Joe has been playing an ordinary guitar since the age of ten.  It was not until the Miss New Zealand Show toured New Zealand in the early 1970's that he had even heard of a steel guitar.

Steel Guitarist Les Thomas was touring with the show, and when Joe heard the sound of the steel he was captivated. "The Nashville sound just caught my ears and ain't let go since".

Until the mid 1990's Joe toured yearly with the Gold Guitar Roadshow through the South Island, with promoter Grenville Craig and on nationwide tours with promoter Peter and Mary Heremaia of Country Promotions.

Joe during year 2009 had the privilage of meeting the man who captivated Joe with the sound of the STEEL GUITAR, Les Thomas, during a tour with "LEGENDS UNLEASHED 2006". That was one of Joe's highlights of the year and tour.