Moe and Joe are “Just Good Ol’ Boys”

In 1979, Moe Bandy remembers that Joe Stampley was a “hamburger freak,” and that fact was provided with a starting point for a series of duets by the two. When they were performing in London, England’s annual Wembley Country Music Festival, and ran into each other in a hotel lobby.  Joe suggested to Moe, that they should take their wives out, setting the scene for a history-making dinner at London’s Hard Rock Café.

Story Behind the Song

During the dinner, Stampley noted that the name “Moe & Joe” was as catchy as “Waylon & Willie,” and the comment led to a more serious discussion about the development of a duet album. The original idea was to release the Johnny Horton classic “Honky Tonk Man” as the first single, but they shelved that idea in favor of a song written by Stampley’s piano player.

Ansley Flee specifically wrote “Just Good Ol’ Boys” for the album. Bandy remembers how well everything was in its proper place right in there at the session.

It was like twin brothers singing, their vocal blending and harmonies were just perfect.

Reception

“Just Good Ol’ Boys” topped the summit on Billboard’s country singles chart on September 22, 1979, and set the stage for Vocal Duo of the Year honors for Bandy and Stampley from both the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association in 1980. They even lent their names to an entrepreneur, who re-named his honky-tonks “Moe & Joe’s.”

Ultimately, the success of the “Moe & Joe” duets put a damper on both performers’ solo careers. Everywhere each artist would play, the fans would expect to see the other right there with him. Both men agree that it was a great time. They made a lot of money, got to travel and do a lot of fun things, but, as a famous philosopher once said: “All good things must come to an end.” And so it was with the “Moe & Joe” duets.