Josh Rouse was born in Nebraska, and eventually landed in Nashville where he recorded his debut Dressed Like Nebraska (1998).

His breakthrough album, 1972 (2003) Rouse expanded his palette to the warmer sound of albums back then, as well as the more communal feel of the soul music of the eponymous year.

After relocating to Valencia, Spain, Rouse has released a steady stream of high quality songs and albums.
Subtitulo (2006) contained the international hit "Quiet Town". On El Turista (2010) he experimented with writing and singing some songs in Spanish. In 2014, he won a Goya Award (the Spanish equivalent of an Oscar) for best song for "Do You Really Want To Be In Love," from the film 'La Gran Familia Española.

'Like a baseball player who quietly hits 30 home runs every year or a golfer who regularly finishes in the Top Ten, Josh Rouse's continued streak of excellence is easy to ignore and maybe even downplay a little' -- Tim Sendra, Allmusic.com.