Smokin' Joe Kubek (born November 30, 1956) is an American Texas blues electric guitarist, songwriter, and performer.
Born in Grove City, Pennsylvania, Kubek grew up in the Dallas, Texas area. In the 1970s during his teen years, he played with the likes of Freddie King and in the 1980s began performing with Louisiana-born singer, Bnois King.
In 1985, Kubek released his first record on Bird Records, a 45 RPM single with the tracks "Driving Sideways" (written by Freddie King and Sonny Thompson) and "Other Side Of Love" (written by Doyle Bramhall, Sr.).
The single was executively produced by Clint Birdwell and co-produced by Charley Wirz and Kubek. The two tracks reappeared on Kubek's 2012 album, Let That Right Hand Go, produced by Clint Birdwell and issued on Birdwell's label, Bird Records Texas. The album is a collection of mostly unreleased material recorded since the 1980s (with the 1985 single's track, "Other Side Of Love", entitled "The Other Side Of Love").
In 1991, Kubek released his first full-length album entitled Steppin' Out Texas Style (Bullseye Blues Records) and has since released over a dozen albums on various labels.
Discography:
Singles:
- 1985: "Driving Sideways"(2:44)/"Other Side Of Love" (4:22) (Bird Records)
Albums:
- 1991: Steppin' Out Texas Style (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 1992: Chain Smokin' Texas Style (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 1993: Texas Cadillac (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 1995: Cryin' For The Moon (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 1996: Keep Comin' Back (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 1996: The Axe Man (Double Trouble Records)
- 1996: Got My Mind Back (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 1998: Take Your Best Shot (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 2000: Bite Me! (Bullseye Blues Records)
- 2003: Roadhouse Research (Blind Pig Records)
- 2004: Show Me The Money (Blind Pig Records)
- 2006: My Heart's In Texas (Blind Pig Records)
- 2008: Blood Brothers (Alligator Records)
- 2010: Have Blues Will Travel (Alligator Records)
- 2012: Let That Right Hand Go... (Bird Records Texas)
Joe Kubek was raised in Irving, Texas, and while still a teenager was playing guitar in the band of the original Texas Cannonball, Freddie King. Kubek went on to forge his aggressive guitar style fronting his own band, and backing many legendary blues artists throughout the '70s and '80s, including Al "TNT" Braggs, Little Joe Blue, and others. Influenced by the hard-rocking blues of the '60s and '70s, Kubek's guitar playing smolders with the same fire that burned in the styles of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Johnny Winter, earning him the well-deserved nickname "Smokin' Joe."
Like Smokin’ Joe, there are many other blues guitarists that have struggled along and have learned to play the instrument like many of the greats. The next one on my “Hot List” is a newcomer, Matt Schofield and his band, “The Matt Schofield TRIO”.
MUSICIAN by Night
GOD Save “The Blues”
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