Primary Instrument: Guitar
Joey Stuckey is a blind guitarist, singer, songwriter, composer, producer, radio personality, and sound engineer.
Stuckey lost his sight and sense of smell as an infant as the result of a brain tumor. Despite these limitations, he remained in a normal educational environment, not a school for the handicapped. Scholastically outstanding, Joey Stuckey, graduated from high school at the age of fourteen, while living in Jacksonville, Florida.
At the age of seventeen he began his musical career by taking classical guitar lessons from noted music professor Terry Cantwell, while attending classes at Mercer University where he obtained a minor in history and began working towards a double major in marketing and music.
At the age of twenty-one he released his debut album “Take A Walk In the Shadows” which has been highly acclaimed by those who have listened. Stuckey's intuitive knowledge about blending musical styles and sounds into a cohesive format that really speaks to the listener attracted legendary musicians such as Savannah's great bassist, Ben Tucker, violinist for Kansas and The Smashing Pumpkins David Ragsdale; guitarist for the Outlaws and Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hughie Thomasson and many others to participate in his first project.
Stuckey has subsequently opened his own digital recording facility called Shadow Sound Studio and has hosted three radio programs dedicated to preserving and promoting Georgia music, featuring music greats like Charlie Daniels, Derek St.Holmes (vocalist for Ted Nugent), Chuck Leavell (keyboardist for the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton), George McCorkle (guitarist for Marshall Tucker), Jeff Sullivan (drummer for Drivin N Cryin) and Jimmy Hall (harmonica, sax and vocals for Wet Willie) just to name a few.
Stuckey won the “1999 Atlanta Society of Entertainers Recording Artist of the Year Award” as well as the “Jane & Cotton Carrier Award” from the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. He has been made rhythm section leader for the Mercer University Jazz Ensemble and Combo, and has been appointed to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Board. In 1999, he released his second album “Ironies, Pain & the Light That Guides.” In 2000, he released a live EP/interactive CD entitled “Live and Stuff” which is a collection of recordings from the album release party for “Ironies, Pain & the Light That Guides”, which took place November 19, 1999 at the historic Douglass Theatre in Macon, GA and features rock legend Jimmy Hall on harmonica and backup vocals.
Stuckey and his band have opened for legendary rockers like Ted Nugent, Bad Company and Wet Willie. In his other roles as either producer, composer, sound engineer or hired musician, Stuckey has worked with musical greats like Hughie Thomasson (from Leonard Skynard and the Outlaws), Jimmy Herring (from The Aquarium Rescue Unit and Frog Wing), David Ragsdale (from Kansas and the Smashing Pumpkins), Randall Bramblett (from Traffic, Steve Winwood Band and Gregg Allman Band), Connie Haines (from Harry James and The Tommy Dorsey Orchestras), Clarence Carter and Sammy Nestico (composer/arranger for Frank Sinatra and the Count Basie Orchestra). Stuckey's guitar style is reminiscent of rocker Jeff Beck and jazzer Wes Montgomery. His vocal influences range from Mel Tormé to Gregg Allman. However, with powerful classically trained chops and a great ear there is no style out of his reach. In short, Joey Stuckey is a young man with enormous talent and vision who is well respected by his peers, fans and even a few legends.
Stuckey is a member in good standing of GACAA (Georgia Assembly of Community Arts Agencies), a voting member of the Atlanta Chapter of NARAS (National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences - they vote for the Grammy Awards), BMI, Mercer University Jazz Band and Combo (bassist and vocalist), a founding board member of the Georgia Allman Brothers Band Association, first and only leader of the Macon Chapter of GMIA (Georgia Music Industry Association), and youngest member appointed to the Georgia Music Hall of Fame - Music Advisory Committee. In addition, he served as a volunteer music coordinator for the Cherry Blossom Festival, produces “Last Friday Concerts” at the Douglass Theatre and produces and hosts a “Georgia Music Showcase” every July 4th at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
So, what else does this blind man do? Virtually anything except bungie jumping or driving a car! Joey has skied, ridden horses, driven a four wheeler and even won an award for ballroom dancing at an international competition in Orlando at Walt Disney World.
But more important than all of this is Stuckey's inspirational countenance, Joey Stuckey firmly believes that you can do anything you want - no matter your limitations, whether it be financial, educational or physical - and it is this message that pervades Stuckey's life and music.
