Joe Lewis Thomas<\/strong> (born July 5, 1973), usually credited simply as Joe<\/strong>, is an American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer.<\/p>\n Joe was born in Columbus, Georgia, United States, and later moved to Opelika, Alabama. The son of two preachers, Joe spent much time in church singing, playing guitar, and even directing the choir. He was influenced in his early career by gospel performers such as: The Winans, Commissioned, and Vanessa Bell Armstrong. Joe also grew to love soul legends like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye as well as contemporary stars such as Bobby Brown and Keith Sweat.<\/p>\n 1990s<\/strong><\/p>\n Joe graduated from high school and continued to sing and write music while working at occasional temporary jobs. Finally, he traveled to New Jersey, hoping to make connections in the music industry. While working at a gospel record store and continuing his music education through a local church, he met producer [Vincent Herbert]] and recorded a three-song demo tape. He signed to Mercury Records in 1992 and released his debut album, Everything<\/em> the next year. This album produced a minor hit for him and he was subsequently released from his contract. Joe also had a song called \u00ab\u00a0All the Things\u00a0\u00bb that appeared on the soundtrack to the Wayans Brothers film Dont Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood<\/em>. Joe then signed to Jive Records for his 1997 album, All That I Am<\/em>. This proved to be his breakthrough album, reaching #13 on the Billboard 200 chart, and number 4 on the US Billboard<\/em> R&B chart. The hit singles from this album included the Top 5 R&B\/Top 20 pop hit \u00ab\u00a0All the Things Your Man Wont Do\u00a0\u00bb, the Top 5 R&B\/Top 40 pop hit \u00ab\u00a0Dont Wanna Be a Player\u00a0\u00bb, and \u00ab\u00a0The Love Scene\u00a0\u00bb. \u00ab\u00a0Dont Wanna Be a Player\u00a0\u00bb, produced by Rodney Jerkins, was also featured on the Booty Call<\/em> soundtrack- helping its success. All That I Am<\/em> eventually went platinum in the US.[citation needed<\/em>]<\/sup> Joe remixed a duet by Barry White and Tina Turner called \u00ab\u00a0Never in Your Wildest Dreams\u00a0\u00bb and wrote and produced on albums by Ideal, Xscape and Hi-Five in the 1990s. Joe also sang on the remix of Big Punishers \u00ab\u00a0Still Not a Player\u00a0\u00bb, produced by Knobody, which interpolated Joes \u00ab\u00a0Dont Wanna Be a Player\u00a0\u00bb. Joe sang the background vocals on Brandys track \u00ab\u00a0Angel in Disguise\u00a0\u00bb on her sophomore album, Never Say Never<\/em>.<\/p>\n Joe appeared on the track \u00ab\u00a0Thank God I Found You\u00a0\u00bb with Mariah Carey which appeared on her Rainbow<\/em> album. This song was released as the second single and came at #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. This track also became a hit internationally, helping to raise Joes profile in other parts of the world.<\/p>\n In April 2000, Joe released his third album, My Name Is Joe<\/em>, which became his most successful album to date, reaching the top of the R&B album chart and #2 on the Billboard 200, eventually selling more than three million copies. This album was also his first to make an impression outside the US. It featured the Top 5 R&B (#2) and pop (#4) hit lead single \u00ab\u00a0I Wanna Know\u00a0\u00bb, which also reached the Top 40 in the UK and Australia. The second single released was \u00ab\u00a0Treat Her Like A Lady\u00a0\u00bb, which enjoyed moderate success. The third single, the Roy \u00ab\u00a0Royalty\u00a0\u00bb Hamilton & Teddy Riley-produced \u00ab\u00a0Stutter\u00a0\u00bb, was #1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B\/Hip-Hop Tracks chart, and part of the Top 10 in the UK, and top 20 in Australia. Mystikal appeared on the remix of the single, which sampled The Pharcydes 1992 hit \u00ab\u00a0Passin Me By\u00a0\u00bb, which in turn samples Quincy Jones \u00ab\u00a0Summer