Born in Ocala, Joey Gilmore came to South Florida in the ’60s and has
been here ever since. Gilmore found his niche playing behind all the
great soul, blues and R&B stars that passed through town, as well as
leading his own successful bands and recording along the way.
His love affair with the guitar began in his teens.
“In the town that I lived in, there was a barbershop,”
Gilmore reminisces. “And the barber that owned the shop was a sanctified preacher. He
was a minister, and he had this little flat-bodied guitar. It was electric, no amplifier to it. And
he would bring it to the shop with him, and he was trying to learn how to play. So, I would get
to the barbershop early whenever I would go to get my hair cut, or even after school, I would
hang around at the barbershop, because I wanted to get my hands on that guitar. I would take
the guitar and they had these old wooden benches. I would lay the guitar on top of the wooden
bench and when you would strum the strings, the wood, the bench, would vibrate, and the floor
would, the sound would resonate, and you could hear it without the amplifier. I learned just from
watching him.” Young Gilmore tried to keep his obsession with the instrument from his church
going aunt, who was raising him, but word of the talented boy who played at the barbershop
eventually got back to her. She finally heard him play with his group at church and was moved to tears.
“She went straight to Sears and Roebuck and bought me a brand-new guitar,” Gilmore says. “It was
a Kay, I think. And from that, we started learning other songs, other music besides church music. And
that didn’t sit too well with her. But when she finally accepted that we could make money, that we could
make a lot on a weekend,though we weren’t old enough to be in the bars without parental supervision,
she would go with us. And would sit at the door and take up the money for us.”
Decades later and established as a Florida legend, Gilmore provides a highlight at Blues Festivals
and clubs proving he’s one of South Florida’s best soul-blues singers while wringing blue notes out
of his guitar.
Joey Gilmore's career has spanned 40 years with performances throughout the United States and
Europe. He has called South Florida home for the past twenty years. Joey is a true Blues and R & B
master who incorporates new and varied styles in his music performing original compositions mixed
with traditional standards in his high energy live show. His tenor/baritone vocals belt out tunes with a
loss abandon reminiscent of Blues Legends from the 1940's and 1950's. This Blues man's major
influences are apparent without sacrificing his unique style. Artists Joey has shared the stage with
include; James Brown, Etta James, Bobby Bland, Little Milton, Johnny Taylor and numerous others.
A Partial List of Festivals include:
Riverwalk Blues Festival
The Hollywood Jazz Festival
Fort Lauderdale Blues Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland
La Meridian Hotel, Paris
Pompano Seafood Festival
Sunfest in West Palm Beach
Garlic Festival, Delray Beach
Harrison Street Blues Festival
Sistrunk Festival
Mississippi Valley Festival of Davenport
Summer Arts Festival of Omaha
Fall Full Moon Festival of Blues, Baton Rouge
International Blues Challenge, Memphis
In January 2006, Joey traveled to Memphis to compete in The International BLUES Challenge.
The Joey Gilmore Band outscored all bands worldwide while showcasing his amazing
talent at a blues industry event as the best unsigned band on the planet. Joey is proud to
represent the BLUES FOUNDATION as the winner at every sponsored event, being an
ambassador of the BLUES for the Foundation and Blues Community.
