Ex-NFL Star Joe Barksdale Gets Sincere

Joe Barksdale defies most stereotypes used to describe football players. The eight-year NFL veteran pumps doubt to fuel conquest of a new arena: music. The Detroit native and now ATX dweller agrees athletes typically make terrible music, but he’s not most athletes. For starters, Barksdale doesn’t even glance at sports despite retiring just last year.

The 6-foot-5-inch former offensive tackle often pauses to think before speaking and leaves no stone unturned. He took up guitar in 2013 at the suggestion of former Los Angeles Rams coach Jeff Fisher and released his first album four years later. Jimi Hendrix, Marvin Gaye, and Star Wars inform the 31-year-old guitarist’s electric finesses.

Second studio disc Sincerely sees a smoother, more soulful approach to song-making in comparison to April 2019's Electric Soul.

“My music is an open letter to everybody,” he explained in-person last Saturday moments before a virtually live performance. “My art is my way of processing everything: trauma, joy, pain, loss, gain. That’s why I named it Sincerely.”

June single “Moonbeam” carries symbolic significance for the towering indie-rock-soul musician. Barksdale makes himself vulnerable while pining for a partner to stay in spite of a disagreement.

"As far as ‘Moonbeam’ is concerned, that song was special from the day I wrote it, because that’s when I decided to retire,” he revealed. “I was really proud of it. I thought it had substance. I knew it wasn’t perfect, but it was the first time I felt like, ‘Okay, I’m really ready to do this.’

“Growing up the way I did presented its own challenges and difficulties. I didn’t really have anyone like me. I make this stuff for the people like me. If you’ve experienced life, you’ll identify with at least one of my songs.”

Here’s Sincerely in its entirety: