Meet The New Guy

Several astute followers of this blog have contacted me after noticing a new face in the the rehearsal photo posted here a few days ago. (It seems we have a few up-and-coming practitioners of the deductive arts in the T-Ward fan base.) Well, faithful readers, the time has finally come for you all to meet the new guy.

Avengers Schmavengers.

This fall and winter, Tyler, Joshua, & yours truly will be joined onstage by one, Joey Barba. A fantastic guitarist with the ears of a producer, Joey has brought a brand new energy and excitement to the rehearsals for the upcoming tour. Those who may have caught us at a show in February are in for a whole new slew of surprises this time around, in many ways due to Joey's remarkable musicality.

Having served in several prominent bands on the Denver scene like Tickle Me Pink and Rachel & The Kings, Joey unexpectedly crossed paths with Tyler on a flight back to Colorado from Los Angeles a few months ago. Tyler had first noticed Joey years before when he was performing in a band known as The Brotherhood of Dae Han and both of them had worked with a handful of the same artists in the years since. Striking up a conversation on the trip back to Denver, Tyler asked Joey if he'd be willing to help with some production on what would soon become Hello. Love. Heartbreak. At first, Joey was hesitant due to a packed schedule that included his upcoming wedding, but eventually doors were opened, opportunities presented themselves, and he was able to lend his notable talents to the tracks 'Raise Up' and 'Dashes'.

This guy's not in the band. Yet...

On the basis of their shared work on the new album, Tyler was able to recruit Joey into the band for our imminent European & North American tours. Like the rest of us, Joey is psyched to get out on the road and take the Tyler Ward live experience to an even higher and more impressive level. And believe me, from where I sit, this is a rejuvenated, reenergized band. The timing of God is an incredible thing, to say the least, and once again, for the benefit of our little band, He's come through in the clutch with the inclusion of Mr. Barba.

So be sure to send Joey a big 'Hello!' from wherever you are out in the audience. I know he'll appreciate it. And something tells me that once you see this cat perform, you'll be appreciating him.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go finish a rather large novel before the tour starts. No room for 750-page tomes on the road, folks.

T-minus 8 days.

Posted with Blogsy