Joe English (born February 7, 1949) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician who, during the 1970s, played
drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
in
Paul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE , is an English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record and film producer, painter, and animal rights and peace activist. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings, McCartney is the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music...
's band
WingsWings was a rock group formed in 1971 by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife Linda McCartney. The group was the only "permanent" group that any of the former members of the Beatles were ever involved with after their break-up...
and in the Southern Rock/Jazz group
Sea LevelSea Level is the name of a fusion group that mixed jazz, blues and rock. It existed between 1976 and 1981. Initially, it was an offshoot of The Allman Brothers Band, but as tensions grew between the loss of two of its founding members, and personal greivances between Gregg Allman and other...
, among others.
A native of
Rochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. The Rochester metropolitan area is the second largest economy in New York State, behind the New York City metropolitan area. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and...
, Joe English was a member of Jam Factory, a band based in
SyracuseSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2000 census, the city population was 147,306, and its metropolitan area had a population of 732,117. It is the economic and educational hub of Central New...
, that evolved into the Tall Dogs Orchestra of
Macon, GeorgiaMacon is a city located in central Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles south of Atlanta, hence the...
. Searching for an opportunity to expand his talent, he answered an ad for a drummer. The address led him to the basement of an old building where, much to his surprise, he found himself face to face with Paul McCartney.
Joe English (born February 7, 1949) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician who, during the 1970s, played
drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
in
Paul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE , is an English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record and film producer, painter, and animal rights and peace activist. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings, McCartney is the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music...
's band
WingsWings was a rock group formed in 1971 by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife Linda McCartney. The group was the only "permanent" group that any of the former members of the Beatles were ever involved with after their break-up...
and in the Southern Rock/Jazz group
Sea LevelSea Level is the name of a fusion group that mixed jazz, blues and rock. It existed between 1976 and 1981. Initially, it was an offshoot of The Allman Brothers Band, but as tensions grew between the loss of two of its founding members, and personal greivances between Gregg Allman and other...
, among others.
A native of
Rochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. The Rochester metropolitan area is the second largest economy in New York State, behind the New York City metropolitan area. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and...
, Joe English was a member of Jam Factory, a band based in
SyracuseSyracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2000 census, the city population was 147,306, and its metropolitan area had a population of 732,117. It is the economic and educational hub of Central New...
, that evolved into the Tall Dogs Orchestra of
Macon, GeorgiaMacon is a city located in central Georgia, USA. It is among the largest metropolitan areas in Georgia, and the county seat of Bibb County. A small portion of the city extends into Jones County. It lies near the geographic center of Georgia, approximately 85 miles south of Atlanta, hence the...
. Searching for an opportunity to expand his talent, he answered an ad for a drummer. The address led him to the basement of an old building where, much to his surprise, he found himself face to face with Paul McCartney. The audition was for Wings, and English got the job. His first album with Wings was
Venus and MarsVenus and Mars is the fourth album by Wings, Paul McCartney's group formed after The Beatles' dissolution. Released as the follow-up to the enormously successful Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings' string of success and would prove a springboard for a year-long worldwide...
and, one album later, he would even take the lead vocals for the song, "Must Do Something About It" from
Wings at the Speed of SoundWings at the Speed of Sound is the fifth album by Wings and was recorded and issued in 1976 in the midst of a large world tour as the follow-up album to the popular Venus and Mars....
. He was the drummer on the
Wings Over the WorldIn 1975 and 1976, Paul McCartney's band Wings embarked on the ambitious Wings Over the World tour.-History:In contrast to Wings' two low-profile, smaller-scale outings of 1972, this was a major, highly publicised concert tour that took place mostly in arenas...
tour.
In September 1977, during the recording sessions for
London TownLondon Town is the sixth album by Wings and was released in 1978. The recording of the project was a long and tumultuous one, which saw the loss of two of its band members, the birth of a baby and the release of Britain's then top-selling single of all time - all during London Towns making.-...
, English became sick and returned to Macon, Georgia, where he began playing with
Chuck LeavellChuck Leavell is an American pianist and keyboardist, who was a member of The Allman Brothers Band during the height of their popularity, a founding member of the jazz-rock combo Sea Level, a frequently-employed session musician, and later, the keyboardist for Eric Clapton and The Rolling...
's band Sea Level.
Following his Christian salvation experience, he formed the Joe English Band, performing as lead singer and
drummerA drummer is a person who plays drums, particularly a drum kit , marching percussion or hand drums. The term percussionist applies to a musician performing on any percussion instrument, but usually refers to one who plays classical or Latin percussion. Most bands for Rock, Pop, Jazz, R&B etc...
