Juice Newton Biography

The American country singer Juice Newton was born Judy Kay Newton in 1952 in Lakehurst, New Jersey. Long before Juice grew up to become one of the country’s most celebrated country and pop performers, she grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, learning to play guitar and experimenting with her vocal style. In the early 1970’s, she formed her first band, Juice Newton and the Silver Spur, and the group garnered the attention of RCA Records.

After signing with RCA, Juice Newton and the Silver Spur went on to release the albums: Juice Newton and the Silver Spur (1975) and After the Dust Settles (1976.) They then switched to Capitol Records, but disbanded shortly thereafter in 1977, at which time Juice Newton launched a solo career with her debut album, Well Kept Secret (1978.) The album achieved moderate success, but it was Newton’s 1981 album, Juice, which made her a pop-country music star. On the strength of the top-ten songs “The Sweetest Thing (I’ve Ever Known),” “Angel of the Morning,” and “Queen of Hearts,” the album rose to multi-platinum status and set Juice Newton’s career on a course which has since lasted well into the new millennium.

Over the course of her career, Juice Newton has released dozens of albums, including: Quite Lies (1982), Can’t Wait All Night (1984), Old Flame (1985), Ain’t Gonna Cry (1989), The Trouble with Angels (1998), American Girl (1999), Duets: Friends and Memories (2010), and multiple Greatest Hits albums. The albums have given audiences some of pop and country’s most notable hits, including: “Love’s Been a Little Bit Hard on Me,” “Break It to Me Gently,” “Tell Her No,” “A Little Love,” “You Make Me Want to Make You Mine,” “Hurt,” “Old Flame,” “Cheap Love,” “What Can I Do with My Heart,” “Tell Me True,” and the duet “Both to Each Other (Friends and Lovers),” recorded with Eddie Rabbit.

Juice Newton continues to perform and record. She has so far in her career earned an ACM Award for Top New Female Artist and five Grammy Award nominations. In 2012, Newton released a double CD compilation containing some of Newton’s hits not previously released on CD.