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R&B crooner, Ol’ June’s “I Tried” surpasses 100K streams!

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New and up and coming soul music artist, Ol’ June, recently released his new single with the heartfelt song called, “I Tried”. On “I Tried”, Ol’ June’s voice is pure vibrant brilliance. His tone and ability to hold beautiful notes is only matched by his vocal range and seemingly effortless breath control. This song is co-written by Ol’ June, whose given name is Julian Wilcoxson, along with Reginald Troutman; with music production provided by Trent Becknell. All musicians involved with the creation of “I tried” have done an impeccable job at bringing an old school feeling back to modern day soul music. His vocal performance is haunting as he ponders what went wrong in this failed relationship. He sings about how hard he tried to make things work between he and the woman he loves. In a world where today’s R&B music I lacking in heart and soul, “I Tried” delivers what true love should sound like. Ol’ June is the beginning of a resurgence of pure soul music.

I Tried” is a beautiful love song about a relationship gone wrong and both parties involved have seemingly given up on the relationship. Ol’ June sings about his sorrow for being the one who did try to save the relationship. This song expresses his regret for letting the love die. “I Tried” is an R&B song with a soulful vocal arrangement. It fits into the category of Adult Contemporary, Rhythm & Blues and Soul music. As of this week, “I Tried” has surpassed 20,000 organic streams on Spotify! It is also gaining tremendous traction on other services as well. A music video for the song is now available for viewing on YouTube.

Follow him on IG: @oljunemusic

Official Music Video: “I Tried”

I Tried” is the follow up to his debut single titled, “Violets”; which has received critical and commercial praise. “Violets” has been a breakout under the radar hit with over 15,000 streams and consistent college, Internet and satellite radio spins.

About the Artist:

Ol’ June is a soul singer from the Midwest. His childhood was punctuated by back of the school bus commutes immersed in the comfort of songwriting escape. Hours spent writing, singing and arranging…all to himself. As a shy kid, he concentrated his talents on music production, opting to hold back his true gift of singing and songwriting.

Things changed when he joined the church choir and found his voice. The heartbeat of his personal music journey was marked by long family car rides, sound tracked by the songs of Commissioned and The Winans. He later found himself discovering artists such as Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye. Their music had feeling. Taken by the emotion in their lyrics and the tone of their voices, he found his passion.

Since stepping out of his shyness and into the public arena, collaborators consistently take note on the ease of which he composes, crafting stories about love, God and the state of humanity through song.

And now, he’s ready to share his offerings with the rest of the world.

Contacts:

Management & Booking:
Julian Wilcoxson
Olejunemusic@gmail.com

Marketing & Distribution:
Powerblast Worldwide
PowerblastMusicMarketing@gmail.com

www.oljunemusic.com

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Thirteen-Time Grammy Winner Babyface and Six-Time Hip Hop Award Winner Busta Rhymes Join 2025 Apollo Spring Benefit Honoring Music Legend Clive Davis

Benefit Marks Last Fundraiser in the Apollo Theater Before Historic Renovations. Teyana Taylor to Receive Inaugural Innovator Award

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New York, NY–May 19, 2025 – Thirteen-time Grammy-Winner Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds will join Grammy-winning, multiplatinum recording artist Monica to present music legend CliveDavis with the Apollo Theatre’s special Legacy Award honor at the 2025 Apollo Spring Benefit on June 4 at 7:00 PM. The Apollo simultaneously announced that six-time hip-hop Award winner, Busta Rhymes all headline a special performance tribute to Davis featuring Deborah Cox, Shosahna Bean, and others.

The widely anticipated event– the last before the globally renewed 91-year-old theatre’s historic renovation –will also feature the induction of Davis into the Apollo’s Walk of Fame by Gamma Co-Founder, Larry Jackson and iconic music executive, L.A. Reid, as well as the presentation of the inaugural Innovator Award to multi-talented singer, songwriter, actor and director, Teyana Taylor.

Clive Davis is being recognized by The Apollo for his pivotal role shaping the careers of many of contemporary music’s most iconic Black artists. With a career spanning over six decades, Davis visionary leadership and unwavering belief in talent, equality and bridging gaps between audiences have left and indelible mark on the soundtrack of our lives.

“It’s a deeply meaningful moment,” said Michelle Ebanks, President & CEO of The Apollo. “To see visionary leaders and legendary artist unite on the stage–honoring the remarkable work of Clive Davis, the ingenious spirit of Teyana Taylor, and the iconic legacy of The Apollo. It will be a powerful celebration of music’s transformative influence on culture and boundless creativity that shapes our world.”

From the earliest days at Columbia Records, through his groundbreaking work at Arista and J Records, and currently, as Sony Music Entertainment’s Worldwide Creative Director, Davis has consistently championed Black artists. His keen ear and deep respect for artistry have helped launch, elevate or reenergize the careers of such legends as Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin, Alicia Keys, Earth, Wind & Fire, Miles Davis, Dionne Warwick, Usher, Gamble & Huff, Ray Parker, Jr., Jennifer Hudson, Herbie Hancock, Fantasia, Toni Braxton, Outkast and TLC, among many others.

Davis has a special personal connection to “Babyface” Edmonds and Larry Jackson. In 1989, Edmonds cofounded Laface Records with L.A Reid through a major joint venture with Davis’ for Arista Records. The record label was a catalyst for Atlanta’s burgeoning music industry, signing renowned global artist such as Usher, TLC, Toni Braxton, and more. Davis mentored Jackson which culminated in his driving critical A&R work for RCA Music Group and Sony Music that propelled the superstardom of Santana, Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin,Dionne Warwick and many more.

Other performances throughout the evening will include an opening sequence from Martha Redbone and Grammy-winning singer Avery Sunshine, tributes to the late and great Richard Parsons featuring 8x Grammy nominee, The Baylor Project, and other special features from 4x Tony nominated director and choreographer, Camile A. Brown & Dancers. D-Nice will return to DJ the Spring Benefit’s official after party.

This year’s Spring Benefit will be The Apollos final fundraiser before embarking on the first full-scale renovation in its 90-year history. The renovation marks a new chapter for the iconic theater – continuing to honor its rich legacy while bringing forward the new enhanced audience experiences.

All proceeds will support the non-profit organization’s year-round, world-class artistic, education, and community programs, as well as its commitment to articulating and projecting the African American narrative using arts and culture and creating a 21st century performing arts canon.

The Spring Benefit begins with red carpet arrivals at 4:30pm, Clive Davis’ induction ceremony at 5:30PM, followed by the Benefit concert and awards ceremony at 7:00 PM.

Watch for upcoming announcements as the Apollo unveils a thrilling line -up of special honorees and performers. Visit www.ApolloTheatre.org for more information. To purchase benefit tickets, make a donation, or for more information, visit https://www.apollotheatre.org/benefit-2025.

For exclusive photos, updates and more use hashtag #ApolloSpringBenefit and follow The Apollo:

About The Apollo

The legendary Apollo –the soul of American culture –plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artist and launching legends. Since its founding, The Apollo has served as a center of innovation and creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York,and the world. In 2024, The Apollo opened The Apollo Stages at the Victoria Theatre,making the first ever expansion in its 90-year history. The Apollo also has plans to renovate its Historic Theater. For more information about The Apollo visit www.ApolloTheatre.org.

With music at its core. The Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at The Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival. The non-profit Apollo is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend The Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations.

Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, The Apollo has served as a testing ground for new artist working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres–including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at The Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R. D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Jazmine Sullivan, Machine Gun Kelly, and Miri Ben Ari, and The Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy. For More information about The Apollo, visit www.ApolloTheater.org.

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