His first full-length album, 'Messenger,' earned him spots on the road with Todd Snider, Steve Earle and Susan Tedeschi. Pug's acclaimed narrative songwriting has led critics to draw comparisons between his work and that of John Prine and Bob Dylan. With Windfall, his most recent album, Pug cites more contemporary influences including Josh Ritter, Ryan Adams, and M. Ward. His lyrics are so deliberate, and the force of their intention comes through when played live.
“Joe has the uncanny ability to write a song that feels like it’s been there always, and ‘If Still It Can’t Be Found’ is one of those. I was really honored when he asked me to contribute to the recording of this truly beautiful and deeply soulful song.” - Pat Sansone (Wilco)