Joel Schoepf Biography
Joel Schoepf is a name many fans of Texas country music have seen in tour credits for more than twenty years. He worked as a guitar technician, stage manager, and tour manager for some of the biggest acts in the red dirt and Texas country scene. People knew him as a reliable professional who helped make live shows run smoothly. On November 13, 2025, he was arrested in New Braunfels, Texas, on a charge of online solicitation of a minor. The news shocked the music community. This article tells the true and verified parts of his life and career in a simple and clear way.
Joel Schoepf Early Life
He grew up in Texas and later made his home in New Braunfels. That city sits in the heart of the Texas Hill Country music area, close to venues such as Gruene Hall and Whitewater Amphitheater. Living in this region put him near the growing Texas country and red dirt music scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Many young people who loved live music started working at local shows, and Joel followed that same path.
Joel Schoepf Career
Joel Schoepf spent more than twenty years working behind the scenes in live country music. Here are the main steps of his professional life, listed in order:
- 2002 to 2006 – Worked full time for Dickson Productions and helped run the MusicFest festival in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.
- 2004 to 2006 – Served as stage manager and production manager at MusicFest.
- 2006 to 2010 – Became guitar technician for the popular red dirt band Cross Canadian Ragweed.
- 2011 to 2013 – Worked as tour manager for Cody Canada and The Departed after Ragweed broke up.
- 2013 to 2020 – Held the job of production manager at John T. Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas.
- 2012 to 2025 – Served as production manager for Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion festival held each year on Nelson’s ranch near Austin.
- 2020 to 2022 – Worked as tour manager for the band Reckless Kelly.
- July 2021 to November 2025 – Started as guitar technician for singer Parker McCollum, later promoted to assistant road manager and stage manager.
- Freelance work over the years with artists such as Jack Ingram, Roger Creager, and many Texas country acts.
His job titles included guitar tech (taking care of instruments), stage manager (making sure the show starts on time), production manager (handling lights, sound, and schedule at venues and festivals), and tour manager (traveling with the band and solving daily problems on the road). Colleagues described him as experienced and good at his work until the events of 2025.
Joel Schoepf Personal Life
He lived in New Braunfels, Texas. Court records from earlier years show a 2003 misdemeanor case for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Washington County, Texas, and some minor traffic tickets. No other criminal record appeared before 2025.
Joel Schoepf Recent News
On November 13, 2025, the New Braunfels Police Department arrested Joel Schoepf, then 48 years old. The charge is online solicitation of a minor under 14 years of age, a second-degree felony in Texas. According to the police report, an adult member of the group Predator Poachers posed online as a 13-year-old boy. Schoepf is accused of sending sexual messages and arranging to meet. When he arrived at a McDonald’s restaurant in New Braunfels, officers took him into custody. He was booked into Comal County Jail. The next day, November 14, 2025, he posted a $50,000 bond and was released. Parker McCollum’s management team ended his employment the same day he was arrested. As of December 2025, the case is still pending in court. No trial date has been made public yet.
Conclusion
Joel Schoepf built a long career helping Texas country artists put on great live shows. For more than two decades he worked with legends like Willie Nelson and rising stars like Parker McCollum. The arrest in November 2025 on a serious felony charge ended that chapter of his professional life and surprised many people in the music community. The legal process will decide the final outcome. Until the court reaches a verdict, he remains innocent under the law. This case reminds everyone that people in the music industry, like in any field, must follow high standards of behavior both on and off the stage.
FAQs
Who is Joel Schoepf?
He is a Texas-based tour manager and guitar technician who worked in country music for over twenty years.
Which artists did Joel Schoepf work with?
He worked with Willie Nelson (Luck Reunion), Parker McCollum, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Cody Canada and The Departed, Reckless Kelly, Jack Ingram, Roger Creager, and many others.
What was Joel Schoepf’s job with Parker McCollum?
He started as guitar tech in 2021 and later became assistant road manager and stage manager until November 2025.
Why was Joel Schoepf fired in 2025?
He was fired the same day he was arrested on November 13, 2025.
What is Joel Schoepf accused of?
He faces one charge of online solicitation of a minor under 14, a second-degree felony in Texas.
When was Joel Schoepf arrested?
November 13, 2025, in New Braunfels, Texas.
Has Joel Schoepf been convicted?
No. As of December 2025 the case is still pending, and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Where did Joel Schoepf live?
He lived in New Braunfels, Texas.