Bio
“Joe knows and respect the legends–far beyond his years. Yet he is a fearless musician who is unafraid to do things his way.”
-Jon Norton, Music Director, WGLT radio
Joe Metzka was born and raised in Chillicothe, Illinois- a small town in the rural midwest. At an early age he began listening to blues and jazz records and reading about legends like B.B. King and Nat Cole. He learned from older musicians how to play and sing blues, jazz, funk, modern rock and even Western swing and country.
Joe played music at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where he also played football and was a small school All-American for three seasons. (He even played two seasons of indoor football.)
Joe has played on nearly every kind of recording session and has worked as a sideman in every conceivable genre of music. While Joe does still take sideman work, he now plays mostly with his own two groups.
“Joe Metzka and Friends” performs blues and R&B classics, standards, and originals. They play songs in the style of B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Al Green, and all the great Rhythm and Blues legends. The group consists of four to seven musicians, depending on the venue.
The “Joe Metzka Trio” performs classic American jazz standards in the tradition of Nat “King” Cole, John Pizzarelli, and Diana Krall. They often add drums and horns in larger venues and settings.
Joe says, “I seem to operate in completely discrete music scenes with these groups but I love all the music so I continue to stay active in both genres.
“Over the years, I’ve been lucky to play with some incredible, eclectic musicians: Bo Diddley, Buddy Guy, Matt Wilson, Tim Hagans, The Ohio Players, Three Dog Night, The Shirelles and many others.”