Singer-songwriter and producer Joe Barksdale has released a new single titled “My Angel” from his new album Yours Truly, set to release on August 31st.
Barksdale says, “‘My Angel’ is one of the most heartfelt cuts off the new album” which features 16 tracks in his signature style, a unique blend of blues, soul, jazz, and rock, with Barksdale handling guitar, electronic drums, and lead vocals. The laid back ballad features a captivating guitar solo which closes with an iconic sample of Fred Rogers’ words of wisdom.
Yours Truly is an open and honest letter from Barksdale which looks at his life, his career, and his mental health journey. It’s also a confession of those struggles and paths.
He told Vents Magazine, “It’s hard to be understood when you live in a world that wasn’t built for you. Being larger than average, Black in America, mentally ill, and Autistic means that I live in a world that was not built for me and that’s a lonely realization to make.”<
Therefore, Barksdale, takes all of this energy and creates an album that has “the four major food groups for Black, inner-city Detroit – gospel, rap, soul, and R&B” (Vents Magazine).
During his eight-year NFL career, Barksdale made his music debut with the release of his first album Butterflies, Rainbows, & Moonbeams in 2017. Following his retirement in 2019, Barksdale relocated to Austin, TX to pursue music full-time and released his EP Electric Soul (2019), which was produced by the legendary Narada Michael Walden, and another full-length album titled R&B(eats), Vol. 1.
2021 found Barksdale releasing a staggering amount of new music – four full-length albums to date: Omari, The Kyber Tapes, Walton, and Marshall. Yours Truly follows these up as his eighth and most personal album yet.
Throughout his life, Barksdale has faced many obstacles related to his mental health, including depression, long undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder, and a childhood peppered with abuse, rejection, and neglect. He fosters awareness to tackle the stigma surrounding mental illness — including publicly sharing his own experience of 20+ years silently suffering from depression and suicidal thoughts — to encourage others to seek help.
Barksdale refuses to limit himself to just one creative outlet. He is an avid journaler and poet and relishes his role as “Tech Lord of the Sith”, producing quick, irreverent product review videos on his YouTube channel. Most recently, he’s started performing stand-up comedy on stages across the country. To date, he has performed over 100 sets, has headlined shows, and is about to complete his first special.
For more information, please visit: www.josephbarksdale.com.
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