Knight, Joey (Joseph Vautour) - I'll Sing One Just For You

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Talkin' Bout Love	02:26
	2	Coal Miner's Pride	03:42
	3	Haunting Memories	02:42
	4	From Bar Rooms to Bedrooms	02:50
	5	Nothin' to Lose	02:25

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	Virginia	03:19
	2	Sing One Just For You	03:14
	3	Too Far Apart	02:46
	4	Mountain of Love	02:43
	5	There's a Song on the Juke Box	02:29

Photos

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Information/Write-up

Joey Knight was born Joseph Vautour in the mining town of Minto, New Brunswick, the youngest of nine children in a household where music moved as naturally as conversation. His father worked the Black Minto mines and played harmonica in the evenings, his uncle put a guitar in his hands, and his older brothers filled the house with enough instruments and jam sessions that Joey grew up believing music was simply part of everyday life. By the time he was a teenager he was leading his own four-piece band, playing local legions and night clubs around the Grand Lake region, and becoming known as a natural showman with an easy smile and a voice that carried over the crowd without ever needing to push.

As he got older Joey formed a working band with his brother Norman, playing steady dates around Minto and the surrounding towns, tightening their sound at places like the Irving Corral in Moncton, the Hideaway Club in Saint John, the Gallery of Sounds in Fredericton, and a string of Maritime roadhouses that gave him the experience he needed to move beyond the local circuit. Word spread about the young singer from Minto, and by the early 1980s he was drawing enough attention that Nashville producers wanted to hear what he could do in a studio. Through his association with producer Larry Coad and engineer Gene Rice, he travelled to Tennessee for the first time and recorded his debut LP I’ll Sing One Just For You for A.M.I. Records, likely released around 1981. Surrounded by seasoned Nashville players like Hal Rugg, Paul Franklin, Cregg Galbraith, Bruce Watkins, and the Cate Sisters, Joey rose to the occasion and delivered a set of smooth country ballads and uptempo bar-room rockers that reflected both his Maritime roots and his growing confidence as a recording artist. He dedicated “Coal Miner’s Pride” to his father, a gesture that spoke volumes about where he came from and who he carried with him.

The album opened doors, bringing Joey to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry and expanding his reputation across Canada. When he returned home to Minto after the Nashville sessions, his family threw a celebration big enough to mark the moment they all sensed his life was changing. It did. In 1984 he returned to Nashville to record again, this time releasing a string of singles that brought him national attention. “Weakness Tonight,” “Nights Like This,” and “Midnight Whispers” all reached the Canadian top ten, while his first album had already given him chart traction that helped establish him as one of the more promising country artists of the decade. Radio programmers across the country picked up his music, and Joey quickly became a familiar name on playlists and request lines, especially in the Maritimes and Western Canada where his touring schedule grew heavier every year.

Television followed. He appeared on The Tommy Hunter Show, the Canadian Country Music Awards, and various regional broadcasts, bringing the same warmth and presence he showed on stage. Concert promoters began pairing him with major U.S. acts, and he soon found himself opening for Mickey Gilley—his idol—along with George Jones, Gene Watson, and Tanya Tucker. The outdoor festival circuit carried him west to Craven, Saskatchewan, and into Western Canada for long stretches, while Ontario club dates kept him busy in between. Joey handled much of his own booking, preferring to keep direct control of his career and quickly proving he could fill rooms without an agent. His blend of approachability, professionalism, and natural showmanship made him one of the region’s most reliable entertainers.

Away from the stage, Joey’s personal life took shape just as early. He met Carolyn at a house party when they were both young teenagers, and something between them clicked almost immediately, even though both were too shy to admit it at first. He would ask mutual friends when she might be visiting again, and soon they were inseparable—playing music, going to school events, and spending evenings in the company of their families. They married young, raised their children, Stacy and Jason, with the same warmth Joey was raised with, and built their life in Minto even as his career took him across the country. Carolyn travelled with him when she could, and when she couldn’t, Joey came home with stories, photographs, and the steady sense that no matter where he played, home anchored everything.

By the late 1980s his profile was strong enough that he received national nominations for Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist, and the Vista Rising Star award. In 1993 he was inducted into the New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame, formalizing what fans, promoters, and fellow musicians already knew: that he was one of the province’s most beloved country performers. Even during periods when he balanced music with other work, including a stretch as an insurance broker, he never left performing behind. He continued touring, recording, and appearing at events across the Maritimes, where audiences treated him like family.

In the 2000s Joey began organizing the annual Minto Festival, reviving local community spirit and giving musicians a stage in the heart of the region he loved. He ran the festival for more than a decade, with each year growing larger and more successful. Late in his life, close friends encouraged him to record a gospel album—something he had always considered but never pursued. With support from Jerry Flowers and Ralph Majerle, he finally made the decision, resulting in the album Believe, which became one of the most cherished recordings of his career and continues to be played years after his passing.

Joey Knight died on May 7, 2011, leaving behind a legacy built on more than his records. He was known as a generous performer, a charismatic entertainer, and a man who had time for everyone. At his funeral, friends and family offered him one final ovation, standing, clapping, and cheering as if he were stepping onto the stage once more. His daughter spoke of how she considered him the definition of a father, and his son remembered the power Joey had to bring people together. In Minto and throughout the Maritimes, he remains remembered not only as a country singer with national hits but as a neighbour, a friend, and a presence whose warmth lingered long after the music stopped.

His recordings, especially I’ll Sing One Just For You and Believe, stand as lasting reminders of a life shaped by family, community, and the quiet conviction that music meant something only when it came from the heart.
-Robert Williston

Musicians:
Walt Cunningham: keyboards
Cregg Galbraith: guitars
Jack Ross: bass
Clif Brooks: drums
Mark Morris: percussion
Bruce Watkins: acoustic guitar, fiddle
Hal Rugg: steel
Paul Franklin: steel
The Cate Sisters: background vocals

Production:
Produced by Larry Coad
Engineered by Gene Rice
Recorded at A.M.I. Studio, Hendersonville, TN; Walworks, Nashville, TN, USA

Artwork:
Photography by Brian Smith

Liner notes:
Joey Knight grew up in the small mining community of Minto, New Brunswick. So it’s understandable where he learned all about hard work and pride. Joey began life the youngest of nine children in a musical family and he developed, and still possesses a love of the simple life and a belief that he could turn his love of music and his ability to entertain into a successful career.

Strong family ties are further evidenced by the fact that Joey dedicated “COAL MINER’S PRIDE” to his father, a man who made his living in the Black Minto Mines. The Knight family still gets together for sing alongs, except that now Joey’s wife Carol and their two children join in on these occasions.

Talent and showmanship brought Joey Knight to Nashville to record this session and onto the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. These same traits have allowed him to share the concert stages of Canada and Nashville with some of the great talents, however, for Joey the highlight came when he opened for his idol, Mickey Gilley.

Through Joey’s association with producer, Larry Coad, and engineer, Gene Rice, he was brought to the attention of A.M.I. Records and ultimately signed to the label. The expertise of the studio musicians and studio people is evident in the finished product. This album combines, for your listening pleasure, soft country ballads and up-tempo country rock.

Speaking of his success to date, Joey says, “I love what I do and I do what I love, and with the grace of God, there will be more good things to come.”

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