Musician Alex Obeid, performing Sunday afternoon as half of husband-and-wife duo Alex and Naomi at Hairy Guys Brewing in Jim Thorpe, has a clear vision of what lies ahead: new music.

The Jim Thorpe alternative/blues-rock singer-songwriter, who released his debut solo single “Leave This Behind” in 2023, may release singles and/or possibly an EP.

Though unsure about release dates or song titles, “I know I want to release music within the next six months,” Obeid said. “We are going to start playing our unreleased original music at our gigs this year.”

Obeid and Naomi Carl, co-owner of The Bella Victoria Bed & Breakfast, started dating in 2016 and married in 2024. The twosome, who has recently moved from the Brodheadsville area to Jim Thorpe, has performed as a duo for seven years.

A match made in music

“Music has always been something we shared,” Obeid said, “but performing together really grew naturally over time as we realized how well our styles and voices complemented each other.”

Compared to solo performances, the duo, Obeid said, “adds a lot more diversity. Naomi sings a great amount of classics, like ‘Jolene’ and ‘Dreams,’ and brings an amazing female harmony to the mix.

“I am working on a bunch of different songs right now, as well,” he continued. “Naomi will be adding her harmonies and solos to the songs that we have coming up in the future.”

Born in New Jersey, Obeid — a registered behavior technician at Behavioral Health Associates in Lehighton — moved to Pennsylvania at a young age. He knew he wanted to pursue music upon starting to play trumpet in the school band.

“I would bring my trumpet home, and try to print out all of the sheet music, like the ‘James Bond Theme,’ and try to play it in my kitchen. Then I started to play piano and would put music on that I loved and listened until I learned the song on piano.”

Obeid then “was brought to a church, where I saw people singing in a full band. I knew that what I wanted to do was play guitar and sing on stage, so I practiced every single second I got playing guitar.”

Inspiration

As far as music heroes, “my favorite influence of all time was John Mayer. His strumming patterns and rhythm were my bread and butter when I was learning. Also, a lot of other artists like John Denver, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn and a lot of other classics.”

Obeid started writing songs not long after he began playing music.

“It’s always been the way I process experiences and tell stories,” said the singer, who has written about 15 full songs.

Performing live for around 12 years — at venues such as churches, bars, restaurants and weddings — Obeid plays mostly covers, sometimes adding his originals to the mix.

Prior to his solo debut, Obeid featured on Josh Lucchese’s 2020 dance track “Carmen.” The artists connected through mutual friends, with the collaboration coming together organically.

“He shared the song with me, and it felt like a good fit,” Obeid said. “I co-wrote some of that music for that song. It was a great experience and an opportunity to be part of something outside my comfort zone and usual music genre.”

Debut solo single “Leave This Behind,” Obeid said, “did a good job introducing who I am as an artist, both sonically and thematically. It reflects the kind of honest, stripped-down songwriting I gravitate toward, and it felt like the right first step as a solo release.”

Obeid’s best friend, Los Angeles recording artist/singer-songwriter Gianmarco Bellapianta, produced “Leave This Behind.” Bellapianta may help Obeid mix and master his upcoming new music.

Life achievements and dreams

Thus far, Obeid’s music-career highlights include releasing his first solo single, marrying his best friend, winning the 2021 NEPA Sings competition, and expanding Alex and Naomi’s gig locations.

Aside from a “fun, upbeat and intimate performance” at Hairy Guys Brewing, Alex and Naomi’s upcoming gigs include the VFW in Nesquehoning on Feb. 8 and Timbers Pub & Grill in Reeders on Feb. 28.

The duo plans to expand its locations in the near future.

Looking ahead, Obeid would “like to continue releasing music, grow my audience, and keep building meaningful connections through songwriting and live shows.”

The Jim Thorpe area, Obeid said, has played an important part in the journey and “been welcoming. There’s a strong appreciation for live, original music, which makes performing here rewarding. Like anywhere, building momentum takes time, but overall, the support has been encouraging.”

Furthermore, relocating to Jim Thorpe “has been great, both personally and musically. It’s been nice to feel more connected to the local scene.”