From 2008 to 2016, the duo Joey + Rory comprised her and her husband, Rory Feek.[3]
Life and musical career
Joey Marie Feek (née Martin, September 9, 1975 – March 4, 2016) was an American country music singer and songwriter. Joey Marie Feek was born Joey Marie Martin in Alexandria, Indiana, to Jack and June Martin. She was the fourth of five children: three sisters (Jody, Julie, Jessie) and one younger brother, Justin, who in 1994 died in a car accident.[4]
Her father, who played guitar, encouraged her to start singing and performing at an early age. [5] She moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1998 to pursue a career as an assistant at a horse vet clinic, and established connections with LeAnn Rimes‘ father Wilbur, and Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn.
At a songwriter night, she met songwriter Rory Lee Feek, whom she married in June 2002.[6] She sang backing vocals on Blaine Larsen‘s 2004 album Off to Join the World, which her husband co-produced.[7] Joey was signed to Sony Nashville and recorded an unreleased solo album in 2005 titled Strong Enough to Cry, but due to change in management and restructuring at Sony, the planned major label release for her album was shelved.[8][9] The album, retitled If Not For You, was eventually released by Farmhouse Recordings on April 7, 2017.[10] Joey Feek’s Solo Album ‘If Not for You’ Was Released a Year After Her Death
Joey and Rory Feek’s Family Journey (Video) (countryfancast.com)
In 2008, a friend suggested that Joey and Rory try out for Can You Duet, a talent show airing on CMT with the purpose of finding the next great country duo. They made an audition tape and came up with the name “Joey + Rory,” and finished in third place on Can You Duet. The duo were signed to Sugar Hill/Vanguard Records, who released their first three studio albums.[9] The duo released eight albums overall and charted a Top 30 Hot Country Songs hit with “Cheater, Cheater“.[2]
Expecting a baby in early 2014, the couple decided to spend the year at home.[11] Their daughter was born in 2014, and has Down syndrome.[12][13] A few months later in May 2014, Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer.[14] After surgery and treatment, she was declared cancer free and did not receive any radiation or chemotherapy.[15]
Cancer relapse
In June 2015, after the family had finished filming their movie Josephine,[16] Feek was not feeling well again and sought medical advice.[16] After undergoing further medical testing, it was discovered that the cervical cancer had returned and metastasized to her colon.[17]
In July 2015, Feek underwent a second surgery to remove a 3-inch tumor (recurrence of cervical cancer) that had invaded her colon and surrounding structures. The surgery was long and involved and required the use of intraoperative radiation as there were tumors the surgeon could not get clear margins on.[18]
Still, the medical team was hopeful for Feek’s situation, and she recovered from surgery to continue on to endure an intense round of radiation and chemotherapy in the summer of 2015.[19] While undergoing treatment at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, she would record hymns in their hotel room for the last CD the couple would create together, Hymns That Are Important to Us.[20]
In October 2015, Rory revealed in a blog post that Joey’s cancer was terminal, and they were stopping all treatment as the chemotherapy and radiation she had suffered through for the last few months were not working. The MRI scans revealed that two quarter-sized tumors had already grown back in the same area that they had been blasting daily with chemo and radiation [and] that many more smaller tumors were visible all throughout the abdominal region.
She said that the cancer was aggressively spreading”.[21] There were no more treatment options available and all there was left to do was keep Joey as comfortable as possible for the time she had left.[22] By November 2015, Feek was in hospice care.[23]
In January 2016, her morphine dose needed to keep the cancer pain under control had quadrupled.[24] She was able to celebrate Indiana’s second birthday and Valentine’s Day with her and Rory, see them receive a Grammy nomination for the song “If I Needed You”,[25] and see and hear the final recording the duo would make together.
An album of hymns that she had always wanted to make that debuted at number 8 on the Billboard 200 when it was released, and peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200 three weeks after its release.[26][20] She died on March 4, 2016, and Rory held a private funeral on their farm in Tennessee; Joey was buried in the family cemetery on the Feek farm.[27][28] Source Joey Feek – Wikipedia
Joey + Rory Feek’s Daughter Indiana Just Stole Our Heart! (youtube.com)
Beautiful Video Tribute to Joey Martin Feek of Joey + Rory (youtube.com)
I was one of Joey and Rory’s loyal fans and his tribute documentary to Joey was beautiful. The tribute documentary to Joey Feek is titled “To Joey, With Love”. This movie tells the story of the incredible Joey Feek and her amazing life. Filmed while battling cancer, Joey along with her family and friends show you that it’s not just physically healthy people who live healthy lives. Take a little time to laugh, smile, and cry with this amazing woman’s journey and the goodbyes of her loving family when she decides to let the Lord lead her home.
