Joey Lannigan, a Saylorsburg country singer-songwriter, continues his busy schedule, with performances set for venues in Carbon and Northampton counties over the next few days.

Lannigan, who started performing locally in winter 2023, has the following solo gigs lined up:

• 5 p.m. Friday, Hairy Guys Brewing, Center Street, Jim Thorpe.

• 6 p.m. Saturday, Beltzville Bar & Grill, Pohopoco Drive, Kunkletown.

• 7 p.m. Sunday, Towne House, South Broad Street, Nazareth.

The singer, who primarily performs in eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey, fuses folk, country and alternative music.

In 2024, he formed Joey Lannigan & The Spirits, predominantly marketed as a red-dirt country/Southern rock band with elements of psychedelic rock and folk.

Lannigan’s solo show, he said, “is typically an acoustic strip-down performance where I share originals and some of my favorite songs, while sharing the stories behind them. I love taking requests and telling jokes. It seems the reception on the solo shows has been just as positive as the full band.”

Putting down roots

Born and raised in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Lannigan moved to the Poconos in 2020. Having his son Elton — named after Elton John — inspired him to pursue music on a serious level.

“Prior to that, I had always been a poet and writer,” Lannigan said. “ My dad passed away in 2006. He was a big fan of Yes, ZZ Top and Grateful Dead. I have fond memories of sitting in front of his giant stereo system in the living room as a child for hours listening to music.

“What inspired me to get more serious about music over the last few years,” he continued, “was the ability to share my experiences with like-minded people.”

Lannigan cited Zach Bryan, Waylon Jennings and Tyler Childers as major influences.

Outside of the aforementioned influences, Lannigan regards Jason Isbell, Hank Williams, Hank Williams Jr. and George Strait as songwriting inspirations.

First break

Last year, Bryan’s team invited Lannigan to play at Bryan’s preshow a number of times. This past Sunday, Lannigan played the pre-concert tailgate on night three of Bryan’s sold-out MetLife Stadium shows in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The strong relationship with Bryan’s team, Lannigan said, “has encouraged me to continue pursuing music on a local level.”

Lannigan, writing poems and stories for as long as he can remember, picked up a guitar for the first time in late 2023. Though never his intention to become a folk artist, Lannigan thinks “the sincerity and calmness of the music is what has labeled it as such.”

In May 2024, Lannigan performed at Pocono Harley-Davidson in Tannersville. Outside of his personal writing, the performance marked the first time he had shared anything with the public.

Later in 2024, Lannigan’s drummer Mickey Fernandez, who he has known for 10 years, contacted him about a project he started with bassist Christian Luengen and guitarist Ryan Leitgeb.

“At the time, they didn’t know what direction they wanted to head into,” Lannigan said. “We got together and shared some original music. The chemistry was unbelievable.”

The group’s biggest goal, Lannigan said, was to sound completely different from all the country bands heard on radio for the last 15 years. They aimed to blend elements of their favorite music, Lannigan said, and “deliver something fresh and new while still sticking to the roots of what we love.”

Working on his debut

Lannigan and The Spirits, currently working on regional tours for next year, hope to have their debut album out in spring 2026. Prior to that, Lannigan plans to release the song “ What a Man’s Gotta Do,” with Philadelphia-based country artist Chris Greiner, on Aug. 1.

To date, Lannigan has released three singles to streaming platforms: “One Last Sad Song,” “All the Ways” and “Freight Train.” The latter, he said, “tells the story of a Monroe County guitar player who contemplates hopping on a train and seeing where life takes him. I’m proud of the online reception.”

Highlights, challenges and the future

Other highlights in Lannigan’s young career include headlining the Locals Only Project Round Up at Montage Mountain near Scranton, plus playing Bryan’s pre-shows in Philadelphia, Tampa and Toronto.

Challenges, Lannigan said, include “learning the business of playing music as a local musician and finding out how to balance a hectic schedule. There’s no blueprint that can show you. A lot of it is based on networking and socializing, which tends to have its own benefits, as well.”

Looking ahead, Lannigan’s goals for the band “are to continue to create original music and tour the country within the next two years. My passion with music lies in the personal connection I get to make playing and sharing my stories.”