Joy -

Joy was an American Midwest hard-rock band that released three 1970/71 singles on Paula Records, followed by the 1972 album Thunderfoot.

Members: Ralph DeSimone (drums, percussion), Bob DiPiero (lead guitar, backing vocals), Don DiPiero (bass), Billy Joe Shina (lead vocals, percussion), Ralph Vitello (keyboards, guitar)

Background

Joy emerged in 1970 as a Youngstown, Ohio, quintet with singer Billy Joe Shina, bassist Don DiPiero, drummer Ralph DeSimone, guitarist Bob DiPiero, and keyboardist-guitarist Ralph Vitello.

Bob DiPiero, born March 3, 1951, in Youngstown, joined his first rock band at age fourteen as a guitarist. His older brother Don played with DeSimone in an earlier band, where Bob first worked as a roadie and later joined on guitar. Bob graduated in 1969 from Liberty High School.

The DiPiero brothers and DeSimone continued through several lineups, then formed another band with a second musician named Ralph. An older lead singer held a Paula Records deal and recruited the musicians when the Shreveport, Louisiana, label requested a band. The group flew to Shreveport and commenced sessions for Paula, which issued the 1970 debut Joy single “Get Outta My Mind” (b/w “Your Mama”), followed by the 1971 sides “Ride the World” (b/w “For What It’s Worth”) and “Yes My Friend” (b/w “Things Are Gonna Be Alright”). In 1971, Joy recorded a Paula LP in Shreveport for release as Thunderfoot.

Discography:

“Get Outta My Mind” / “Your Mama” (1970)
Thunderfoot (1972)

Sources:

Bob DiPiero, Get Real with Caroline Hobby, 2016: this is the key formation source. DiPiero describes Don’s earlier band, names Ralph DeSimone as drummer, recalls his own progression from roadie to band member, says the brothers later formed another group with DeSimone and “another Ralph,” and explains how an older singer with a Paula arrangement recruited the musicians when the label requested a band. He also states that they flew to Shreveport and began recording. (iHeart)
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame: gives Robert John DiPiero as born March 3, 1951, in Youngstown, states that he joined his first rock band at fourteen, and specifically identifies Joy as a band that recorded an LP for Paula Records in Shreveport in 1971. (Nashville Songwriters Foundation)
Youngstown-area reporting: The Vindicator identifies DiPiero as a 1969 Liberty High School graduate and later Youngstown State graduate. A later Tribune Chronicle account confirms his Youngstown upbringing and Dana School musical training. (http://vindyarchives.com)
Later Paula singles: Paula catalog listings establish “Ride the World” / “For What It’s Worth” as catalog 348 and the final Joy single as catalog 359 in 1971. 45cat and Apple treat “Yes My Friend” as the lead side of 359; Global Dog displays “Things Are Gonna Be Alright” first, so there is an A/B-order discrepancy in the secondary discographies. (Global Dog Productions)