His first major show was a Rock & Roll revival in February 1973 featuring Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley & John Lee Hooker at The Portland Expo. Throughout the 70’s Joel ran a booking agency, working with, and promoting local artists, while scheduling shows at statewide venues like the Bangor Auditorium, Augusta Civic Center, Portland city hall, and stretching into other New England venues. Among the artists that Joel presented during this period include Johnny Winter, Todd Rundgren & Utopia, Tak Mahal, Vassar Clements, and Muddy Waters.

In the early 80’s the Grand in Ellsworth began to serve as the “home base” venue for Joel who brought acts Doc Watson, Richie Havens, Commander Cody, and Rick Danko among many others.

In 1983 Joel opened Video Video in Bar Harbor, building the largest video rental chain in Maine, with stores in Ellswoth, Blue Hill, Bucksport, and Bar Harbor, Joel provided a library of 17,000 films (unheard of by today’s standards).  In the 90’s Joel began to book a wider branch of venues around New England, including the Camden Opera House, Portsmouth Music Hall, The Flynn in Burlington, and numerous other churches, town halls, and concert halls.

Over time, Joel’s interaction within the music scene has created lasting relationships with many of the artists that continue to this day – a short list of ‘the regulars’ includes Richard Thompson, Iris Dement, Chris Smither, James McMurtry, Patty Griffin, and Greg Brown, to name just a few.

Among his eventful career Joel has spent the last 15 years hosting a radio show broadcasted on Blue Hill’s WERU.

Joel’s career has accredited him with establishing what could be noted as the best entertainment Maine could offer.  Bringing acts from within and outside of the state, Joel has been able to sustain a culture that is becoming increasingly harder to support in today’s modern music industry.  By supporting local acts and bringing larger names to smaller venues, Joel has opened a gateway for future entertainment in Maine.

Joel now lives with his dog, Naomi, in Ellsworth where he continues to build on the enterprise known as Joel Raymond Presents.