Joe Buchanan performs at Fort Benning. (Photo by Neil Block)
The sacred Jewish prayers “Sh’ma,” “Hashkivenu,” and “Oseh Shalom” are usually sung in synagogues by Cantors who are often attired in white formal robes.
However, the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie will showcase a different approach to how Jewish music is performed by featuring Jewish country music singer/songwriter Joe Buchanan in concert rather than a cantor in “A Taste Of Country, A Season of Culture."
The concert opens the DPJCC cultural season on Sunday, Oct. 18. The event also includes a kosher chili tasting competition and line dancing.
Buchanan, a burly man who looks and sounds much like the late country music star Kenny Rogers, will be performing his own unique spin on traditional Jewish prayers with a honky tonk Nashville beat that recalls original music from the Grand Old Opry rather than Jewish traditional music from a synagogue.
Buchanan and his wife, April, team to write what Buchanan calls “unique Jewish country music” for a specific purpose, which celebrates Buchanan’s 12 years as a convert to Judaism in 2014.
“I am so elated, so happy that I found acceptance and purpose in my life by embracing Judaism. I never felt accepted growing up, being raised as a Christian in Texas,” said Buchanan in a phone interview from his home in Houston.
His spiritual quest began in 2011 when, along with his wife and their son, Nathan, he visited the National Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.
“April totally surprised me when she said the visit to the Holocaust Museum made her feel more connected to her people. I said ‘What are you talking about? In our 13 years of marriage, you never told me that you are Jewish.’”
Joe Buchanan performs in concert at the Country Hall of Fame in Nashville. (Photo by Steve Cross)
Buchanan said his wife had a Star of David necklace in her jewelry box and sometimes she would wear it.
"I knew that her mother is Jewish. So I thought that April was honoring her mother. April grew up in a military family and the constant moving to different cities did not make her feel part of a Jewish community so she wanted to learn more. I told her I wanted to support her and to learn more about being Jewish myself.”
While accompanying April to Congregation Shaar Hashalom in Houston, Buchanan said that he felt a yearning to be in the Jewish community and was inspired by the teachings of Rabbi Stuart Federow, the spiritual leader of the congregation.
“What the rabbi said that stood out for me is that God loves me exactly as I am. You do good deeds because it is needed for our world to exist. You don’t do good deeds because of the fear of punishment or because of a reward after we die.”
The couple study Torah together which led to their writing songs together in creating and performing three albums of Jewish country music songs that are sung in both English and Hebrew.
“The more we studied, the more we wanted to share Torah stories in our songs. The Torah inspires us and is a far contrast from the doom and gloom Bible stories I heard growing up.”
Buchanan’s songs share either stories from the Torah performed in English and Hebrew or express his deep emotions expressing his love of Judaism.
From left, Joe Buchanan, Rabbi Stuart Federow of Congregation Shaar Hashalom in Houston and April Buchanan. Joe and April Buchanan renewed their wedding vows in a ceremony inspired Buchanan's song “My Beloved”. (Photo by Zach Dalin)
For example, in his song “Unbroken,” Buchanan recalls how troubled he was before embracing Judaism.
“I was looking for God all my life. I was told God was good and I am not right. No matter how good your life is, it will never add up. Raise your glass now and stand tall. You can choose to be chosen.”
He said the song summarizes his life was like "before I was Jewish and how I feel since my conversion,” said Buchanan
In his song “A Joyful Noise” that Buchanan will also perform in concert, he discusses the courage needed to be himself and to openly question faith and God.
“I hated that I could never ever question the doctrine in church," he said about Christianity.
"I felt that I was truly respected when I was asking many questions about Torah and expressed my feelings in ‘A Joyful Noise.’”
“When you lift your hand to question, do they look at you and frown? And when you stand up to speak your mind, do their eyes say ‘sit back down.’”
Buchanan sings while playing his guitar and will be joined on stage with his band mates Saul Kaye (backup vocals and steel guitar), Russ Gold (percussion) and Greg Sankovich (keyboard) in addition to other musicians in the concert..
Along with “Unbroken”, Buchanan will be performing 15 songs from his new album “Heaven And Earth” in the concert that will include his interpretations of the Jewish prayers “Hashkivenu,” “L'Chai Dodi,” “Oseh Shalom,” and his original songs “Good Times,” “My Beloved,” and “Who Is Like You” among other songs.
“The new album is all about how we celebrate our lives as Jews and the ways we come together as a community.”
The one song in “Heaven and Earth” that moves Buchanan is “My Beloved,” expressing deep emotions about April whom he is married to for 23 years.
Joe Buchanan performs in concert. (Photo by Zack Dalin)
“The song expresses so much about my love for her and how it remains strong through our love of studying Torah. I love April so much that we renewed our wedding vows under the Chuppah (traditional Jewish wedding canopy) by the rabbi who officiated my conversion to Judaism.”
Although Buchanan has been writing music since he was a child, he never performed onstage or seriously considered a professional career as a singer until he met April and converted to Judaism.
“I spent much of my adult life working in the oil business, but I was not happy with my life and it was through writing songs since my conversion that has brought me joy,” said the 49-year-old Buchanan, Buchanan has spent most of his time on tour performing at synagogues and temples, often as part of religious Shabbat musical services taking place on weekends.
Prior to Buchanan’s concert, there will be a contest to determine who has the best chili among ten people who submitted their recipes.
“The idea behind the competition was to have an event that coincides with Joe Buchanan performing,” said Nancy Cohen, the Arts and Cultural Director at the Posnack JCC since 2023. “I have seen Joe (Buchanan) perform on tour for several years and I immediately knew he would be a hit with our members, so the next question was what kind of activity to have that fits into the setting. Having a kosher chili competition along with a session of line dancing is a wonderful compliment to Joe Buchanan’s songs in the concert.”
“When we look outside the Posnack JCC, we see horses, ranches and a ‘country look’ in Davie, so our environment blends in perfectly for our season opener,” said Cohen. Those attending the event will sample the chili dishes and several judges, including Buchanan and JCC line dance instructor Ysaac Kaplan will determine the winners of the best kosher chili competition prior to the concert.
Buchanan said he can't wait to mingle and get to know those attending the event.
"Along with performing, I enjoy answering questions about Jewish country music and how I became Jewish,” said Buchanan.
Joe Buchanan performs in Jewish Rock Radio Americana. (Photo by Zack Dalin)
- What: “A Taste of Culture, A Season of Culture” featuring a 90 minute concert of Jewish country music featuring singer Joe Buchanan along with a kosher chili competition with samplings and line dancing to open the cultural season at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie.
- When: Sunday, October 18 from 2:30 pm-5:30 pm. Kosher chili competition and line dancing is from 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm. The concert begins at 4:00 pm.
- Where: David Posnack Jewish Community Center, 5850 S. Pine Island Rd. in Davie.
- Admission: Tickets are sold only as an all day event at $45 and $85 for reserved front rows seats plus a meet and greet with Joe Buchanan.
- Information: (954) 420-6197 or go to dpjcc.org.
