To celebrate one of the pilot programs for the Music Technology Grant, Taylor Guitars artist, Juke Ross, led a masterclass at the High School for Public Service in Brooklyn.
He performed his hit, “Colour Me,” along with a cover of the Backstreet Boys’ song, “I Want It That Way.”
During a Q&A, he talked about how he was in medical school for two years until he decided to change his career. While it was difficult for his family to accept at first, they did over time when they saw how serious and passionate he was about it. He may not be a doctor, but he heals people through another important outlet—music.
A group of students then performed an original song for Juke’s feedback. Juke and the rest of the audience loved it!
Thank you to Juke, Taylor Guitars who also donated an acoustic guitar to all four schools part of the Music Tech Grant pilots, and IOMAXIS for their leadership support!
About Juke Ross: A singer/songwriter with a dusky warm voice and an infectious spirit of affirmation, Juke Ross hails from the small country of Guyana on South America’s northern coast. The youngest child of 14 siblings, Ross initially sought to follow his mother, a nurse, into a career in medicine before the desire to become a songwriter took hold. Picking up the guitar during his med school days, Ross began writing heartfelt, thoughtful folk-pop songs, one of which, the breezy “Colour Me,” quietly began to pick up steam on digital platforms. Not long after, he signed a deal with Republic Records in the U.S. and, relocating to New York, began recording new material, including the 2017 single “Shadows in the Dark.” That song, along with “Colour Me,” was included on Ross’ debut EP, Grey, later that year. 2018 brought a handful of singles, the most prominent of which was the gentle acoustic pop song “Hey Lil’ Mama.” 2019 tracks like “Burned by the Love” and “Wasted Time” saw an increased emphasis on pop-driven production and were included on his Wasted Time EP. A full-length release, Chapter 2, appeared in 2020.
About IOMAXIS: We are a technology company that develops innovative solutions in Communications, Computing, and Cyber. Recognized internationally for our innovative solutions and exceptional engineering expertise, we are committed to changing the world through innovation. Our humble beginnings from a modest garage to a national company has taken considerable resolve and more than one well-timed miracle.
We built the company the hard way, bootstrapped with no investment or funding from any source. No external assistance, just our determination to be successful along with a handful of Clients who believed in us. Today, that tradition is still strong. We remain a zero-debt company — a rarity for any business. There continues to be no outside investment or ownership. Just our resolve to be stronger and smarter. We have endured.
Our technology focus is to deliver unique customer solutions and experiences. Ones dedicated to optimizing Client effectiveness and their ability to apply technology to solve problems. Solutions built from innovative approaches and applied expertise. These are the cornerstone of our company. Our Clients call them results. We agree.
About Taylor Guitars: Taylor Guitars was founded in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug, and has grown into the leading global builder of premium acoustic guitars. Renowned for blending modern, innovative manufacturing techniques with a master craftsman’s attention to detail, Taylor acoustic guitars are widely considered among the best-sounding and easiest to play in the world. The company is a pioneer in the use of computer mills, lasers and other high-tech tools and proprietary machinery, and today, Bob Taylor is widely recognized throughout the musical instrument industry as the visionary acoustic guitar manufacturer.
Taylor Musical Artists: Our acoustic guitars have inspired musicians around the world to pursue their dreams, and we’re proud that some of our guitars have helped so many artists create music. Some of these belong to the Taylor family of artists, creators from all backgrounds who have forged a special connection with Taylor Guitars and our instruments. Our artists come from all over the world and play in virtually every style and genre—traditional singer-songwriters, country artists, blues players, jazz guitarists, classical musicians, even hard rockers and metal players all play and create on their Taylor guitars. Though our roster of partner musicians includes major contemporary artists such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Zac Brown, and Jason Mraz, we also work closely with Taylor players who are working hard to share their music with a larger fanbase. Songwriters like Daria Musk and Jade Bird have played Taylors on their records and on tour, while others like Steph Johnson and Mimi Fox are actively involved in Taylor-produced events. All of our artists have worked hard to establish their musical platform, and we’re proud to partner with musicians who innovate in their music as we do in our guitar-making.