Joel Rafael, born in 1949 in Chicago, is an American singer-songwriter and folk musician. Raised in California, he began his music education with accordion lessons at age eight, followed by snare drum and guitar. Inspired by the folk music of the early 1960s, particularly Woody Guthrie, Joan Baez, and Bob Dylan, Rafael moved to the Northwest before returning to California. He performed locally throughout the 1970s, 1980s, and early 1990s. He released his debut album Joel Rafael Band (1994) on Reluctant Angel Records, followed by Old Wood Barn (1996). His third album Hopper was released in 2000 on Inside Recordings and nominated for an Association For Independent Music (AFIM) Best Contemporary Folk award in 2001. Subsequent albums include Woodeye: Songs of Woody Guthrie (2003), featuring Jennifer Warnes and Ellis Paul, and Woodyboye: Songs Of Woody Guthrie And Tales Worth Telling, Vol. 2 (2005). In 2007, Rafael was honored at the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival for his contributions to preserving Guthrie's musical legacy.
