lyricists the last few years.
Joe
Yeah he’s awesome!
Tulsi
Yeah i’ve known him since I was 18, I grew up in the area where his band Twiddle started and my dad introduced me to him at a solo show he was doing at a local golf course that he used to play. The first time I saw him was there, just me and my dad eating dinner, and the bartender/owner of the venue. I’ve always been into Mihali’s solo music, and was super happy to see you two collaborating. It’s a really beautiful song and I’m happy to hear how it came together. I also really like the song Cold Feet, I know Eric Krasno is on that one as well – what inspired that song?
Joe
Honestly, that was the first of four songs I did with Eric Krasno – like I said I’ve really looked up to him and music he’s been a part of, he’s a founding member of the band Lettuce, I have that band tattooed on my leg haha…
Tulsi
Oh wow I didn’t know he was in Lettuce, they’re so good – I’ve only seen them once but they are legendary
Joe
Yeah he doesn’t tour or write with them anymore, all of their early stuff he was a part of…that whole funk, soul R&B world. And I had cold feet going into working with the guy, it was like ‘Oh my god I get to work with this guy’…so that song, when he sent me the instrumental to start writing over, it was just literally how I was feeling. I was like how am I going to do this? What should I write about? And feeling like, just putting that weird feeling of ‘imposter syndrome’, I am not worthy to be working with Eric Krasno…it’s about putting that feeling to the side and ignoring that scared feeling you get, and just diving in, soaking it all up. Experiencing it to the fullest it could be instead of tiptoeing through.
Tulsi
That makes me feel like taking a big deep breath…I realize in life it can be really challenging to do that, but the best things come when you do. You just have to be open and go with the flow
Joe
Absolutely!
Tulsi
The first time I heard that song…and the timing of it too, I swear this always happens for me, it was like perfectly timed with something I was facing…I just knew I had to listen to the wisdom in those words, go for it and not be afraid of the outcome, even if I might fail it’s all about getting back up and believing in your strength
Joe
Exactly – well I’m so glad it resonated for you
Tulsi
Yeah it definitely resonated! So what are your next gigs in 2025, do you have anything big on the radar that you’re stoked for?
Joe
So February I have a headlining tour, full East Coast run minus Florida. This will be my second time doing a headlining tour, and I’m excited for it. We’re going to be doing some festivals coming up when the season arrives, we’re planning to do a lot of shows…there’s a lot in the works. From the 13th of February til mid-March I’ll be everywhere from Ohio to Maryland…all over the place.
Tulsi
Do you have anyone opening on the tour with you?
Joe
Yes Dale and the Z-Dubs, they’re great. And Joey Harkum, I love that guy – the first headlining tour I ever did, which was a national tour, was with Joey and we became best buds on that run. We have one show with him at the Met in Rhode Island, in March.
Tulsi
Yeah he is great, from what I’ve seen he’s got a great voice and personality
Joe
Yeah I like doing whiskey shots with him haha
Tulsi
Nice, I’ve never met the guy but that sounds like fun
Joe
It’s definitely fun, having some whiskey, laughing, getting red in the face and chillin’ ya know?
Tulsi
Sweet, I bet! Do you have any collabs you’re hoping to do in the future?
Joe
There are plenty, I’m lucky to be friends with a lot of talented people. The writing for my new album starts mid-March when this tour is over. There’s a few people I have in mind, I’m putting it into the ether, there are so many I’d like to collab with
Tulsi
I was thinking on the drive over here as I was listening to ‘Higher Self’, which EN Young just released with Mike Love – have you heard that song? I feel like you and Mike would sound great together – your voices and vibe would blend well
Joe
Oh yeah, of course – I got to play with Mike Love before I even put my first record out, I was playing locally in New Hampshire and I got to open for him and ‘The Green’. They would be a great collab, Mike Love, that whole network of people would be awesome
Tulsi
Is there anything that you would like to or can share about your next album?
Joe
It has yet to be written hah…I know which direction I would like it to go musically, I kind of have an idea of what the theme will be, it’s to be determined once I get in the lab and can sit down and start writing. I just had a baby, I have a two month old little girl…so it’s just been crazy on the home front. She was born in November, so since she was born, through the holidays, we’ve had some time off. We did a New Years run in Florida, we’ve been playing some local New England gigs, and then after this show I’ll be home for a bit spending time with family, then will be getting back into it.
Tulsi
Congratulations, that’s so exciting. Sweet well we’ll be looking forward to hearing your new music when it comes out. Are you going to do any single releases, or all at once?
Joe
We’re talking about having 5 singles, and a full 12 track album
Tulsi
We love that, the people need that – especially if you’re releasing as you go along in the creation of the album, makes it more fun for everyone
Joe
We need that, I’m picturing it’s going to be a lot more funky reggae, fun happy-go-lucky music ya know?
Tulsi
I think everyone could use that right now – is there anything else you’d like to share?
Joe
I’m just happy to be able to play music for a living, I appreciate everybody who’s coming out to the shows and check out my website for shows and gigs coming up…there’s a lot more to be announced, from all of the shows in February to a couple great festivals that I can’t talk about yet – but we’ll be all over the country this summer.
Tulsi
What is your website and instagram?
Joe
Joesamba.com and @joesambamusic
Tulsi
Awesome! It was great connecting with you and we’ll be looking forward to following your journey as it unfolds
Joe
Great talking to you too, thank you!
