The son of a school principal, Joe Young grew up living in teachers’ homes in Pike County, Mississippi until he was about 10 years old. At that time his family settled on the old home place near Summit, Mississippi. Joe was always encouraged by his parents and church family to sing. “I can remember when I was about 4 years old,” Joe recalls, “Daddy would have me stand up in the barber’s chair before a crowd of people and sing before I could get my haircut. And many times at church, our pastor Brother Melvin Myers would stand me on the communion table to sing for the congregation. We sang all the time, whether we were in the pea patch, the car, or on the river fishing, my Daddy, my brother, and I were always singing gospel songs.”

After graduating as valedictorian of his high school class at North Pike, Joe continued his education on football scholarships at Southwest Community College and Mississippi College. He graduated from Mississippi College with a degree in Mathematics in 1977. He and his wife, Ramona, moved to Natchez, MS, to start their careers. Ramona, a registered nurse, worked in the hospitals and Joe taught school and coached football in the public schools for 6 years before being elected Pike County Tax Assessor/Collector in July of 1983.

Joe quickly became one of the state’s authorities in the area of property taxation and is still called on by the Mississippi Legislature to help draft legislation dealing with property tax issues. He was elected by his colleagues as President of the Mississippi Assessors and Collectors Association in 1992 and has served on the executive board for that organization since that time. That same year he was also elected to serve as President of the Mississippi Chapter of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO). Since that time he has served until recently as executive director for that organization. In 1999 Joe received international recognition by being voted Member of the Year by the International Association of Assessing Officers.

However, in 1999 his life was changed by a phone call from a stranger asking him to join a gospel group. That stranger was Greg Smith. Joe politely explained why he did not have time to be involved in forming a group. But after the Lord finished explaining to Joe that all his time and talents belonged to Him, Joe committed to serve the Lord in song. Joe states, “Singing gospel music has always been a part of my life and I have always loved to sing gospel music. Now the Lord has allowed me to sing and His service has become the center of my life, as it should be.”

Other Interests: Golf, Fishing, Hunting
Favorite Singer: Squire Parsons
Favorite Group: The Dove Brothers
Favorite Scripture: Psalms 91
Favorite Food: Homemade Hamburgers
Favorite Restaurant: Any place that sells hamburgers