in the City\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n The Better Days<\/em> album was released in 2001, reaching #32 on the Billboard 200 and #4 on the R&B chart. It featured two singles, \u00ab\u00a0Lets Stay Home Tonight\u00a0\u00bb, which reached #18 on the US R&B chart, and \u00ab\u00a0What If A Woman\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n In 2002, Joe did another collaboration with Mariah Carey on the remix version of her first single \u00ab\u00a0Through the Rain\u00a0\u00bb from her album Charmbracelet<\/em>. The song also features vocals from Kelly Price. He also recorded a track called \u00ab\u00a0Gods Work\u00a0\u00bb which was not released but appeared on a sampler on Jive Records.<\/p>\n Joe recruited high profile guests for the And Then …<\/em> album released in late 2003. R. Kelly wrote the songs \u00ab\u00a0More and More\u00a0\u00bb and \u00ab\u00a0Make You May Baby\u00a0\u00bb- both of which were supposed to be on his Loveland<\/em> album. G-Unit features on \u00ab\u00a0Ride Wit U\u00a0\u00bb. The singles from the And Then …<\/em> album included the Top 20 R&B hit \u00ab\u00a0More and More\u00a0\u00bb, \u00ab\u00a0Ride Wit U\u00a0\u00bb, and \u00ab\u00a0Priceless\u00a0\u00bb. A double A-sided single \u00ab\u00a0More and More\u00a0\u00bb and \u00ab\u00a0Ride Wit U\u00a0\u00bb made the Australian top 40 in July 2004, as well as #12 in the UK Singles Chart. And Then …<\/em> reached #26 on the US album chart and #4 on the R&B chart.<\/p>\n Joes sixth album, Aint Nothin Like Me<\/em>, was produced by Tim & Bob, The Underdogs, Cool & Dre, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Sean Garrett. The album featured guest appearances by Nas, Fabolous, Papoose, Young Buck and Tony Yayo; and was released on April 24, 2007. The first single was \u00ab\u00a0Where You At\u00a0\u00bb, written by Sean Garrett featuring rapper Papoose. The video for the single was shot by music video director Billie Woodruff.<\/p>\n He was confirmed as one of the judges on Making the Band<\/em>. Joe performed a cover version of \u00ab\u00a0Before He Cheats\u00a0\u00bb, a Carrie Underwood hit, as a Pepsi Smash exclusive on Yahoo! Music. He changed the lyrics to fit a males perspective, and titled his version \u00ab\u00a0Before I Cheat\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Joe released Joe Thomas, New Man<\/em> independently on September 23, 2008, and his second independent album, titled Signature<\/em>, was released on July 14, 2009 in Japan and the US. It was named iTunes Best R&B album of 2009. He is also working on a record with singer Ayoade Adeyinka.<\/p>\n In 2010, Joe collaborated with Keith Sweat featuring on Sweats album on the song, \u00ab\u00a0Test Drive\u00a0\u00bb.<\/p>\n On October 18, 2011, A new album, The Good, the Bad, the Sexy<\/em> was released.<\/p>\n On February 19, 2013, Joe released a new single, titled \u00ab\u00a0Id Rather Have a Love\u00a0\u00bb. It was the first single issued from his tenth studio album Double Back: Evolution Of R&B<\/em> which was released on July 2, 2013. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Biography Joe Lewis Thomas (born July 5, 1973), usually credited simply as Joe, is an American R&B singer-songwriter and record producer. Early life Joe was born in Columbus, Georgia, United States, and later moved to Opelika, Alabama. The son of two preachers, Joe spent much time in church singing, playing guitar, and even directing the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2498,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,7],"tags":[560],"class_list":["post-2497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-artists","category-urban-hip-hop-rap-rnb-trap","tag-joe"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<\/h3>\n
Early life<\/h3>\n
Career<\/h3>\n
<\/h3>\n
2000\u20132007: Rise to success<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2008\u2013present: Independent releases<\/strong><\/h3>\n