Benny Joy was born in Georgia in 1935, but his family moved to Tampa, Florida six years later.
Like most budding rockabilly artists, Benny got his start playing C&W, but his true obsession was with R&B.
It was at a Tampa high school that Benny formed his first band in 1951, pairing up with Tennessee transplant "Big" John Taylor. Big John was a wild rockabilly guitarist who effortlessly coaxed dark and moody textures from his Stratocaster.
Together, they recorded some of the most menacing echo-drenched rockabilly and pre-surf instrumentals ever committed to wax biscuit.


Read more about Benny Joy on Last.fm.