She is closely associated with traditional blues and jazz in the style of Memphis Minnie, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan.
While pursuing a master's degree at Wright State University in social work by day, she was singing in clubs at night.
[1] She was offered a road gig singing in duo with Bill Temme for Ramada Inn hotels and quit pursuing a vocation as a social worker to become a professional singer and songwriter.
[1] Due to her earlier success in country music with a promising hit single, in 1976 she was signed with Stax Records and put under contract.
'"[2] it was during this period that Jake Schorr invited her to perform every week at Jefferson Square, a popular, downtown music venue.
[2] Cream produced a different set of artists than Cobb started with in Nashville, they had a solid reputation making soul, R&B, and disco recordings.
Dig The Gold charted to #42 for Billboard and #10 for Cashbox giving her a first real success as an internationally recognized pop artist.
[10][13] She was honored as being #4 in the December edition (for 1980) Billboard End of the Year Awards list for New Female Single Pop Artist in the company of singers Irene Cara (#1), Charlie Dore (#2), and Bernadette Peters (#3).
[16] The club had a measure of success when starting out featuring musical acts such as George Coleman, Jimmy McGriff, Herb Ellis, Marvin Stamm, James Williams, and Maria Muldaur.
She also toured the United States and Europe with the highly acclaimed Beale Street Jazz Band, recording two CDs with the group during this time.
In 2006 she recorded on the soundtrack of Black Diamonds: The Story of Negro League Baseball as part of the internationally recognized exhibit presented at the Memphis Pink Palace Museum.
[18] In the last 16 years Cobb has been the lead actress and singer for numerous award-winning live productions to include Ain’t Misbehavin, Lady Day at the Emerson Bar and Grill and The Devil's Music: The Life and Times of Bessie Smith.
Cobb's musical style is derived from but does not mimic blues and jazz singers such as Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan (among others).
"Joyce Cobb's big, vivacious voice can interpret everything from pop to country to classical to her truest love, jazz.