joe........... when you were growing up playing guitar and still to this day who were your music idles. and what root or style of music did you study, did you try to imulate any certain musician or was it just alittle bit of all of them.. As a musician myself growing up i am curious. i know my idols are you and stevie ray vaughan. I find stevie ray to be very good but yet still raw. I find you to be very fast and very technical which makes it so much harder to play but i would have to say that it paid off cause everybody thinks you are one of worlds best and also fastest guitar players, (well atleast that is what i believe). Thanks.....................

i just want to say to stu ham that on the live in san fransisco album. Bass solo was very good. i am not a bass guitar player but i have played with three of them in two different groups and i have to say from what ive seen them play and then listening to you play bass solo, i was very impressed. i think it was great. My question is what kind of bass do you playu 4, 5 , or six string and how are they different. i mean how is a 4 string different then a six or a five.. This may sound like a stupid question but like i said ive never played bass so i have no idea. thanks

joe i need your help!! I have got a big gig coming up and I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. My girlfriend and i have been arguing and i have been depressed. my problem is that all i can think about is her and i can't play very fast because i can't seem to cheer up. If this gig goes bad i am going to loose my recording contract. I really need to pull myself up by my bootstaps but i just don't know how to. I don't have much of a family to cheer me up. I need someone to help me regain my happiness. i know you have been through this kinda stuff and i need to know how you have dealt with it. My music is all i got and this is my one and only chance to go somewear. I hope you can help.

JOE, HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO JUST GIVE UP ON GUITAR AND LIFE ITSELF CAUSE THAT I S WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO I am doing alot of recording and dubbing like you are and i wanted to know what you thought about the digitech GNX 4 cause right now financially i have not much money and it cost only 500. My dad got laid off from the railroad and my mon doesn't have a good job and i'm trying my hardest to save money for a car to get to my school which is at ITT technical institute. I grew up with nothing and still have nothing. All i got is my cheap ltd brand guitar. I'm not complaining. It does the job for me and it makes me happy. Cause when it's all you have you learn to appreciate it more. I just wish i could get one of you signature model guitars. I played one once when i was at a guitar store in pittsburgh and i fell in love with it especially the neck. But thats just a fantasy. SOme day wheni get out of school and after i help my parents pay off there debts maybe god will give me a break and let me have one thing that i want that isn't a necessity. which would be a great guitar. But i'm alive and i am able to play guitar and i have no handicaps so i'm happy, just sometimes i need to talk to someone. thanks joe I know you probably won't read this cause you have so many letters but if you do thanks i appreciate it.