Joe Stariha
- Composer
Joseph John Stariha Jr., a.k.a. "Poncho Joe", was born on October 14, 1953, in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. His father, Joseph, was a first-born American-Slovenian steel worker, and his mother, Sylvia, was a coal miner's daughter, cook, nurse's aide and house cleaner. He began playing trombone in the second grade and continued to play throughout high school. Playing electric bass professionally in 1971, he worked his way through college playing with rock and roll, R&B and soul bands. He graduated from Penn State University in 1975, and again in 2010.He has performed his original music at concerts, festivals and charitable events for over 50 years, and continues to perform and write music.