Joe Delia is a renowned composer, best known for his extensive work in feature films and television. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he was the fourth of thirteen children, and his family moved to the suburbs in the 1950s. Delia began studying piano at a young age and formed a group with his older brothers, called the Delia Brothers, later renamed the Bruthers.
The group was signed to RCA records and released a single, "Bad Way to Go," which charted and became a garage classic. Delia's work as a teenager included becoming the first voice of the Muppets, singing and co-writing the first Muppet performance on the Ed Sullivan show, as well as writing and performing jingles for national ads and appearing in national print ad campaigns.
After the group disbanded, Delia pursued a career in the studios of New York as a pianist and arranger, working with a variety of artists including Grace Slick, Pat Benatar, Adam Sandler, and Stevie Wonder.
Delia's film scoring career began in the 1980s, when he met director Abel Ferrara, with whom he collaborated on numerous films, including "The Bad Lieutenant," "King of New York," and "The Addiction." He also collaborated with Danish superstar Kim Larsen, producing and performing on two albums that went gold and platinum in Scandinavia.
In addition to his work in film and television, Delia has also been involved in academia, serving as composer in residence at Sarah Lawrence College, and was co-founder and musical director of the Buster Poindexter act, which yielded the hit single "Hot, Hot, Hot."
From the 1990s to the present day, Delia has scored full seasons of episodic TV shows, including "War of the Worlds" and "Digging for the Truth," as well as documentaries and feature films. He has also collaborated with comedian Richard Belzer on comedy specials and regular concert tours.
Delia's recent work includes composing scores for four new Abel Ferrara titles and is set to begin composing the score for Ferrara's upcoming feature, "Siberia," starring Willem Dafoe.
