A bona fide, battle-tested entertainer driven by his commitment to faith, family, and belief in the American Dream, Joe Hermes stands tall behind the values he lives by. A good-hearted, fun-loving former defensive lineman, the proud Illinois native packs a powerful punch with edgy vocal textures and hard-hitting musical storylines — both intimate and boldly straight-up — that explore the tension between angel and devil as his stand-out signature.
His raucous sound and high-energy stage performances — self-described as “gunpowder country” — are rooted in his earliest influences: Metallica, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Pantera, and Bon Jovi. Joe weaves intense, soulful vocals with raw, honest lyrics and his “Heart of Illinois” roots sound to create a captivating listening experience.
With the encouragement and lending hand of renowned music producer Buddy Hyatt (TOTO, George Jones, Lee Greenwood, Mickey Gilley, Tracy Lawrence), Joe recorded the EP Soul With Stones to make his official introduction in 2020. Unintimidated by the adversity and challenges of both the music industry and the Covid-19 shutdown, the breakthrough artist redirected his focus toward songwriting, working alongside Grammy-award-winning songwriter/producer/manager Dale Oliver.
In 2023, Joe released his full-length CD, Rockin’ A Country Town, co-produced with Oliver behind the board. The project spotlights original tunes penned alongside Oliver, Dan Couch (Kip Moore/Cody Johnson), and Big Vinny Hickerson (of the trio Trailer Choir), including “Stronger Than Whiskey” and “Used To Be Me”, which landed at No. 46 on the MusicRow Country Breakout Chart.
In 2024, he released the singles Baptized By The South (March 2024) and Walk Away Whiskey (June 2024) and rolled out his Double-shot Waterfall Series (spotlighting Hey Son, Outlaw’s Gospel, Devil’s In The Details, Black Label Country, American Muscle and Outgun The Outlaw).
Reinforcing his conviction, dedication, and talents, Hermes garnered early welcome and support from country radio, country music fans, and his peers. In three short years, he’s shared the stage with some of the biggest names in country music entertainment including Casey Donahue, Ward Davis, Craig Campbell, Kolby Cooper, Myron Elkins, and Kinsey Rose (The Voice) among others. Establishing a foothold in the rock ‘n roll arena, Hermes has opened for Uncle Kracker, Black Stone Cherry, Head East, Hinder, Jackyl, and Lakeview.
In October 2025, Joe brought more barroom heat with the single A Real Good Back One. On the track, Joe delivers his signature gritty vocals over driving guitar riffs and punchy, hard-hitting rhythms — the kind of sound that gets rowdy barflies on their feet, shouting every word and ignoring last call.
“Another fun rockin bar song backing up A Honky Tonk Feelin, which captures the exact moment in time when you are out with friends, flyin’ high on spirits, feeling 10ft tall and bulletproof, then you realise a A Real Good Bad One is coming on. Settle in cause you are in for a ride tonight,” Joe said.
With Real Good Bad One, Joe continues his influence in the country rock scene. The high-octane track and boisterous video propel the momentum of this must-see artist’s prolific year, setting the stage for a wave of highly anticipated releases still to come.
