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Mark
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Joe any word yet on a summer picnic at the Serbian Club?
4 July 2006 - Greensburg
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CNN
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Rock's best-kept secret
Joe Grushecky: Iron City legend, devoted teacher
By Laurie Ure
CNN
Wednesday, March 2, 2005 Posted: 11:58 AM EST (1658 GMT)
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- Music critics place him among the best rock and rollers ever.
Over the past two decades, he's raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for all kinds of causes, including headlining a sold-out (in 57 minutes!) "Flood Aid" benefit concert last December in Pittsburgh with his good buddy Bruce Springsteen.
He's a musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, music arranger, recording artist -- and he leads what's been described in top music publications as "one of the best bar bands in America." Moreover, a song he co-wrote with Springsteen recently won a Grammy for best solo rock vocal performance ("Code of Silence").
Do you know him? Probably not.
Here's the lowdown on Pittsburgh's Joe Grushecky.
Grushecky, 56, is a highly acclaimed, almost-famous rock and roller, who, along with his band, "The Houserockers," still fills small and medium-sized nightclubs nationwide. They've also toured overseas a few times in venues packed with appreciative audiences.
But that's just a hobby. His day job involves teaching developmentally disabled, physically disabled and emotionally disturbed kids -- a high burnout career, and he's been doing it for more than 25 years.
Born in Pittsburgh to a musical family, Grushecky's father warned him to get a good education and have something to fall back on if the music gig didn't work out.
Armed with a special-education degree and many postgraduate credits, he works full-time at Pittsburgh's Wesley Highland School with exceptional children who have suffered hard lives at home.
They have severe emotional and mental problems, "everything from bipolar disorder to schizophrenia to post-traumatic stress," he says. "They're really the forgotten kids."
He describes them as "rebellious," with "an anti-authority thing" that he can relate to.
A rough day can involve a child who acts up due to a particularly bad weekend away from the structured environment of the school. "The next thing you know, you're involved in physical restraint with the kid and you're laying on the floor, and they're fighting you and punching you and kicking you and spitting at you."
Despite this, he's "made a lot of friends with these kids," some of whom look to him as a father figure. "It takes years to learn to interact with them appropriately and be able to guide them and help them."
Grushecky is friends with Bruce Springsteen, seen here playing with Grushecky's son Johnny.
At the end of the day, Grushecky goes home to his wife, Lee Ann, and his 16-year-old son, Johnny. (Nineteen-year-old daughter Desiree is a college freshman.)
Also waiting in his spare time is his music career.
Despite a lack of stardom or a big hit record, Grushecky hasn't missed a beat. He has a small but still growing devoted fan base, which he describes as "a pretty loyal bunch. I like to think they're a little more intelligent than the average rock fan. It takes a little bit more effort to be a Grushecky fan," he says with a laugh.
His discography is impressive. MCA released Grushecky's first album "Love's So Tough" in 1979 to tremendous critical acclaim. He and his band were then known as the Iron City Houserockers, and the collection was crowned the "debut record of the year" by Rolling Stone.
There was a second album, followed by a third and a fourth, all receiving magnificent reviews from Billboard, Creem, The Village Voice and other influential publications.
Grushecky was practically on fire with excitement. "We were this close to making the big, big time," he says, holding up two fingers an inch apart.
But the band never burst on to the national scene. "The sales never matched the reviews, ever," he says. The record company dropped the group; the band broke up. "It really took the wind out of our sails," Grushecky remembers.
Eventually he re-emerged with the current lineup called Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers and released several more CD's, some as a solo artist, others with the group. The music encompasses the singer's many influences, including blues, roots rock, hard rock, pop, and a hint of country.
The reviews? Great, as usual: "Passionate," "unique blue collar sensibility," "no bulls***."
The sales? Disappointing, confounding those familiar with the music.
Grushecky tries to explain it. "I don't know if the record company didn't know how to market us, or maybe we didn't have all cylinders firing at the same time."
Grushecky did win over one very impressive fan, though. He met Springsteen in New York City in 1980, and "to this day, we're close friends," says Grushecky. And they still collaborate.
Springsteen produced Grushecky's 1995 "American Babylon" CD, and toured on stage with the band for eight days.
Grushecky recruited Springsteen for "Flood Aid," last December's benefit concert that helped Western Pennsylvanians who suffered huge losses to the worst inland flooding in 100 years after Hurricane Ivan.
"He's the patron saint of causes," says Larry Kuzmanko, director of special events for Pennsylvania's Allegheny County parks department.
Joe Grushecky has a lot of rock and roll left in him. He's planning to release a double live CD/DVD before mid-year. He's got new songs ready for recording, and some songs inside him yet to be penned.
"I'm gonna keep on till I can't do it anymore," he says, inviting the curious to check out his music at www.grushecky.com.
As he sings on his latest CD "True Companion," "I'm only in my fifties. I got a long, long way to go."
4 July 2006 - Atlanta
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Danny Gochnour
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I'm honored to be a part of such a rock and roll legacy. I've known and respected Joe and The HR's forever. Like I said I already feel like we're brothers.
I'm looking forward to meeting all the HR fans. Make sure you all stop by and say hello.
3 July 2006
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Joe G
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Please welcome to the band our new guitar player, Danny Gotchnour. As you may know, the Houserockers do not change members often. Danny is a great guy and tremendous guitar player and we feel lucky that he has decided to join us. We would have liked to have been able to announce Bill's departure to pursue his solo efforts, but he choose to issue a statement on his own.
Great gigs this weekend even tho the bug attack was Biblical in scope!!!!
great to see our old friends , both in the flesh and in spirit, in Fayette County.
Welcome back marty. We missed you!!!
See ya at the Pony
3 July 2006 - Pittsburgh
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anonymous
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Johnny g. Thanks alot for the compliment about new and "improved" Also thanks for your help with the guitars and making me feel comfortable and welcome. All the HR's are already like brothers to me incl you Brian and Chris. We're gonna have a great time.
3 July 2006
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guitar man
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Well we know the g man has a lot to live up to.
Who was it?
3 July 2006
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piggy
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keep on rockin,,your buddy bill wiltrout is up there jammin to your music....gizzy said hello also..have a good one..
2 July 2006 - south connellsville.pa
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Johnny G
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Times Riverfront Park
July 1, 2006
Long way to go
Strange days
Have a good time
Dance with me
Pumping iron
Lucky man
Dirty water
Homestead
Turn it up
That's all I want from you
Jr`s bar
Talking to the king w/ me
Code of silence w/ me
Down the road apiece
Encore
Everythings gona work out alright (extended jam version)
Notes
This was a real good place to see the houserockers besides the massive bug attack on stage. The PA sounded really good and the band was having a good time despite the massive bug attack. This was a HISTORIC night for the houserockers. It was the new and improved guitar players first show. Expect an official anouncement coming soon.
2 July 2006 - pittsburgh
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Gena
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Personally, I've never gone to see the ICHR or the HRers to dance. I've always hated dance clubs then and now and am more comfortable in a place like the Decade ect. For me it's more about listening and enjoying the music/lyrics. So none of the songs are dance songs imo ;-) When they play 'One Chance' I hit the ladies room...to each his own - let the flaming begin now lol. What's that old song...give me the beat boys and free my soul I wanna get lost in my rock'n'roll and drift away...
30 June 2006 - home of the Clarks, Bill Deasy and Joe G
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Jimmy Sinclair
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Seems to me there are too many songs to include. The dance floor is always packed at a Houserocker show.
30 June 2006 - Biddle, PA (Home of Pete Maystrovich)
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