grew up in Manhattan and Long Island, where he was exposed to a variety of music including jazz, Latin, classical and more. By age three, his musical father taught his children how to sing harmony. He was profoundly influenced by the experiences he had at Carnegie Hall through his Mom, who worked with the Festival Casals. Thanks to The Beatles’ appearance on Ed Sullivan, Joe took a strong interest in the guitar. Early influences include the band Cream, and Joe developed the ability to learn guitar parts by ear by age 14. By age 16, he was so proficient that he was recruited for studio sessions. While in high school, Joe and his brother formed the Bithorn Brothers Band, performing the early music of the Allman Brothers Band. Joe heard about an audition for Beatlemania and was hired for the touring production as George. After touring with the show in North America, Joe joined Rain in 1983 and has been touring the world ever since.