Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel Henry Kiser.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
So I started playing guitar when I was about 13 and started playing in bands when I was about 15 and playing and touring ever since. I been a bunch of bands. I was in House of Fools for about 12 years and we were signed to drive thru records and we toured the country a lot and had a universal publishing. Deal. We went through a whole lot together as friends and as band mates. That’s a very long story but the band broke up and I started doing solo stuff and playing with other different artists like Shelby J from Princes’ band and also JTimber and Carri Smithy and now recently this year, I’ joined Fancy Gap from Raleigh. And it’s going great! I have three older brothers and my mom was a Piano treacher and my dad was a preacher so I’m a preacher kid. I been married for 11 years and I have a 10 year-old boy and my wife was diagnosed after she gave birth with pots a chronic illness.. so that has been very hard on us and we have worked really hard on her health and being a family and being good parents. It’s been a very very long hard road and a lot of ups and downs. It’s been a crazy chaotic life haha. Music and the arts are a very complex life to live with the modern world. That’s the quickest summary of it all. Haha
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
So along the way there was a lot of struggles. We use to sleep in Walmart parking lots and eat dry ramen noodles on tour haha. But a really rough one for me was the band coming to an end..
a band that I cared very much about breaking up and having family members and band members with different addictions and facing a world that doesn’t seem to care about how artists make a living. We experienced the 2008 recession in the band House of Fools right when we were signed and trying to get things going and of course the Internet changing the landscape of Music constantly and of course
Streaming sites like Spotify and we watched all that happen in the world completely changed especially the music industry and then my wife was diagnosed with a chronic illness called POTS it is a chronic illness.. it has no cure so it’s been really hard on us and of course trying to provide for a family when she can’t work and her dreams were crushed by her chronic illness. She used to do film and Commercial work and she can’t work anymore and is disabled now from the chronic ill illness.. financial stability has been a been part of the problem ha. I have had to resort to all kinds of different jobs from construction to bartending and playing cover bands, which is not something I’d like to do because I am an original artist and proudly want to be an artist and create original art in music. So it’s been a lot of hardships and self torture and torture when you can’t do what you love, but there’s no doubt that I’ll do what I have to to provide for my family and we do our best to keep our heads up but there’s definitely been a lot of dark days but things are looking up now so we’re happy about that.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Probably known for being one of the two lead guitarist in House of Fools and now for playing in fancy gap from Raleigh and being a lead guitarist, I would say my guitar skills are what I’m known for the most.
I do have original music out as a solo artist and I am a songwriter as well. I cherish that the most. My solo stuff is under my first and middle name Joel Henry. And Joel Henry band.
Writing guitar parts and songwriting and composing Musical instrumentals are what I think I am best at and what I want to do the most. Also I played in Shelby J’s band and I’m really proud of that. She’s amazing Singer and Writer and solo artist and her band is phenomenal and I’m so grateful to be a part of that. She’s been an amazing mentor and she’s an incredible human being. She spent 10 years on the road in Princess band and one of her first gigs was the Super Bowl with him. She has been a light in my life and a constant person that encourages me. It means the world to me .she is a fantastic. Human being.. I was lucky enough to play at Paisley Park. Princess‘s house a few years ago with her. It was a phenomenal experience.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Filing a mentor Music was more of a common thing but it’s really not a lot of people are on a road all by themselves and they feel lonely in it. I think they should just know that a lot of people do understand some people do have an understanding.of what it means to be an artist. Not really sure what Works ha ha.
I will say what I think what does work is continuing to work at your craft and practice and keep writing and just keep going
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Joelhenrymusic
- Facebook: Joelhenryband
- Youtube: Joel Henry music
- Soundcloud: Joel Henry
