Joe Gayden was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He studied art at the University of Mississippi and the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, where he focused his efforts in sculpture. Realizing that an artist has a hard way to go in life, Joe switched his career goal to the music business immediately after college and put his art dreams on the back burner. Joe managed studios and production companies, working with such legends as the great Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Jimmy Buffet, Lynn Anderson, Carl Perkins, and his own brother, songwriter/artist Mac Gayden, known for his ongoing hit "Everlasting Love" and others.

After l;eaving the music industry in the late 1980's and settling down with his wife Phyllis and son Zac, Joe decided to go back to his passion of sculpting. He moved to the mountains of North Carolina in 1998 where he worked with well known artists Wayne Trapp and R. T. Morgan and sharpened his skills. Joe soon carved our a name for himself among artists creating unique works of sculpture and fountains in marble and alabaster. His work has been displayed at Gallery 9 and Carlton Gallery in Grandfather Mountain/Banner Elk, Morgan Gallery in West Jefferson and the Biltmore Gallery in downtown Asheville.

Family matters took the Gayden family to Venice, Florida from late 2003 until mid 2005. Joe quickly became a vital component in the Sarasota County arts scene and was selected to display his work in the Sarasota Center for the Arts, Venice Center for the Arts, Grass Roots Gallery of Englewood, Sarafina Fine Arts Gallery in Towles Court, and Fiori Fine Arts Gallery. The producers of the PBS Gulf Coast Journal were so impressed by Joe's style and talent, he was filmed for a segment hosted by Jack Perkins that was televised in the Fall of 2004.

Although life in paradise was a wonderful experience, the Gayden's longed to return to their Tennessee roots. They moved to the small town of Dickson in March of 2005 and feel that they are finally home.