Joey Martin Hall, 69, of Brookfield passed away peacefully on August 6, 2020, at home surrounded by family after a long battle with cancer. A graveside funeral service will be held for Joey at 10:00 a.m. Monday, August 10, 2020, at Liberty Baptist Church Cemetery in Tifton, where he will be laid to rest. The Rev. Larry Cone and Brother Charles Connell will officiate.
Joey’s grandchildren will serve as pallbearers.
Born in Tifton on February 18, 1951, he was the youngest of three children. He was a graduate of Berrien County High School, Class of 1969.
Joey was a musician and entrepreneur who always thought one step ahead. He was a wonderful provider for his family. He loved frying fish and having the family all together to celebrate birthdays and holidays.
Growing up, his home was always filled with music. Kin folks playing bluegrass and gospel instilled a love of music that lasted his entire life. He learned very early to pick a banjo and play a guitar. Truly, he could pick up any instrument and be playing a tune by ear in no time.
In his life, music took him on many adventures. He was featured on local radio as young as 13 and often had to be snuck in the backdoor of bars and honky-tonks to play when he was too young to get in. Shortly after graduating high school, his band, The Beethoven Four, set out in a VW bus in true 1960s fashion, playing gigs in Texas, Wisconsin, Illinois and Florida just to name a few. He shared the stage with the likes of Tanya Tucker, Loretta Lynn and Percy Sledge. He recorded several records in his teenage years and early 20s that garnered airtime on radio stations throughout the South Eastern United States.
Upon returning home, he purchased The Band Box in Nashville, Georgia. It was the place to go in South Georgia for over a decade. Hartsfield kept the dance floor full. Many great friends and memories were made within those walls.
Throughout his life, he could be found any Friday or Saturday night on stage playing and singing, up until he became too sick to do so.
Joey was the owner of Brookfield General Store from 1992-2004. During that time, it was truly the hub of the community. You could always find friends shooting the breeze on the bench out front. His kindness and generosity were apparent by the way he ran the store. The customers felt more like family to Joey.
Joey enjoyed writing and recording music of all genres. There was usually a legal pad with lyrics scribbled down somewhere nearby. This led him to build a professional-quality recording studio behind his house where he recorded music for family, friends and strangers who became friends.
He enjoyed traveling, especially driving across the country, stopping along the way to take it all in. He loved our county and wanted to see it all.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Mary Conway Hall, brother Jimmy Hall, sister Judy Hall and the mother of his children, Julia Easterwood Hall.
Survivors include his wife of 29 years, Diann Bennett Hall; children, Jessica (Travis) Woody, Dustin (Jenny) Hall, Danielle (Davis) Allison and Christian (Ashley) Mathieu; grandchildren, Hunter Faulk (Lauren Goforth), Flint Faulk, Julian Faulk (Autumn Kirkland), Gatlin Hall, Jim Brayden Hall, Erynn Allison, Reed Allison, Journey Mathieu, Cash Mathieu, Phoenix Mathieu, Daylee Woody, Ashlynn Woody, Isabelle Woody; great-niece, Sarah Cochran; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lighthouse at Phoebe, P. O. Box 3770, Albany GA 31706, www.supportphoebe.org/lighthouse ); or the VFW of your choice.