[1] At fourteen, Hoey often lingered outside Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music, making friends and offering to pay for lessons.

To devote his time to music, he dropped out of high school and began playing Boston's local clubs and teaching guitar to other young players.

[1] In 1990, he teamed with singer Joel Ellis, bassist Rex Tennyson, and drummer Frankie Banali to form Heavy Bones.

[2] In 1993, he recorded the album Animal Instinct, which included a cover of the Focus hit "Hocus Pocus".

[1] Hoey has toured and/or recorded with Brian May of Queen, Ted Nugent, Foreigner, Joe Satriani, The Doobie Brothers, Beth Hart, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Eric Johnson, Steve Vai, Peter Frampton, Rick Derringer, and Lita Ford.