Joe
Joe (Joseph Lewis Thomas) is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer born on July 5, 1973, in Columbus, Georgia.
Joe grew up in a family of evangelist preachers, one of five children, and moved to Opelika, Alabama, at age two. He immersed himself in gospel music, singing in the church choir, playing guitar, and later directing it while attending Opelika High School, graduating in 1991. Neighborhood bands in the late 1980s sparked his interest in secular music.
In 1992, Joe signed with PolyGram Records after meeting producer Vincent Herbert and recording a demo. His 1993 debut album Everything introduced his smooth style but achieved modest success. He shifted to Jive Records, releasing All That I Am in 1997, featuring the hit "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)" that peaked high on R&B charts.
Joe's 2000 album My Name Is Joe became his biggest hit, topping R&B charts and reaching number two on the Billboard 200, with producers like Teddy Riley involved. Follow-ups Better Days (2001) and others earned multi-platinum certifications. He also produced for artists like Xscape, Hi-Five, and Tina Turner in the 1990s.
Joe released holiday projects like Home Is the Essence of Christmas (2002) and later albums such as Doubleback: Evolution of R&B (2013) under Massenburg Media and Bridges (2014) via Plaid Takeover Entertainment. He has toured Europe, including with Ashanti in 2017, and maintains a prolific output blending R&B with hip-hop elements. Key works span over a dozen studio albums, with consistent chart presence into the 2010s.
My Name is Joe
0:45
2 Somebody Gotta Be On Top
4:12
3 Stutter
3:52
4 Table For Two
5:32
5 I Wanna Know
4:56
6 Treat Her Like A Lady
4:17
7 Get Crunk Tonight
4:17
8 5 6 3 (Joe)
4:08
9 Peep Show
4:26
10 One Life Stand
4:39
11 Blawk Hawk
4:13
12 I Believe In You
Duet With NSYNC
4:57
13 So Beautiful
4:26
14 Thank God I Found You
(Make It Last Remix Edit)
Featuring – Mariah Carey & Nas
4:11
Label: Jive – 01241-41703-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2000
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Contemporary R&B
My Name Is Joe (2000) is a highly polished, critically acclaimed R&B album that solidified Joe as a premier, smooth-voiced crooner. Featuring hits like "I Wanna Know," the album expertly balances sensual, bedroom-ready slow jams with melodic, romantic ballads, marking it as a definitive, strong-start-to-finish record of the era.
The album is described as a, "tight," "well-crafted" collection of 11-12 tracks (depending on version) that delivers a consistent, "lush" mood.
Key songs include "I Wanna Know," "Treat Her Like a Lady," "Get Crunk Tonight," and the 'N Sync duet "I Believe in You".
Critics praised Joe’s restrained, smooth vocal performance, often comparing his romantic style to artists like Marvin Gaye or Al Green.
AllMusic and Los Angeles Times gave the album a 5/5 star rating, with it peaking at #17 on the US Billboard 200 and reaching the top 3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart.
While hailed as a top-tier lover-man album, some critics noted that the lyrics often lean into explicit, sometimes "salacious" territory. Some reviews noted a lack of variety, focusing heavily on the "mood music" formula.
Overall, My Name Is Joe is generally considered one of the best R&B albums of its time, providing a solid, mature, and romantic listening experience.