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Joseph G. Miranda was born in Houston, Texas, to wonderful immigrant, Spanish speaking parents from Ecuador and grew up in the 60's and 70's, right into what was the whirlwind of the American Rock and Blues music scene. Inspired early by Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and other great successful hit-makers, he couldn't help but notice the hotbed of great music right in the midst of where he came from, with the Houston- San Antonio- Dallas triangle in Texas being the home base of such great players like Lightnin' Hopkins, Albert Collins, Doug Sahm, Willie Nelson, Freddie King, Johnny Winter, and Johhny "Guitar" Watson, to name a few. Joe learned many years ago that a good player doesn't just stack up and show off a bunch of "licks", or "chops"… A good player reaches into his heart, and makes that guitar talk.. Talk, sing, scream, cry, moan, whatever it may be, but it comes from the heart… Or it ain't real.

With a commitment to want to play and write songs like that, it was natural that he became deeply engrossed in the playing and music of Jimi Hendrix, Steve Miller, Jimmy Page, Clapton, Jeff Beck, the great West Coast bands like Grateful Dead, Hot Tuna, Spirit, Steppenwolf, Heart, and many of the great hitmakers that we all heard on the radio in the 60's, 70's and 80's. However, it seems he turned a sharp corner when it came to the blues. He met Lightnin' Hopkins at an early age, just down the street from where he and his good friend Rex Wherry first met Rocky Hill. He sat mesmerized watching Townes Van Zandt sing in clubs with only 9 or 10 people there, watchin' the music and lyrics of this man tear a person's heart out, as if there ought to have been several hundred, or thousands more. He'd sneak into a club any way he could, if he didn't have the money, not to miss Freddie King, who was a great, incredible showman, and a wonderful artist and person to have as your hero. Lightnin Slim, Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Freddie King, Albert Collins, Billy Gibbons, Doug Sahm, Doc Watson, Merle Haggard, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Albert King and B.B. King, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy were all deep and very strong impressions and inspirations, along with so many more.

The Blues is home. Rock n' Roll is the house… Being in Austin in the 70's and 80's, he was thrilled to have known and shared the stage with the likes of W.C. Clark, Van Wilks, Eric Johnson, "Uncle John" Turner, Larry Lange, The Cobras, to name a few, and was good friends with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Tommy Shannon, years before Stevie was to hit it big with his great playing and from-his-heart, massive Blues. He was greatly inspired by Tommy from his years with Johnny Winter, and never stopped reminding him of it, so when Tommy did the re-union record with Johnny and Unc in Chicago, Tommy was kind enough to invite Joe to come with him. Joe's positive Texas vibe was enough for Johnny to even mention him on the credits. (Stevie also mentioned him in credits on his "Live Alive" Album, for his positive help and energy with the crew on their '86 Australian tour.)

Through the years, Joe's never given up, never stopped playing, never stopped feeling the music deep in his heart, even with all the changes life can throw at a person. It's a great American history of music and soulful expression that Joe's strongly in touch with, and he has NO intention of ever stopping. That's why he's here now, and appreciates so much you checking out this website. Please fell free to contact him, let him know what you're up to, what you think, and know that rockin' and playing the blues for people to enjoy is really where it all comes from, and what it's all about.. So when you hear Joe play, you can know you're listening to someone who's got a great level of respect and true love for Texas Blues, Rock, Western.. All the traditions that he comes from, understanding that the music that "falls from his fingers" (-or slides off!) is a great privilege to recognize and uphold. So let that Guitar talk, and just Rock out… Let Joe tear it up for you like any good Texas bad boy should. And …Turn it up!

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