Smokin' Joe Kubek

Biography

Smokin Joe Kubek (born in Grove City, Pennsylvania, on 30 November 1956; died 11 October 2015) was an American Texas blues electric guitarist, songwriter and performer. In the 1980s he began performing with Louisiana-born musician and vocalist Bnois King and subsequently recorded as Smokin Joe Kubek and Bnois King. In the 1990s, Kubek recorded as The Smokin Joe Kubek Band feat. Bnois King and then as The Smokin Joe Kubek Band.

Kubek grew up in the Dallas, TX, and was already playing his smokin guitar on the Lone State chitlin circuit at age 14, supporting such musicians as Freddie King. Soon, he formed his own band and began playing a number of bars across Dallas. In the 80s, he met guitarist/vocalist Bnois King, a native of Monroe, LA, and the duo formed the first edition of The Smokin Joe Kubek Band. The Smokin Joe Kubek Band began playing the rest of the Southwest in the late 80s. In 1991, they signed to Bullseye Blues, releasing their debut, Steppin Out Texas Style, the same year. Following its release, the band launched their first national tour. For the rest of the 90s, the Smokin Joe Kubek Band toured the United States and toured frequently and issued records like 1993s Texas Cadillac, 1996s Got My Mind Back, and 2000s Bite Me. In 2003 Kubek and guitarist/vocalist Bnois King released Roadhouse Research on the Blind Pig label. The duos second release for Blind Pig, Show Me the Money, came out in 2004. A single-disc collection of some of the best tracks from the Bullseye Blues years, Served Up Texas Style, came out in 2005. A third album from Blind Pig Records, My Hearts in Texas, was released in 2006.

Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.