Joseph Arthur

Singer songwriter and visual artist Joseph Arthur is renowned for his live painting performances and innovative use of looping technology — layering guitar and vocal loops live on stage, a technique he helped pioneer in the 1990s that has since become widely adopted. Discovered by Lou Reed and Peter Gabriel, Arthur released his debut album in 1996 and has since built an extensive catalog of fifteen albums and numerous EPs. Throughout his career, he has also launched and collaborated on several notable projects and bands, including The Lonely Astronauts; Fistful of Mercy with Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison; RNDM with Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam; Arthur Buck with Peter Buck of R.E.M.; and most recently, Silverlites alongside Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes, Peter Buck, and Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees. Joseph Arthur has enjoyed widespread acclaim on Triple A radio with songs such as “Honey and the Moon,” featured in The O.C. and American Pie, and “In the Sun,” notably covered by Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Chris Martin of Coldplay, and Peter Gabriel, and featured in the film Saved!. A Joseph Arthur performance defies easy categorization. Armed with guitar, pedals, drum pads, keyboards, and microphones, he constructs immersive live soundscapes in real time — transforming intimate songs into richly layered, improvised orchestrations unlike those of any other artist. His influences span generations and genres, drawing from songwriters and innovators such as Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Nick Drake, Nirvana, The Clash, and early hip hop. Blending lyrical depth with expansive arrangements, Joseph Arthur has established himself as one of the most distinctive American songwriters of the 21st century.