Joe Branam

Bio:

Joe Branam is a true pioneer of modern entertainment rigging. His career began in the circus, where as a teenager he performed as a trapeze artist and worked alongside Hugo Zacchini, the world-famous human cannonball. Like many circus performers of the era, Joe quickly learned that mastering the ropes and hardware above the ring was just as important as performing beneath them, a skillset that would launch a groundbreaking career.

In the late 1960s, Joe joined forces with fellow circus alumnus Roy Bickel to become part of the original “Disney Riggers,” a group that helped set the foundation for arena-scale entertainment. Touring with Disney on Parade across North America, they developed many of the safety standards and rigging practices that are still in use today, including the now-universal color-coded wire rope system.

By the mid-1970s, as live concerts grew larger and more technically demanding, Joe became one of the first riggers trusted by rock’s biggest acts. He worked on tours for the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Jethro Tull, Bob Dylan, and countless others. He helped introduce chain motors into live touring, adapting industrial equipment into the backbone of modern concert rigging, and was at the forefront of flying artists like Mick Jagger and Jon Bon Jovi out over audiences.

In 1977, Joe founded Branam Enterprises, which has since grown into a leading rigging company serving theater, concerts, film, television, and corporate events worldwide. Known for innovation, precision, and an uncompromising commitment to safety, the company now boasts thousands of motors, miles of truss, and a reputation as one of the industry’s most trusted rigging providers. 

Throughout his career, Joe has been recognized not only for his technical expertise but also for his leadership and mentorship. From the MTV boom of the 1980s to today’s arena spectacles, he has adapted with each generation of technology while never losing sight of the fundamentals: safety, creativity, and integrity.

With more than five decades of contributions to the art and science of rigging, Joe Branam has more than earned the title: The Rigger’s Rigger.