Josh Taerk (pronounced Terk) is a Billboard Top 40 charting Country Rock singer/songwriter, an official Recording Academy/Grammy voting member, and Country Music Association professional member. His gift lies in is his ability to tell stories that feel like a shared experience. His soul-stirring lyrics, emotive melodies, and electrifying live shows foster a community of fans stretching across the globe. Continuing and expanding on the traditions of the troubadours and songsmiths that came before him, Josh’s brand of Country Rock combines catchy melodies with heartfelt storytelling that lifts people up, inspires positive change, and encourages his fans to come together as a global community.

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Josh’s song “I’m Here” has been streamed over 1,200,000 and counting on Spotify and his song “Hold On Virginia” has been streamed over 1,000,000 times as well. “Hold On Virginia” was also: added onto Canadian Country Radio on The Ranch 100.1; played along with an interview on both Country 92.9 and CKDM; and, played on Now Country 104.7. DJ/Producer StoneBridge’s remix of “Hold On Virginia” was also added on to SIRIUS XM BPM’s channel the weekend of its release.

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Over the past 14 years, Josh has toured in North America throughout his home province of Ontario Canada, as well as New York, New Jersey, California, Tennessee, Texas, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maine. Josh has also toured Colleges and Universities in Ontario, Ohio, Michigan, New York, Illinois, Indiana, and Florida. Overseas, Josh has toured throughout the U.K. in cities including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Some of his more notable performances include: a residency at C’est What in Toronto Ontario; headline shows at the El Mocambo and The Dakota Tavern in Toronto; opening for Max Weinberg (Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band) at SOPAC in South Orange New Jersey; performing onstage with Max at Summerfest in Milwaukee Wisconsin and The Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto; two university tours throughout the U.K.; and, three key support theatre tours throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. Josh has also opened for Kevin Costner & Modern West, Jon McLaughlin, Robin Trower, and The Weeks.

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In 2022, Josh created and continues to organize and perform in an international telethon-style live stream fundraiser for Variety the Children’s Charity called ShowHeart. In their first year, Josh, the ShowHeart team, and the 50+ artists/musicians donating their time and talent raised over USD$50,000 for the cause. In 2023, the ShowHeart stream-a-thon was a 4-day event and gained the added support of corporate sponsor Dolby. Now in it’s 4th year, Josh and Variety International are currently planning ShowHeart 2025.

 

Max Weinberg (drummer for Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band) has called Josh, “the most exciting new talent I have come across in years.” Josh and Max have worked together since 2010. 

 

Beginning 4 years ago, Josh and his brothers, Ryan and Matt Taerk, have streamed various fundraising concerts/simulcast radio broadcasts for organizations including Canadian Red Cross, Food Banks Canada, NHS Charities, Nordoff Robbins, and Feeding America. This initiative began during the COVID pandemic as Josh saw a growing need for fundraising and community. In June of 2020, Josh also started streaming his live music on Twitch. In just over a year on the platform, he became a Twitch Affiliate and has gained a fiercely loyal and continuously growing fan base. Josh continues to stream live music and has also added regularly scheduled Facebook Live, Instagram Live, and YouTube Live shows partnering with media outlets like Get Ready To ROCK! Radio, Essentially Pop Magazine, SCENES Media, Teen Music Insider, and Music.Com on some of these live stream performances.

 

Josh’s album Beautiful Tragedy, released September 28th, 2018, has been streamed over 210,000 times on Spotify and the title track was added onto over 100 radio stations across the U.K. before entering the Billboard Top 40 Mainstream Indicator chart at #38. Fireworks Magazine wrote that Josh Taerk, “Continues to make waves on a global scale,” and “continues to beat the standard [with his music]”.

 

After returning from his U.K. tour in January of 2018, Josh released the first single off of his EP Stages, “Learning To Let Go,” to national and regional radio in the U.K. The single was added onto 68 stations across the country.

 

Taerk’s EP, Stages, was released in the U.S. on October 20th, 2017, and received airplay on 80 Triple A Radio stations across North America. The second single off the EP, “Anywhere Love Took Us,” has been streamed over 120,000 on Spotify and has received rave reviews from media outlets such as: No Depression, Paste Magazine, and AXS.

 

With the high energy of his live shows, Josh was named one of the “Top 5 Live Acts” of 2015 by acclaimed music writer Jason Richie and Josh’s album, Here’s To Change, was chosen as one of the top 25 albums of the year. In 2015, the title track off of Here’s To Change was added onto over 40 radio stations throughout the U.K.