How do you encapsulate the story of a balladeer?

Introducing Joe Romeo. With songs that evoke the echoes of the greatest singer-songwriters of the time, Romeo’s music and lyrics hark back to the glory days of Tin Pan Alley with an edgy, eclectic, and dark sound.

Romeo’s influences are ingrained in his music and his photographic memory, unique storytelling ability, and intense command of the English language. Strains of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Bruce Springsteen color his songs.
Live and on record, Joe Romeo delves into the raw emotions of love gone wrong, relationships gone astray, and hopes dashed by the isolation and alienation of contemporary life. On the flip side, Romeo gives hope and laughs off the insanity with melodies and lyrics that inspire and remind us that nothing’s too serious.

Produced and engineered by Rick Miller of Southern Culture On The Skids and newly released by Chapel Hill’s Robust Records on CD and in MP3 format, the self-titled Joe Romeo & The Orange County Volunteers, offers some of the best new songs of the young songwriter’s life, including Fight For You, Train Tracks, Song Called Leah, and Wearing Me Out a song about getting out of town and on with your life, a cousin to Springsteen's Badlands. Surrounded by the Chapel Hill area’s finest musicians, and featuring Tift Merritt guitarist, Scott McCall, Romeo leaves behind a memorable CD filled with gifted performances and a sound not to be forgotten.

Sharing the stage with national acts like Cat Power, Crooked Fingers, Guided By Voices, Tim Easton, Roman Candle, and the Two Dollar Pistols, Romeo’s energetic and unique live shows have won rave reviews at venues including The Mercury Lounge in Manhattan, The Cat’s Cradle in Chapel Hill, Union Hall in Brooklyn, The Khyber in Philadelphia, Hi-Tone in Memphis, and a variety of other well-known halls across the eastern United States.

In January 2009, Joe Romeo was invited to be a guest lecturer on songwriting for the popular and prestigious Intro to Popular Music class at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Joe Romeo & The Orange County Volunteers is featured in regular rotation on WXYC in Chapel Hill, WXDU in Durham, and WKNC in Raleigh, North Carolina. The CD has garnered stellar reviews online and in the area’s print media outlets, and is available through Robust Records or online at iTunes.