It was created by her husband, Rory Feek, and it documents their emotional journey through Joey’s battle with cancer, their life on the farm, and their deep faith. The film captures the last two years of Joey’s life, starting a few weeks before their daughter Indiana was born in February 20141.
Rory shared that watching the footage brought Joey back to life for him, filled with love, joy, and hope1. The documentary was initially shown in select theaters for just two nights starting on September 20, 20161. If you’re interested, you can find more about the documentary and watch some clips online234.
Rory’s first solo album “Gentle Man” was released on June 18, 2021.[13] It is the first album recorded since losing his wife and country music collaborator Joey to cancer in 2016. The album includes Feek and Jamie Teachenor’s co-written single “Met Him in a Motel Room” with vocals by Trisha Yearwood.[14][15] Yearwood previously recorded the song for her 2014 album, “PrizeFighter: Hit After Hit.”[16] The album also includes a cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin.’”[13]
As a filmmaker and storyteller, Feek wrote, shot much of, and edited his docu-series, This Life I Live,[17] which premiered on RFD-TV in March 2020. Feek created the singer-songwriter show “Muletown In the Round,”[18] the educational series, “The One Room Schoolhouse,”[19] and others with Red King Productions.[20] He also made the feature-length film Finding Josephine (2019),[21] the full-length documentary To Joey, With Love (2016),[22] music videos for the album “Gentle Man,” and dozens of music videos over his career as a musician and songwriter.[23]
As an author, Feek has written two memoirs and several children’s books. His 2017 memoir, “This Life I Live: One Man’s Extraordinary, Ordinary Life and the Woman Who Changed It Forever” (HarperCollins) hit top book lists including the Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and USA Today.[24] Additional books include “Once Upon a Farm” (HarperCollins),[25] “The Cow Said Neigh!” (HarperCollins),[26] “The Day God Made You” (HarperCollins),[27] and “The Little Rooster” (Milk Barn Kids).[28] Source Rory Feek – Wikipedia
In 2016, Rory’s first wife Joey Feek died after a battle with cervical cancer. The duo performed under the name Joey + Rory. She was first diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, and Rory revealed in the fall of 2015 that they had decided to end treatment.
Eight years ago on Monday (March 4), the world said goodbye to Joey Feek — a.k.a., one-half of country duo Joey + Rory, wife to singer-songwriter and homesteader Rory Feek and mom to then-two-year-old Indiana.
Related: Rory Feek Finds Love Again, Eight Years After Wife Joey’s Death
On July 24, 2024 “Rory sang at a wedding. “I DO” – rory feek (Rory & Rebecca’s Wedding Song) (youtube.com)
The only thing was – the bride had no idea. Neither did most of the family and friends who came. So it was a big surprise for just about everyone there. …except me.”
Also on Father’s Day 2022 The first thing Indiana did when she woke up this morning was to wish me Happy Father’s Day… she was so excited to share the sweet card and gift she had for me. Sweetest duet ever! What a beautiful little girl and blessing from God!
️ PAPA WHAT IF – rory+indy (youtube.com) And so, the first thing I wanted to do this morning is wish all the Papa’s out there…. a Happy Father’s Day too… and share a sweet little three-minute gift with you from me and Indy.
Congratulations are in order for Rory Feek, who married his 10-year-old daughter Indiana’s teacher, Rebecca — who is also a longtime family friend — in a romantic ceremony on July 14.
The country star opened up about the ceremony on his blog, noting that the duo tied the knot under a “timber-frame pavilion here in Greycliff, Montana,” adding that his daughter played a major role in getting the two married. “We knew marriage was a possibility,” Feek shared in his post, “it wasn’t something that either of us felt like we could seriously talk about. Mostly because up until that time Indiana only saw Rebecca as ‘Miss Rebecca, her schoolteacher and our friend.”
