Joe Bracco, a passionate and unique singer/songwriter, first appeared on the gay music scene in 1987. Although he began performing in 1980 in duet with Debra Ruth, it was not until several years later that he found his own voice, both personally and musically. An early song, "You Are My Strength," received an honorable mention from The International Songwriting Competition of the American Song Festival in 1981. To be true to himself, he stopped composing heterosexual "hits" and took a more meaningful direction, using his melodic flair to write songs that portrayed gay feelings and lives in a positive way.

As an openly gay singer, Joe appeared on national and local television and radio and performed in concerts, working with Romanovsky & Phillips, Lynn Lavner, Elliot Pilshaw, Sara Cytron and the Big Apple Corps Band, mostly in cabarets and small theaters in New York. He made appearances at benefits for ACT-UP, the People With AIDS Coalition, the New York Names Project, and the New York City Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center.

His song "Friend In My Pocket" was inspired by a GMHC [Gay Men's Health Crisis] campaign for condom use. The song was used on several cable TV shows and for a condom-use campaign. It was also featured in a multi-media exhibit on AIDS as part of a Keith Haring print retrospective, and will be published in a book on lyric writing by lyricist/composer Sheila Davis.

Joe recorded twenty-four songs before his death but was not able to see to completion their release on cassette. With the support of Joe's friends and family, Romanovsky & Phillips completed the project by adding arrangements, backing vocals, etc., and released fifteen of the songs on their Fresh Fruit label in 1982.

—Adapted from cassette notes (used with permission)

WORKS:

SONGS/DISCOGRAPHY:

Best Of Friends (1986) *
Coming Out (1979) *
Cruiser's Blues (1985) *
Drag Doll (1979) *
Family, Friends And Lovers
Friend In My Pocket (1987) *
Golden Boy (1979) *
Great Expectation Of A Knight (1986) *
He Tried To Be An Aardvark (1984) *
Home Free At Last (1978) *
I Don't Like To Say Goodbye (1980) *
If You Want To
Izben
Kiss Me In Spanish (1985) *
Love Me Tonight
Mother Wants A Grandchild
Oh Mary
South Shore Boy (1986) *
Tides
You Are My Strength
The Waiting Room
Window Whacker (1987) *
With Our Voices (1988) *
Yo No Pago (1986) *

All works recorded on an untitled, independently produced cassette with vocals, guitar, piano by Joe Bracco.

*Indicates tracks rereleased on:
Joe Bracco: True To Myself, Fresh Fruit Records FFJB1 (1982), produced by Paul Phillips.
"Friend In My Pocket" and "Coming Out" produced, arranged, performed and mixed by Elliot Sokolov and Joe Bracco.
"Golden Boy" and "I Don't Like To Say Goodbye," Joe Bracco, solo voice.
All other tracks: Joe Bracco, vocals, guitar, piano. With new arrangements by Paul Phillips and Jeff Nelson. Drums and synthesizers programmed and performed by Jeff Nelson. Backing vocals: Paul Phillips, Ron Romanovsky, Busy McCarroll, and Debra Ruth. Additional musicians: Bert Dalton, piano ("With Our Voices") and George Moy, clarinet ("Coming Out").

UNCOMPLETED WORKS:
Unknown

WRITINGS:
Unknown

DISCOGRAPHY:
See Works

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

• "Getting the Pronouns Right: Tapping Gay Longing In New York City Concert" by Kate Walter, The Advocate, March 15, 1988. (review of concert of Bracco and Elliot Pilshaw at People's Voice Cafe)
• "A Song for You: Joe Bracco Is New Face in Gay Music" by Kate Walter, The Advocate, March 14, 1989. (includes extensive quotes from Bracco)

PERFORMING RIGHTS AFFILIATION:
ASCAP (publisher: Bracco Songs)

RESOURCES:
Fresh Fruit Records
369 Montezuma #209
Sante Fe, NM 87501

MUSICAL EXECUTOR:
Mildred Bracco (mother)
3808 Lincoln Street
Seaford, NY 11783
(516) 785-7427

OTHER CONTACTS:
Paul Phillips and Ron Romanovsky
c/o Fresh Fruit Records (see Resources)