Joe Firstman and Josh Hoge w/ Marianne Keith June 11, 2010

Joe Firstman bought an $18 cross-country Greyhound ticket from his home in North Carolina to Los Angeles, arriving with a beat-up guitar and head full of songs. He quickly found the big stage. It all happened quickly: first came the big Hollywood gigs, then the industry buzz, then the big deal with Atlantic Records and national tours with big rock stars like Sheryl Crow, Jewel, and Willie Nelson. There was ego and excess and beautiful ladies and music, music, music. Firstman wrote it all down and sang his songs like his life depended on it.

When the world stopped spinning, he’d landed a regular gig as the bandleader on the “Last Call with Carson Daly” show. For four years, this was his university – playing and writing songs in whatever style the show’s musical guests played and learning how to engage a studio audience, day in and day out. That gig ended in early 2009.

Upon anchoring in L.A., Hoge quickly became friends with hit maker and future super-star, Ne-Yo. Together, the pair began to work on a series of songs.  A strained personal relationship brought Josh back to Nashville where he eventually signed to Epic Records.  His debut single, "360," soon followed.  

Marianne wears her heart on her sleeve penning songs that seek to capture the essence of falling into - and losing - love. Growing up singing in church choirs and playing in the school band, Marianne started to play professionally around her hometown of Redlands, CA, where she garnered a local following as well as critical accolades.