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Oh hey stranger!
Long time no talk? I suppose I've been M.I.A. It's been a few months since I've sent one of these your way. Worry not, I'm still here! I've been laying pretty low, staying close to home and also jumping over a country or two to uncharted territory. Here's a shot and thought by the Carribean Sea.
In any case, I'm home and eagerly planning for the fall! I feel rested, recharged, and ready to dig in! I hope your summer was enjoyable and full of beauty. So what's new?
As for music news, I know in each newsletter I tell you I have something big to share and that you will have to wait. Yes, keep waiting! But trust me it will be worth the wait. Until then, here are some upcoming shows, and some other BIG news!
 did somebody say France!!!
I am so excited to officially announce that I have joined the roster of Hureau Booking, a boutique booking agency in France! It has been such a pleasure to get to know their team, do some vision casting, and begin the preliminary planning for a 2020 tour in Europe! Stay tuned for more but please celebrate with me!!
 it's house concert season!
Yes, it's my favorite time of year! No, I don't mean fall...I mean house concert season! There is nothing I enjoy more than cozying up with a bunch of strangers, telling them stories, and singing them songs! These magical evenings consistently remind me why I make music in the first place. Here are a few cities I will be in or near over the next several months - Boston, DC, Baltimore, Ithaca, Lancaster, Princeton, Pittsburgh, and of course Philly! If you're insterested in hosting a house concert, curioius about what it could look like, or want to throw around some dates, don't hesitate to reach out!
upcoming shows
Sep 7 - PHILADELPHIA - Private House Concert Sep 22 - PHILADELPHIA - Private House Concert
Oct 20 - TRUMBULL, CT - Trumbull Library [facebook]
details: www.joyike.com/tour
a reflection...
"You is kind, you is smart, you is important"
 If you've watched The Help, you know exactly where those words comes from. They've been ringing in my ear for 3 weeks straight and no matter how hard I try, i can't get rid of them. I'm ok with that. One of the benefits of being off the road this summer and being less transient is that Philadelphia has begun to feel like home. It feels great to know my neighbors. But at the same time, being less of a floater has also made me keenly aware of the brokenness surrounding me daily -
the social/economical disparities, and the invisible borders that divide one side of my neighborhood from the other. I recently experienced a stinging awareness that not everyone believes those words: "you is kind, you is smart, you is important." Sitting on my porch and watching people go by, I find myself resisting the urge to run down the steps, grab their shoulders, look them in the eye and repeate it over and over again until they believe it. "You is kind, you is smart, you is important."
Earlier this month, I started to ask myself, how do the words I sing on stage enter into my day-to-day life? If I could talk to every neighbor who walks past my house (i live on a central street), what would i tell them? I polled a bunch of you on Facebook and asked you to send me the most inspiring thing anyone has ever said to you. The quotes, phrases and words of wisdom were sooo good! Two weeks, a slab of wood, and a tube of chalkboard paint later, we have our first inaugural porch quote! It feels foolish to think a few words can change anything. But they can. If they couldn't, we wouldn't have culture wars, name-calling, or news networks profiting on how cleverly they can twist them. Words actually make the world go 'round. I'm hoping that the people who walk by my front door will find a hopeful word to take with them through their day. If you have a quote for me, please respond to this message!
Ok that's all for now.
Thank you for reading, watching, learning, and loving with me!
Joy
p.s. USB Cassette tapes are in stock!
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