The song “Hey Joe” was a regular on the setlist during Jimi Hendrix’s early live shows, but it wasn’t until December 16, 1966, that The Jimi Hendrix Experience officially released the song. The single was a hit in the U.K., and peaked at No. 6 on the charts, but it didn’t find as much success in the U.S. back then. Even so, the genius of Hendrix’s iconic single was eventually realized — the track ended up on multiple “best of” lists and was named one of the Greatest 500 Songs of All Time by Rolling Stone in 2004.

While “Hey Joe” is an excellent example of Jimi Hendrix’s catalog, he wasn’t the only artist to release a version of that song. California band The Byrds included a version on their 1966 album, Fifth Dimension, and it’s been covered numerous times since by artists like Cher, Wilson Pickett, Patti Smith, and more.

All these versions of the song got us thinking about all the different Joes out there. What better way to keep track of everyone than by crafting a playlist full of Joes, Jolenes, Josephs, Josephines and Joeys?

So, for today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs or artists with a “Joe” name would you like to hear?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

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Songs Played