Julius “JUICE” Davis, Jr., aka JuiceThaBlackBeethoven
An incredibly unique childhood blessed Julius with two godly parents who were second-generation educators and musicians, and he quickly followed into the “family business,” of directing and accompanying the church choirs of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Cleveland, Ohio. In 1963, Julius’ parents moved from New Orleans, Louisiana to Cleveland, Ohio where they quickly found employment as music teachers in the Cleveland Public Schools. Young Julius was immediately enrolled in the Cleveland Music School Settlement, a renowned community music institution, where he formally began his music education in Classical Piano and Music Theory. His teachers immediately recognized his prodigious talent for the piano, and he studied there for the next ten years. Upon his graduation from Shaw High School in 1974, he attended Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) on a full music scholarship, until he graduated from that institution in 1978, with a Bachelor of Music Degree.
The influence of his parents and their involvement in the church music ministry heavily influenced Mr. Davis during his post-college years, resulting in him accompanying the church choirs led by both his parents, as well as composing original music arrangements in the traditional gospel and contemporary gospel music genres. In 1979, Julius began to compose his pop, R&B, and dance songs, and after several years of submitting these songs to various record companies and music publishers, his song, “STRIVE,” was recorded by the internationally known R&B/Disco artist, GLORIA GAYNOR. The song appeared on Ms. Gaynor’s album, “I AM GLORIA GAYNOR,” as well as hitting the Billboard Top 100 Singles Chart (#86) in the Summer of 1984. Mr. Davis continues to write various genres of music, and his goal is to become a Grammy and Oscar-winning composer for film and television. In 2009, Mr. Davis’ original African-American spiritual, “DONE SET MY MIND ON JESUS,” was performed in concert by the Tuskegee University Golden Voices Choir. One of Juice’s original Country songs, “BONAFIDE COUNTRY GAL,” is scheduled to be released in May 2021 as a part of a new virtual music platform based out of London, England called Concerto XL.
For fans who have never heard your music, can you pick three words to describe it?! If three words just aren't enough then tell us more!!
Unique, vintage, old-school, power-songwriting, with a new-school/indie vibe
What is your favorite part about being an artist? Is it songwriting, performing, recording, something else?) Tell us why.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE SONGWRITING AND THE SONGWRITING PROCESS…forgive the all-capital letters, as I am not angry, just ABSOLUTELY PASSIONATE about creating powerful lyrics, and cool music to go with those lyrics…it’s the eternally creative puzzle that you just have to figure
Can you tell us what being in the recording studio is like for you?
For me, being in the studio is literally like breathing for me…it is where I am the most comfortable as an artist and a creator.
Okay, this a fun question. When you are not doing music, what else do you enjoy doing?
I love to fish and play video games…and watch reruns of Judge Judy
Who do you admire most in the music scene today and why?
Great question…I am definitely “old-school” and my icons/influences ( in no particular order) are the late, great PRINCE, Stevie Wonder, the Beatles (as a group and individually), Billy Joel, Elton John, Mary Chaplin Carpenter, Earth, Wind, and Fire, kd Lang, Miles Davis, the late great Chick Corea, Smokey Robinson….you get the idea
Can you tell us what song you've written that is the most emotional and describe the meaning behind it?
I am answering this question and the next question as well…I am working on a song called, I JUST WANNA HEAL” based upon everything that has happened in our country, and continues to happen to poor people, people of color, women, etc…
Are you working on any new material right now or what's in the works for the upcoming year?
Continuing from the last question, I am tired of all the blatant conflicts between people and I just wanna heal from all of that…
Where can find find your music?
Check out my work on Taxi