Joshua Davis

Part of our Live & Upstairs Series

His newest album, Secondhand  is a collection of covers. To create his unique sound Joshua gathered with his engineers in a one-of-a-kind all-analog studio, the The Goon Lagoon, and rolled tape. No computer screens, no auto-tune, no bullshit. Just one or two takes of each tune in a beautiful room. On Secondhand, songs from Joshua’s friends Jen Sygit and David Fetzer sit alongside tunes from some of Joshua’s other favorites like Tom Waits, Townes Van Zandt and St. Vincent. 

“The music that moves me is imperfect, honest and raw. Those qualities are what turned me on to Delta blues, to punk rock, to old soul and traditional music from all over the globe. It’s all about feel. It’s ragged but right.”

Joshua is a prolific songwriter who has shared the stage with a “Who’s Who” of American folk music icons such as Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Greg Brown, and Abigail Washburn. Even with this acclaim, getting a call from “The Voice” was completely out of the blue for him. Unfamiliar with the show, he initially rejected the inquiry, but the producers were persistent. After being convinced by his wife and allowed to skip the auditions, Davis signed up for an incredible six months in the national TV spotlight. He went on to sing high profile duets with Sheryl Crow (Live Finale: “Give It To Me”) and Adam Levine (Live Finale: “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shows”). Davis was the first artist to sing an original song on the show. His rough-n-tumble grit mixes with an undeniable Midwesterner’s charm for a soaring vocal performance and a most enjoyable set.