House Music Pioneer Joe Smooth Releases First Album in 36 Years: ‘We Shall Overcome’
The album celebrates four decades of house music in a powerful tribute to Smooth’s journey from the underground clubs of Chicago to international acclaim
Friday, August 15, 2025 – Legendary house music producer Joe Smooth today released ‘We Shall Overcome’, his first album in over 30 years. Arriving at a poignant moment, the release stands as a deeply personal reflection on his 40-year journey in house music, celebrating the genre’s rich soundscape and the many voices that have shaped his path.
A self-taught musician and DJ since his early teens, Smooth quickly emerged as a foundational force in Chicago’s house music scene. By age 20, he was the head DJ at the iconic Smart Bar and collaborating with genre frontrunners such as Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, and Lil Louis, and producing for artists including Prince and The Art of Noise. In 1983, Smooth co-produced ‘Jack Trax’, one of the earlier house records, featuring ‘Time to Jack’ – the first record in dance music to use the terms “Jack” and “House” and a track widely seen as a cornerstone of house music’s first wave. Just four years later, his seminal track ‘Promised Land’ became a global anthem.
Now, with ‘We Shall Overcome’, Smooth presents a sonic time capsule that blends new compositions with remastered classics, offering a reflective yet progressive journey through the genre’s evolution, told through the eyes of one of its founding pioneers.
Lead single ‘Overcome’, featuring iconic house music vocalist Chuck Roberts alongside Angie Brown and Mr. Root, pays homage to Roberts with a tribute that ensures his voice continues to echo across the scene for decades to come. The album also includes contributions from artists who have reinterpreted Promised Land, including Solomun and Lee Foss, bridging generations of house music and connecting the genre’s roots to today’s global dance culture.
"We Shall Overcome is about more than music: it’s a message," says Joe Smooth. "At a time when the world feels divided, house music continues to bring people together. This album is a celebration of that energy, and of the community that’s carried this culture forward."
As the genre continues to expand and evolve, Smooth emphasizes the need to preserve its roots. “We need to get back to that feeling – house is a feeling. DJs and producers should take more risks and be more intentional with what they create and play. The new generation is hungry for meaning, and this music has always been the soundtrack to real life.”
With ‘We Shall Overcome’, Joe Smooth reaffirms his role not just as a pioneer, but as an utmost champion of house music’s past, present, and future, reminding listeners of its power to uplift, inspire, and unite.
Tracklist:
Disc 1
- Joe Smooth x Angie Brown x Mr. Root feat. Chuck Roberts - Overcome
- Joe Smooth - Rain Down On Me
- Joe Smooth - feat. Maydien & Robert Owens - Crazy World
- Joe Smooth x DJ K'Alexi feat. Kaleb Searcy & Lushomo - Black Sun Rising
- Joe Smooth feat. George Clinton - Our Houze
- Joe Smooth x Slugo feat Wildstyle - I'm Gonna Take you to the House
- Joe Smooth x Porcelain - Still Loving You
- Joe Smooth x Angie Brown x Mr. Root - Get Up Everybody
- Joe Smooth feat Kaleb Searcy - We Got To Love
- Joe Smooth feat. Black Pearl - I Don't Want Your Love
- Joe Smooth x Gursahhh x JR. Melon - My Dreams Come True
- Joe Smooth feat. Alex Bass - Your Love (Georgie Porgie Remix)
- Joe Smooth - Got That House
Disc 2
- Joe Smooth - Promised Land (Solomun Remix)
- Joe Smooth, Lee Foss - Promised Land
- Joe Smooth - Promised Land
