From Bishopstown to The Beatles
From Bishopstown to the great stages of America, Cork musician Joe Philpott has lived a life steeped in sound, song, and stories.
His new memoir, ‘All Roads Lead To Where You Are’, traces that journey from suburban bedrooms and backroom rehearsals to recording sessions with George Harrison and the long highways of the USA.
A lyrical exploration of music, migration, and memory, ‘All Roads Lead To Where You Are’ is a story of chasing songs, chasing dreams, and finding your way home again. At its heart, it’s about risk and reinvention, about what it takes to step beyond the familiar and into the vastness of America’s musical landscape. It’s about the faith it takes to keep going when things fall apart, and the courage to return to what truly matters.
“It’s not just a book about music,” Joe says.
“It’s about risk and reinvention, about what happens when you step into the unknown and trust that you’ll find yourself there.”
As a founding member of the Irish band Rubyhorse, whose song ‘Punchdrunk’ was recorded with George Harrison of The Beatles, Joe’s life and career have spanned Ireland and the US, from Cork’s pubs to American stages and back again.
Alongside his memoir, Joe continues to make music as a member of The White Horse Guitar Club, the Ballincollig-based collective known for its rich harmonies and soulful reinterpretations of folk, Americana, and Irish song. The band’s new album ‘Sos Beag’ is out now, and their nationwide tour is currently underway.
In the mid-'90s, Joe and his Bishopstown-born rock outfit Rubyhorse reached the US Billboard Top 20 with ‘Sparkle’. Joe has toured internationally, performed on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' and 'Late Night with Conan O’Brien', and shared stages with artists including R.E.M., Sheryl Crow, and Def Leppard. Alongside his career in music, Joe co-founded Music in Community (MIC), developing innovative approaches to bringing music into healthcare, education, and community settings. He continues to perform with Rubyhorse and The White Horse Guitar Club, while expanding his creative voice through writing and storytelling.
His new memoir, ‘All Roads Lead To Where You Are’ is available now at Waterstones in Cork city, and from Hodges Figgis in Dublin.