New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

#43 Joe Whyte: When The Day Breaks


By Gary Wien

originally published: 01/28/2011


Born and raised in Matawan, Joe Whyte is proof that even Jersey boys can sing with an honest to goodness country twang.  Currently living in Rutherford, Joe is part of New York City’s Americana/Alt-Country scene.

His first original songs came while living in Dublin and playing in a band called Mad Frank.  The band started out playing covers, but slowly incorporated originals into their set.  Dublin’s thriving music scene helped inspire Joe to take the leap from covers to his own songs.  Joe not only immersed himself into the Irish scene, but continues to regularly tour Ireland with success.

Over the last 13 years, Joe has released eight albums.  Each has shown remarkable improvement in his songwriting to the point where his most recent release, When The Day Breaks, contains his best work to date.

He’s joined on the record by Catherine Popper (from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals) who provides bass and harmonies on a few tracks, and Dan Marcus who complements Joe with guitar, dobro, and mandolin.

Musically, the album is stripped down to its singer-songwriter skeleton, yet feels much bigger through slick instrument fills, solos,  and gorgeous harmonies.

The album contains tales of the road by truckers who can’t slow down, broken hearts and relationships, soldiers heading out to war, and even the Great Flood of 1927.

In a sign of the times, When The Day Breaks was offered solely as a digital download from JoeWhyte.com.  Due to people buying less and less CDs, the economics didn’t make sense to produce an actual disc.  Instead, Joe chose to make the album available as a free download, gambling that an increased fanbase would be worth more than any revenue generated from a physical copy.




Please support the advertisers at New Jersey Stage!
Want info on how to advertise? Click here



Highlights include “Please Believe Me,” “This City Is Alive,” “It’s A Shame,  and “4th Of July.”


From the book Are You Listening? The Top 100 Albums of 2001-2010 by New Jersey Artists by Gary Wien


Gary Wien has been covering the arts since 2001 and has had work published with Jersey Arts, Upstage Magazine, Elmore Magazine, Princeton Magazine, Backstreets and other publications. He is a three-time winner of the Asbury Music Award for Top Music Journalist and the author of Beyond the Palace (the first book on the history of rock and roll in Asbury Park) and Are You Listening? The Top 100 Albums of 2001-2010 by New Jersey Artists. In addition, he runs New Jersey Stage and the online radio station The Penguin Rocks. He can be contacted at gary@newjerseystage.com.


Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info





 

EVENT PREVIEWS

Centenary

Centenary Stage Company to Kick Off 2025-26 Season with John Lloyd Young

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's 2025-26 Season will kick off with a Curtain Up! concert performance by John Lloyd Young on Saturday, September 20 at 8:00pm. This starts a celebration of their 40th season of performing arts in Hackettstown. John Lloyd Young is a Tony and Grammy winner, multi-Platinum recording artist and Presidential Appointee.



New

New Jersey Festival Orchestra Opens Season with "The Gypsy Spirit"— Two Concerts, Two Unforgettable Programs

(WESTFIELD & BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- The New Jersey Festival Orchestra (NJFO), under the baton of Music Director David Wroe, launches its 2025–26 season with The Gypsy Spirit, a dynamic season-opening celebration presented across two performances: Saturday, September 27 at 7:00pm at The Presbyterian Church in Westfield, and Sunday, September 28 at 3:00pm at the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge.



Party

Party Like a Pop Star: The Ultimate Girl's Night Out for All Ages

(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- The Scottish Rite Auditorium presents "Party Like a Pop Star: The Ultimate Girl's Night Out for All Ages!" on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 7:00pm. This electrifying tribute show celebrates the incredible women who dominate the charts today, featuring all your favorite hits from pop's brightest stars!



Carteret

Carteret PAC presents Annie Lennox - In Conversation

(CARTERET, NJ) -- Legendary singer, songwriter, and global feminist activist Annie Lennox will take the stage on Saturday, October 11, 2025 at The Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center, for an unforgettable evening of stories, inspiration, and impact. Known for her groundbreaking music career and tireless activism, Lennox will share personal reflections on creativity, advocacy, and what it means to use one's voice for change.



An

An Interview with Daniel Donato ahead of some PA/NJ shows in September

Daniel Donato stares across the prairie, eyes fixed on the release of Cosmic Country's latest album, "Horizons". This is the 2nd release with his current lineup including Nathan "Sugar Leg" Aronowitz (keys), Will "Bronco" Clark (drums), and Will "Mustang" Mcgee (bass). On August 22, 2025, Daniel Donato's Cosmic Country played its first marquee show at the Ryman Auditorium in his home city Nashville, TN.