ME
Hailed by David Grisman as a “wonderful mandolin player”, and by Darol Anger as “one of the best mandolinists I’ve ever played with”, Portland, Maine-based musician Joe K. Walsh is known for his exceptional tone and taste, and his collaborations and recordings with acoustic music luminaries including Darol Anger, Brittany Haas, Grant Gordy, Molly Tuttle, Sam Grisman, Mike Block, Danny Barnes, Scott Nygaard, Matt Flinner, Mike Marshall’s Ger Mandolin Ensemble, and pop-grass darlings Joy Kills Sorrow, a band he co-founded. He has performed at festivals, club and theaters all over North America and Europe. After a number of award-winning years with bluegrass stars the Gibson Brothers, Joe currently splits his time between the stylistically-omnivorous string band Mr Sun (featuring Darol Anger, Grant Gordy and Aidan O’Donnell), the Mike Block Trio, a duo with Matt Flinner, and a trio with Ella Jordan and Jed Wilson. His most recent solo record “Trust and Love” was released in 2025 on Adhyaropa Records, which also released his previous record”If Not Now, Who?”. An in-demand educator, Joe is an associate professor at the Berklee College of Music. He was director of the Berklee American Roots Weekend string camp, currently co-directs the Ossipee Valley String Camp, and is coordinator of Swannanoa Mandolin and Banjo Week. He teaches regularly at music camps and workshops all over North America and Europe, and teaches online through Peghead Nation.
Additional Content:
If Not Now, Who? - instrumental record released 2023
Haas, Marshall, Walsh - bandcamp link
EP released with fiddler Brittany Haas and guitarist Owen Marshall
Latest record from multi-genre string band Mr Sun, featuring Joe with Darol Anger, Grant Gordy and Aiden O'Donnell
Peghead Nation - Joe K. Walsh teaches mandolin
Joe's lessons on the mandolin and octave mandolin for Peghead Nation
Professor profile - Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music's page about Joe
Ossipee Valley String Camp website
Joe co-directs the Ossipee Valley String Camp at the Ossipee Valley Music Festival. This is the website.
Mr Sun (omnivorous stringband) website
Mr Sun is a band Joe started with Darol Anger, Grant Gordy, and Aidan O'Donnell. This is their website
Institution/Business Type:
Performing Group
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
2008
Institution/Business Type:
Performing Group
Legal Status:
Commercial / For profit - Sole proprietorship
Year Founded:
2008
Primary Discipline:
Music - FolkAdditional Disciplines:
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NEST Eligible Artist
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Fees vary, depending on routing, type of gig, and personnel, but generally range from $1000 to $5000.State of Residence:
MaineMinimum Number of Performers:
2Maximum Number of Performers:
5