Remembering Joey Feek: Friends and Collaborators Share Memories, 10 Years On

# Who Joey Feek Was Joey Marie Feek (née Martin) was born Sept. 9, 1975, in Indiana. She grew up in a musical household with three older sisters and a younger brother. Her family background included parents who sang and a father who played guitar. Joey had a known passion for horses.

She moved to Nashville in 2002. Early in her Nashville years she signed a major-label deal that did not result in a released album. During that time she worked for an equestrian veterinarian, where she met songwriter Sandy Lawrence and formed other important connections.

# From Nashville to Joey + Rory Joey met Rory Feek at a songwriters night. They dated quickly, married four months after their first date in 2002, and formed a personal and professional partnership. Joey put some solo ambitions aside to help raise Rory's daughters before returning to music publicly as part of the husband-and-wife duo Joey + Rory.

On the heels of that exposure, Joey + Rory released their debut album The Life of a Song, which included the Top 40 single "Cheater, Cheater." They released multiple albums across country and faith-based projects over the following years.

# Songs and Musical Preferences Friends say Joey loved singing hymns. "That's Important To Me" was a song she felt connected to because its lyrics told the story of her life. Another meaningful song for the duo was "When I'm Gone," written by Sandy Lawrence during her own grief and later recorded by Joey + Rory. At the time they filmed the song's video Joey had not yet been diagnosed with cancer.

Their final album, Hymns That Are Important to Us, released in 2016 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard US Country Albums chart.

# Personal Details People Remember People who knew Joey shared memories that underline everyday practicalities as much as musical talent. She was described as smart, funny, hardworking, and down-to-earth. Concrete details include her driving a black Dodge truck, carrying a knife in her pocket, and frequently having her dog Rufus by her side.

# Family and Loss Joey and Rory had a daughter, Indiana. Joey died on March 4, 2016, at age 40. She left behind Rory, their young daughter, two step-daughters, and an extended network of family and friends. In March 2026, to mark ten years since her death, family members, friends and musical collaborators shared their favorite memories with Taste of Country.

# Endures The memories collected focus on a mix of music and everyday life: Joey's voice on hymns, a catalog of country and faith-based songs, and a steady, practical presence at home. Those who knew her emphasize concrete habits—canning fruit, feeding family, caring for animals—that together form the account people remember.