Joe Dolce facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Dolce
Dolce in 2003
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Dolce
Born	(1947-10-13) October 13, 1947 (age 77) Painesville, Ohio, US
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter poet essayist
Instruments	Vocals mandolin acoustic guitar electric guitar harmonica
Years active	1968–present
Labels	MCA Records Full Moon/Astor Hammard PolyGram
Associated acts	Joe Dolce Music Theatre

Joseph Dolce (born October 13, 1947) is an American-Australian singer, songwriter, poet, and essayist. He became famous around the world for his hit song, "Shaddap You Face".

This song was released in 1980–1981 under the name of his one-man show, Joe Dolce Music Theatre. It became a huge success, reaching number one in 15 countries. "Shaddap You Face" has sold more than 450,000 copies in Australia. It is still the most successful Australian-produced single worldwide, with about six million copies sold. The song was number one on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart for eight weeks starting in November 1980.

Life and Music Journey

Early Years: 1947–1977

Joe Dolce was born in 1947 in Painesville, Ohio, USA. He was the oldest of three children. His parents were Italian-American. He finished high school in 1965. During his last year, he acted and sang in a play called Les Précieuses Ridicules. This was his first time performing on stage.

After high school, Joe went to Ohio University to study architecture. However, he soon decided he wanted to be a professional musician. While at college, he started several bands. One of these bands was Headstone Circus, which included Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan Edwards later became a solo artist and had a hit song called "Sunshine". Jonathan also recorded five of Joe Dolce's songs. One of these, "My Home Ain't in the Hall of Fame," became a popular country song.

Moving to Australia and "Shaddap You Face": 1978–1984

In 1978, Joe Dolce moved to Melbourne, Australia. His first song released there was "Boat People." This song was a protest song about how Vietnamese refugees were treated. It was even translated into Vietnamese to help the new Vietnamese community in Melbourne. Joe performed his one-man show, Joe Dolce Music Theatre, in different places. His long-time partner, Lin Van Hek, often performed with him.

In July 1980, Joe recorded "Shaddap You Face." He got the idea for the song from phrases his Italian grandparents used, like "What's the matter, you?" and "Eh, shaddap." He wrote the song about Italians living in Australia. It quickly became a massive hit. The song reached number one in Australia, the UK, Germany, France, and many other countries.

By February 1981, "Shaddap You Face" had sold over 290,000 copies in Australia. This made it Australia's best-selling single ever at that time. It even entered the Guinness Book of World Records. Many artists have covered the song over the years, including Samuel L. Jackson and KRS-One. In 2018, a Russian version was released. The song has been translated into fifteen languages.

"Shaddap You Face" is still popular today. It was even featured in the US TV series The Morning Show in 2021. Joe's next single, "If You Wanna Be Happy," was released in 1981 and also charted in Australia and New Zealand. In December 1981, he released an album called Christmas in Australia.

Later Career: 1984–Present

Joe Dolce continued to work with Lin Van Hek. They formed several performance groups, including Skin the Wig and La Somnambule. They also created the group Difficult Women in 1993, which still performs today. Lin Van Hek and Joe Dolce wrote a song called "Intimacy" for the 1984 film The Terminator. This song is now part of the US Library of Congress collection.

Joe also acted in the Australian film Blowing Hot and Cold in 1988. He continues to perform by himself and with Lin Van Hek in their music and poetry shows.

Since 2009, Joe Dolce has become a well-known poet in Australia. He has won several awards for his poetry. In 2010, he won the Launceston Poetry Cup. His poems were chosen for the "Best Australian Poems" collections in 2014 and 2015. He also won the University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor's Health Poetry Prize in 2017. In August 2020, he was named the City of Melbourne Poet Laureate.

Poetry

Collections

Music Albums

Singles