He then recalled Rebecca telling him about a conversation she had with Indiana in March. “I asked Indy, and she told me that she said, ‘Ms. Rebecca, I think you should marry Papa,’” he noted. “Of course, I was happy, but caught off guard and told her that that was something we’d all have to start praying about.”
Rory said that Indy told him and Rebecca: “My Mama’s been gone a long time. And if she marries you, maybe she could be my new mother.” During Rory and Rebecca’s nuptials, the country star surprised his new wife with a song called “I Do.” See the full blog post here.
The Story Behind Our Wedding Song and Video ‘I DO” (youtube.com)
Indiana — who goes by Indy — Indiana Feek is best known as Family Member who was born on February 17, 2014 is now 10 years old, and of course, she has no real memories of her late mom. But the young girl still commemorated the anniversary of Joey’s death on Monday, spending some time by her mom’s grave on the family’s property.
In the photo, Indy — now looking all grown up with pink cowboy boots and a matching turtleneck sweater — pets a tabby cat as she sits in the grass. Nearby, Joey’s grave marker is adorned with a colorful array of flowers.
Eight years is forever when you’re only ten…
But it’s only a blink compared to forever in Heaven. | Instagram
As he shared the photo of Indy sitting by her mother’s grave, Feek pointed out another example of how the passage of time has played out in surprising ways over the past eight years.
Feek posted his own reflections on the eight-year anniversary of his wife’s death, marveling in a blog post on everything that has changed — and everything that hasn’t — since he lost Joey. Not long before the eight-year anniversary rolled around, Feek revealed to fans that he’s found love again and is now in a relationship with a teacher named Rebecca.
That’s a profound thought. It reminds me of a quote by Chaim Potok: “We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity…a blink of an eye in itself is nothing. But the eye that blinks, that is something. We All Learn Through Our Past Transgression.
Rory Feek reveals daughter Indiana is starting preschool and learning to walk.
Rory & Indy Feek Share A Sweet Father’s Day Song (countrymusicfamily.com)
Rory Feek Responds To Daughters’ Accusations Of Abuse (today.com)
A span of life is nothing. But the man who lives that span, he is something”12.
It’s a beautiful reminder to make the most of our time here and fill it with meaning. What are some things that give your life meaning?
That’s a profound perspective. Many people find comfort in the idea that our time on Earth is fleeting compared to the eternity of heaven.
It can help put our daily struggles and challenges into a broader context, making them seem less overwhelming.
This concept is often echoed in literature and philosophy. For instance, Chaim Potok once said, “We live less than the time it takes to blink an eye, if we measure our lives against eternity”12.
Do you find this perspective comforting or inspiring in your own life?
Learn more: 1en.wikiquote.org 2goodreads.com 3propheticministries.org
The impermanence of our struggles.
What the Bible says about Courageously Enduring (bibletools.org)
That’s a powerful realization. Recognizing that our struggles are temporary can make it easier to face them with resilience and hope. It can also help us appreciate the good moments even more. Do you find that this perspective influences how you handle challenges in your daily life?
It’s like having a guiding light through tough times. Maintaining a positive outlook can make a big difference in how we experience life. Are there any specific practices or activities that help you reinforce this positive mindset?
That’s a fantastic approach! Being around positive, supportive people can have a huge impact on our mindset and overall well-being. It’s like having a built-in support system that helps lift you up when things get tough. Rory & Joey Playlist – Search (bing.com)
Do you have any favorite activities or hobbies that you enjoy doing with these positive people. Also, Indy Feek’s Reaction to Hearing Her Mama’s Voice Will Melt Your Heart (countryrebel.com)
When I Am Gone Poem Verses
When I come to the end of my journey,
I travel my last weary mile.
Just forget if you can, that I ever frowned
And remember only my smile.
Forget unkind words I have spoken:
Remember some good I have done.
Forget that I ever had heartache
And remember I’ve had loads of fun.
Forget that I’ve stumbled and blundered
And sometimes fell by the way.
Remember I have fought some hard battles
And won, here the close of the day.
Then forget to grieve for my going,
I would not have you for a day,
But in summer just gather some flowers
And remember the place where I lay.
And come in the shade of the evening
When the sun paints the sky in the west
Stand for a few moments beside me
And remember only my best.