Written by Will Jones
If you thought Joesph was a typo, you were wrong. But also right.
The Louisiana artist behind the new country ballad, “Summer Nights Goodbye,” has an unusually spelled first name. Instead of the conventional “Joseph,” the name spells “J-O-E-S-P-H.”
While the twangy voice on the record is as real and gritty as a country dirt road, Blue’s backstory is a bit more winding. Blue is an alias created by the producer and songwriter of “Summer Nights Goodbye,” and the founder of Black Sheep Records: Gary Godeaux. As a child, Gary had blue eyes, giving him the lifelong nickname, Blue. The Joesph spelling derives from how young Gary thought his middle name was spelled.
If the name is personal, so is the subject matter. “Summer Nights Goodbye” is a true story. It tells of the night that Gary found his wife of 19 years in their bed, having suddenly died from a pulmonary embolism. Gary wrote the words right away, telling the story in song, exactly as events unfolded.
While Gary wanted “people to hear it the way it really happened,” he is also not a fan of the limelight. He’s also not a singer. So Gary came up with a compromise: he would collaborate with professional Nashville session musicians to record the track, and release it under the pseudonym, Joesph Blue.
As Gary says, “I just didn’t want people to look at me. I wanted the focus to be on the music.”
Gary made a rough demo of “Summer Nights Goodbye,” with music and lyrics. He then sent that to Beaird Music Group and Recording Studio in Nashville. Beaird’s team of professional musicians and engineers specialize in turning musical ideas into radio-ready tracks. Gary worked with them to achieve his final vision.
For Joesph Blue, “Summer Nights Goodbye” is the first track on Black Sheep Records, but it won’t be the last. In fact, the track offers a glimpse of what fans can expect next. Namely, more real and raw messaging.
Gary says, “This song is kind of like an opening line, to let people know we won’t shy away from the truth.”
Black Sheep Records has a series of singles planned, such as the upcoming “Heaven’s Got a View.” These will follow the same workflow: Gary partnering with Beaird Music Group, sending more demos, selecting musicians, and then releasing songs to add to Joesph Blue’s catalog.
For now, listeners can consider “Summer Nights Goodbye” as a proper introduction to Joesph Blue. The pain and strength in his country baritone promise to continue delivering more country hits like “Summer Nights Goodbye.”
“Summer Nights Goodbye” is available now with promotional support from Starlight PR. Follow Joesph Blue and Black Sheep Records at the links below.
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