Introduced to me by the renowned Georgia-based jazz-fusion guitarist Bill Hart, the music of Richard Daigle is modern-day folk-rock music at its best. A guitar ace with a great set of ears, Bill Hart is right on target as Richard Daigle’s 2020 album Average Joe is both humorous and entertaining music, at the same time. Although he started playing guitar at age 13, in mid-2020, Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Richard Daigle released his first solo album, at the still-young age of 65. Obviously a case of, no matter what the age, you can’t keep a good musician down, Average Joe is living proof of that timeless saying. So, who is Richard Daigle’s Average Joe CD reminiscent of? Some Arlo Guthrie, some Bob Dylan and of course the late, great John Prine, the renowned folk music pioneer that sadly passed away in mid-2020 due to Co-Vid 19 complications. In his tribute track, “John Prine, A Friend Of Mine,” Richard recalls first seeing the legendary artist perform way back in 1977, while also actually getting to interview John Prine in 1979. Reading through the CD liner notes, Richard dedicates Average Joe to his late wife, Jan Daigle and his brother Lennet, and that sentiment of love and loss of family can be heard to great effect on the album's lead-off song “Cooking For One.” It’s not all sad travails though, as the lead-off title track, "Average Joe," pokes fun at being human and "The Best Part" looks at being single at 60, while “Carnivore” is Richard's light-hearted, and even humorous look at trying to be vegetarian in a meat-based planet. Even with so many heartfelt lyrical moments, Average Joe closes out with a folky instrumental dedicated to his late older brother Lennet. That album-closing instrumental track is quite intriguing sounding, with Richard adding, “On For Lennet, I played an instrument called a Charango. It’s from South America, the one I have is from Peru.” On the album, Richard plays rhythm electric guitar, fingerstyle and acoustic rhythm guitar and also writing the music while enlisting the assistance of musicians that lend a hand and fill in the missing spaces. Music production, electric lead guitar and bass playing by Ronnie Winstead works its magic and the studio sound is clear as a bell. As the 8-track, 33 minute moves through its paces, it’s clear to the listener that Richard Daigle has gone through lots of memorable life experiences and he puts it all to music on Average Joe. Filled with a range of tuneful, toe-tapping tracks with deep lyrics, Average Joe is a very cool little CD by a singer-songwriter that still has something important to say.