Joseph Houck

Singer-songwriter Joseph Houck’s style was shaped by late-night woodshed jams, mountain music guitar classes, and his family’s eclectic musical tastes. In his teens, Houck spent hours in his room with a guitar, delighting in songwriting experiments. His time as an English major further fueled his passion for creative writing. While at Appalachian State, he began sharing simple recordings of his first songs on Soundcloud, where he soon received support from a diverse community of artists and fans. On April 27th, 2011, the streaming platform recognized Houck as “Soundclouder of the Day,” introducing his music to a wider audience online.

He has self-released four albums on Bandcamp, starting with the acoustic folk EP "Forgotten" (2012) followed by two full length records: the folk-rock journey-themed Roam (2015) and Congeries (2018), a darker brew in moods of mischief, magic, and melancholy. His latest release is Haunts & Wants (2023).

Released on October 6th, 2023, the new album is produced by Knoxville, TN musician and frequent collaborator Bryan Ciliberto. A blend of folk, soul, and rock n roll, the project was recorded over eighteen months. Houck was compelled to express the songs in full, colorful arrangements, and the album features several gifted musicians. By turns joyous & lively and moody & forlorn, Haunts & Wants is about longings, regrets, memories, and places we go in the everyday quiet times. It’s about how we cope with our desires and obsessions.