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JUNO
[edit]JUNO (also known as Ashlee JUNO) is an American guitarist and songwriter who began her career on YouTube covering popular songs and offering free guitar tutorials. In summer 2016, JUNO made her debut on the world stage as the guitarist for Fifth Harmony’s 7/27 tour. Currently, she serves as the guitarist for Camila Cabello. She has also performed with Estelle, Machine Gun Kelly, Sevyn Streeter, and Victoria Monét.
EARLY LIFE AND INFLUENCES
[edit]JUNO was born to a single mother who worked several jobs to provide for her three children. Nevertheless, with only one income earner in the home, JUNO’s immediate family struggled to find stability. Consequently, during her youth, JUNO resided and was educated in multiple locations in Illinois—including Chicago, Dolton, Rock Island, and Moline—while, at times, being housed by extended relatives and close family friends.
Unbeknownst to her at the time, JUNO started building the foundation for her craft at an early age as she sat with her grandfather developing an appreciation for smooth jazz. Moreover, her mother only played Motown artists, including Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and Diana Ross.
Born
April 24, 1987
Chicago, Illinois, US
Residence
Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation
Guitarist, Songwriter
Years Active
2015 – Present
Genres
R&B, Soul, Pop, Rock
Education
Illinois State University
Berklee College of Music
website: www.rockwithjuno.com
HIGHER EDUCATION AND EARLY CAREER
[edit]After earning her bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from Illinois State University in 2009, JUNO entered the field of social work as a drug rehabilitation counselor for teens. In that position, she connected with a client by expressing interest in his passion for playing the guitar. Soon thereafter, the client taught JUNO to play Jimi Hendrix’s Purple Haze, and although she initially believed this bonding process would allow her to better serve his needs, she was transformed by their interactions, as she quickly came to share his passion.
JUNO continued to teach herself to play the instrument and carried her enthusiasm into her next position as a prevention educator by bringing her guitar into grade schools and playing for students before approaching sensitive subjects such as body boundaries, sexual assault, and bullying. When she was not working her full-time job, she dedicated her time, including lunch breaks, to improving her skills and playing at her local church. In 2013, she began posting free guitar tutorials and cover songs on her self-titled YouTube channel where she has gained a loyal following.
In only three years after learning to play the instrument, JUNO set her sights on a full-time career in the music industry. Toward that end, she followed in the footsteps of two of her inspirations, John Mayer and Quincy Jones, by applying to Berklee College of Music in Boston. However, before gaining admission, she would face one seeming obstacle: learning to perform the rigorous technical skills asked of every applicant—skills she didn’t possess as a self-taught guitarist. Rather than accept defeat, JUNO quickly learned each skill through internet tutorials, and during her audition, she astonished faculty with what she describes as a “soulful, funked up” rendition of the jazz standard All of Me, a performance she credits with ultimately leading to her acceptance.
During JUNO’s first year at Berklee, Boston was one of many cities impacted by the January 2015 North American blizzard. At the time, the guitarist was enduring a personal crisis and felt inspired to adopt the winter storm’s unofficial name, Juno, as her stage name so it could serve as a reminder that every storm will pass. By the end of her second academic year, she felt compelled to withdraw from the prestigious institution in order to devote more time to posting videos on YouTube and Instagram in hopes of being discovered by a major recording artist.
WRITING CREDITS AND PERFORMANCES
[edit]Prior to entering Berklee, JUNO wrote Chase It for Ashley DuBose’s (season 5 contestant on NBC’s The Voice) album, Be You. Two months after withdrawing from Berklee to follow her heart, she received her big break when Rob Lewis, Fifth Harmony’s musical director, contacted her to play for the group’s 7/27 world tour. Currently, JUNO serves as the guitarist for Camila Cabello (former Fifth Harmony member). In addition, she has performed with the following artists: Fifth Harmony at iHeartRadio’s 2016 Jingle Ball and Dick Clark’s New Year's Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2017; Estelle at Global Green’s 14th Annual Pre-Oscar Party; Camila Cabello and Machine Gun Kelly at Zedd’s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Benefit Concert; Machine Gun Kelly (solo) at Zedd’s American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Benefit Concert; Sevyn Streeter at the 12th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” Expo; Victoria Monét
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- and Hailey Knox on the AJR Brother’s What Everyone’s Thinking Tour. In 2017, a video of Hailey Knox and JUNO performing Louis the Child’s song, It’s Strange, went viral and garnered over 10 million views on Facebook. JUNO now resides in Los Angeles, California where she continues to be a highly sought after touring and session guitarist.