Joey Lannigan’s father died when he was 10-years old. His mother was suddenly a single mom with three boys. 

“We were not easy kids,” admitted Lannigan, adding with a smile, “We had behavioral problems.”

His mom had a hard time dealing with the boys and before long, Joey Lannigan, now a fast rising country singer originally from Warren County went from foster home to foster home over the next eight years.

“Once I got into the system I was all over the place,” recalled the 29-year old Lannigan. “You name it – Passaic County, Somerset, Warren, Hunterdon.”

It could have been worse, and Lannigan knows it. He remains appreciative of the counsellors at Tri County Care Management Organization (TCCMO) who shepherded him along during these trying times.

“They really were there for me,” he emphasized of the organization that works with children and families throughout Northwest New Jersey. “I felt like they really looked after me and cared.” 

While some might think being in the foster home system could be a detriment, Lannigan looks at it another way.

“Yeah, it was hectic, moving around so much, two days here or 2 or 3 years there, but there was one big benefit,” Lannigan said. “I was exposed to a lot of people and I was able to pull something from most of them, such as religion, politics, passion.”

Throughout his foster home “road trip” a constant for Lannigan was his love of the pen.

“I was always writing, that was a constant,” he said. “I was never without a pen and pad. For me it was always about writing – poems, raps, stories.”

Initially it had little to do with music. Once it meshed, it was like lightning striking in a bottle.

Lannigan was 26 when he started his musical career. At first it was a side project to his pharmaceutical job.

“I did my first show in May of 2024,” he said. “I was just going to an event at a Harley Davidson in the Poconos and I asked about performing. They said yes and I had four or five days to prepare. From that one I got booked to do another gig.”

By the end of the year, Lannigan teamed up with Mickey Fernandez to form Joey Lannigan and the Spirits. Meantime, somehow the father of country star Zach Bryan found Lannigan online and was intrigued, and invited Lannigan to a show at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Before he knew it, Lannigan was travelling around the country doing pre-shows for Bryan with stops in Toronto, Philadelphia, Tampa, and Ohio. 

“It was really cool,” said Lannigan. “I met some crazy people – Bruce Springsteen, Eli Manning and a bunch of hockey players.”

Lannigan’s musical career has taken off so well that he ditched the pharma job in the winter of 2025 and is now concentrating only on music, with his first album expected to come out sometime this fall.

Lannigan describes his band’s music as aggressive, in your face country rock. When he plays solo, he combines originals and covers that run the gamut from country to folk. With a blend of traditional roots, compelling lyrics, and modern storytelling – and with a style that’s uniquely his own, he brings authenticity and passion to each and every performance and with the songs he writes.

It is no surprise that Lannigan has been inspired by the music of Zach Bryan, as well as Tyler Childers and classic country legends like Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. These influences shaped a sound that’s both nostalgic and fresh, blending timeless country traditions with contemporary sensibilities. 

Lannigan is equally at home performing solo or with the band, locally and beyond. He’s not satisfied. There’s more work to do. “I’ve just gotten started. I want to build on my career and expand my reach out there,” he said. “That’s my goal.” 

Lannigan, the father of two, is also equally at home when he thinks of his childhood and how it’s turned out to be an important part of his life now. 

Keeping his early years in perspective, Lannigan remains committed to TCCMO and its mission, supporting the organization in many ways including performing at various events.  

“Joey is truly a great success story,” said Nicole Russo, who was his Care Manager while he went through the program and is now the Lead Community Engagement Coordinator for TCCMO. “We might have helped him along the way, but it was his own ambitions and determination that made him what he is today. We are so proud of him and what’s he has become. And greatly appreciate that he continues to be integral to our program and our focus on children and families. He is someone we should – and do – look up to.”  

For more about Joey Lannigan, visit joeylanniganmusic.com. To learn more about TCCMO, go to tricountycmo.org.