Joe “Wiggy” Wegleski

My musical journey began at age 12 when I picked up the guitar. After a few uninspired lessons with a lackluster teacher, I began learning on my own. It wasn’t until I met Steve Plotkin at Gallucci Music that my passion for music truly blossomed. Steve was an incredible guitar instructor who inspired and guided me in my musical journey. He helped me refine my technique and instilled in me a love for the art form that has stayed with me to this day.

Ever since I began playing guitar, I was always blessed with the privilege to play music with others. I was in my first band at age 15 and haven’t been without one since. Playing music with others has been a crucial part of my musical journey, and it has given me the opportunity to explore different genres and collaborate with talented musicians.

My love for music and my desire to share it with others led me to start giving guitar lessons a few years ago. Drawing from the teaching techniques I learned from Steve and my own experiences, I strive to make lessons fun, engaging, and relevant to my students. I encourage my students to learn songs from their favorite artists, but I also emphasize the importance of music theory and understanding the basic concepts of music. My goal is to help my students not only learn how to play guitar but also understand the why behind it.

After high school, I attended New York University where I majored in Music Technology and earned my Bachelor in Music Degree in Music Technology in 1993. I returned home and worked at SI Studios where I continued to grow as a musician and engineer. Upon returning home, I helped start the local rock band, jugdish. We continued to play together for 17 years and released an album, “Knowledge is Good” in 1998. After jugdish ran its course, three of the founding members started Jigsaw Johnny in 2010 and in 2016 started Big King Moose, a three-piece classic rock band. As if that isn’t enough, I also play in Dallas Carter, a country band, as well as occasional duos with my good friend Tom Flannery.

In 2018, I was honored to receive the Steamtown Music Awards’ Music Industry Professional Lifetime Achievement Award. My journey in music has been amazing, and I am grateful for every opportunity I’ve had to play, teach, and learn.