Today we’d like to introduce you to Juke of June.
Juke of June, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Jackson Kilburn, Jackson Hahn, and Ben Ballard started Juke of June in 2017 when they were freshmen at Belmont University. As the years went on, Zach McCoy and Bradley Crow joined the band allowing us to release Valeria, our debut EP.
In 2019, Emily McCreight was added as the final member and since then have released multiple singles including Close My Eyes, Turn Around, and Cry Through the Drywall, as well as two EP’s. Good Weather is our latest EP that we recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville with Eli Weil, our producer. This EP encompasses the growth we’ve had as a band over the past two years and is what we like to think of as an introduction to our newest sound. We are excited to not only go on tour in Florida this fall but also start working on our first album.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest roadblock the past two years has been the year 2020. At the beginning of the year, we were building a strong local following and had just played The High Watt in Nashville, TN. However, in March we were separated for about two months which led to us not being able to rehearse, write, or play shows. Ultimately, all the momentum we had built up had been halted. It wasn’t until August that we were able to return to the studio and get back to what we had started working on before the pandemic hit.
Another struggle has been keeping healthy relationships as friends and as musicians. It isn’t always easy to satisfy everyone, especially with six different artistic opinions. That’s why we are always mindful of everyone’s input and are constantly focused on listening to one another and respecting each other’s opinions. Over the past two years, our communication skills as a group have greatly improved which has helped ease tension and will surely lead to a smoother journey as a band.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We like to say we specialize in surf-psych-funk. We’re still growing as a band and evolving as musicians but we definitely specialize in the soft psychedelic rock genre. Our live performances, however, are what we are most known for. The energy that we bring out of each other while we are on stage is so special to our band and really shows in our overall sound. The fact that we know each other and are great friends as opposed to just bandmates is a quality that we feel sets us apart from other bands.
We’ve had a lot of performances and releases that we are very proud of, but our newest EP, “Good Weather,” really stands out. We released this EP in early July and couldn’t be happier with what we were able to create. We see “Good Weather” as a stepping stone into our newest sound as it combines all of the genres that inspire us the most in ways that are unique to us. This EP, produced by Eli Weil, is just the beginning for us and we can’t wait to build off of the sound we created for our next big project.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Over the next decade, we think there is likely going to be a large shift from high production in music to more organic/live instrumentation and production. Live tracking allows there to be more for the listener to connect to, and we see that growing more into mainstream pop radio. This could potentially lead to more groups and bands gaining traction as opposed to singular artists. Overall, we think there could be a music revival happening that will help take the emphasis away from overproducing and focus more on creating natural and live sounds.
Lastly, it will be interesting to see what happens next on the audio consumption side of the industry, specifically within streaming. Streaming, though it has completely consumed the industry, is still relatively new and may keep maturing as far as income streams and royalty payouts are concerned. Additionally, with the creation of NFT’s, there is possibly going to be a shift in how artists can make an income while simultaneously strengthening their relationship with their fans. This may also impact the promotion and marketing side of the industry and could even change how fans are exposed to new music and artists.
Contact Info:
- Email: jukeofjune@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.jukeofjune.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jukeofjune/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Juke-Of-June-201926703878069
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52f4OymWPZh6Zeqmr7CStg
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5go0a3ntMRIevndzTxTe5d?si=9KdnmfwSRsC7BcbozjqdaQ
Image Credits
Emma Young, Ava Evans, Colby Crosby, and Grant Sutton.