. The band toured the world, playing with other major
ChristianChristian rock is a form of rock music played by bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands. Much Christian rock has ties to the contemporary...
bands of the era, including
PetraPetra was a prominent Christian rock band, regarded by many as a pioneer of the Christian rock and of the Contemporary Christian music genres. Petra was formed in 1972, in Fort Wayne, Indiana by Bob Hartman, Greg Hough and John DeGroff while they were students of the Christian Training Center...
, DeGarmo & Key,
Mylon LeFevreMylon LeFevre is the former Christian rock singer of the Grammy Award-winning band Mylon and Broken Heart and a Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame member. He currently travels around the United States, ministering, teaching and singing...
and
ServantServant was a Christian rock group that grew out of the counter-culture Jesus Movement of the sixties and seventies. The band was founded by evangelist Jim Palosaari in Victoria, British Columbia in 1976 and performed to audiences throughout North America, Europe and Australia for over 12 years. ...
. The Joe English Band recorded a release without Joe's vocals called
AKA Forerunner. The band included
John LawryJohn Lawry is a Christian musician, composer, producer, and songwriter. He is most remembered for being the keyboardist of Christian rock band Petra during their most prolific years.-Biography:...
, who left to play for Petra in 1984. In 1986, Joe English played in former Petra vocalist
Greg X. VolzGregory Xavier Volz is a Christian singer. He is most remembered for being the lead singer of Christian rock band Petra from 1979 to 1985.-Biography:...
's band, Pieces of Eight. In the late 1980s, English joined
Randy StonehillRandy Stonehill is an American singer/songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the so-called "fathers of contemporary Christian music." His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, but he has assayed other styles, with various albums focused on new wave, pop...
,
Phil KeaggyPhilip Tyler Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
, Rick Cua and others as part of the
Compassion All Star BandCompassion International is a Christian child sponsorship organization dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty around the world. Compassion International, headquartered in Colorado Springs, functions in 25 countries and currently helps more than 1,000,000 children. The...
. In 1988, the band recorded live
One by One, their only album together.
English played the snare with his right hand and the hi-hat and ride cymbals with his left, a technique commonly termed "open handed". He has been unable to play drums professionally since the late 1990s, due to chronic ankle health issues.
As of 2008, English lives in
SpindaleSpindale is a town in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,022 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spindale is located at ....
,
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties...
. He is no longer involved in the music industry. However, he maintains his interest in music as a member of the choir at the church he attends.
Discography
With Paul McCartney & Wings
- Venus and Mars
Venus and Mars is the fourth album by Wings, Paul McCartney's group formed after The Beatles' dissolution. Released as the follow-up to the enormously successful Band on the Run, Venus and Mars continued Wings' string of success and would prove a springboard for a year-long worldwide...
(1975)
- Wings at the Speed of Sound
Wings at the Speed of Sound is the fifth album by Wings and was recorded and issued in 1976 in the midst of a large world tour as the follow-up album to the popular Venus and Mars....
(1976)
- Wings over America
Wings over America is the sixth album issued by Wings and their only live album. In its initial 1976 release, it was a triple album due to its length.-Recording history:...
(1976)
- London Town
London Town is the sixth album by Wings and was released in 1978. The recording of the project was a long and tumultuous one, which saw the loss of two of its band members, the birth of a baby and the release of Britain's then top-selling single of all time - all during London Towns making.-...
(1978)
With KingfishKingfish is an American rock band led by Matthew Kelly, a musician, singer, and songwriter who plays guitar and harmonica. Kelly co-founded Kingfish in 1973 with New Riders of the Purple Sage bass player Dave Torbert and fellow San Francisco Bay Area musicians Robbie Hoddinott, Chris Herold, and...
- Trident
Trident is an album by the rock band Kingfish. Their second studio album and their third album overall, it was recorded at the Record Plant in Sausalito, California, and released by Jet Records in 1978....
(1978)
With Sea LevelSea Level is the name of a fusion group that mixed jazz, blues and rock. It existed between 1976 and 1981. Initially, it was an offshoot of The Allman Brothers Band, but as tensions grew between the loss of two of its founding members, and personal greivances between Gregg Allman and other...
- On the Edge (1978)
- Long Walk on a Short Pier (1979)
- Ballroom (1980)
With Joe English Band
- Lights in the World (1980)
- Held Accountable (1982)
- Press On (1983)
- Live (1984)
- What You Need (1985)
- The Best Is Yet to Come (1985)
- Back to Basics: English 101 (1988)
- Lights in the World / Held Accountable (1991)