Joe Fuller a.k.a. Jo E. Fingas & Pomie Nudda returned to playing blues, New Orleans r&b and jazz piano professionally in 1993 after having stopped in 1977 to comply w/ the requests of both California and Florida that he concentrate all of his energy and effort into his meager chances for recovery. Joe fooled the authorities when he took an honest job at the local detox center and began to stumble up the ladder into actual drug, alcohol and mental health counseling. Much to his slacker surprise, Joe was honored in 1986 as Florida's District One Substance Abuse Counselor of the Year.
Joe was an early pioneer of recovery music and its performance in Northwest Florida presenting monthly "Recovery Shows" at the Alano Clubhouse, 52 Beal St., Fort Walton Beach, regional fellowship conventions and several coffee houses. Joe performed his first paying gig in 16 years at "Jelly Rolls Jazz Club." The owner was so impressed w/ Joe's style of playing, he began to call him Jo E. Fingas and the name stayed long after the club was gone. Joe has developed a loyal following after years of playing local venues. He has also had the good fortune to play w/ many internationally known blues men such as Guitar Crusher, James Peterson, Hans Muller's Black Cat Bone, and rock-n-roll stalwart, Rick Derringer.
Joe's first CD, "For Cryin' Out Loud" was released in 2000 and blended many recovery oriented themes into a blues rock format. This encouraged Joe to forge ahead and start playing music full time in 2005. Since then, he has recorded 5 albums worth of original material chronicling his desire to live a recovering life on life's terms meeting every obstacle encountered w/ honesty, hope and humor.
