Not too many vocalists who cut their teeth rocking in the punk clubs of downtown Minneapolis can say that they performed at the White House for the President of the United States (twice!), but Julie Setzer sure can. Born to a typically (wonderful) Midwestern family in a suburb of Minneapolis, Julie didn't waste much time making an International name for herself. From the age of 2, when she belted out Tanya Tucker's classic hit "Delta Dawn" to the delight of her family, Julie has always been involved in the arts. With support from her parents, Julie's younger days read like a glossary of artistic achievement. Classical violin lessons at the age of 8 and dance lessons started even before that with ballet and jazz as her specialties. From nursery school until completing her BA in Theatre Arts with a Minor in Music Theory Julie has successfully hopped like a skipping stone from one accomplishment to another.
Julie's road to obtain the BA in Theatre began at the University of
Minnesota and ended in England at London University in 1993 where she also studied literature and completed an acting internship at the Man in the Moon Theatre in Chelsea. Upon returning to the United States after her musical and theatrical adventures in the United Kingdom, Julie wasted no time in starting a band. "The Dust Bunnies" became Julie's passion for the next several years and the fruits of that labor scored her band massive regional success and the "Best New Artist Award" at the yearly Minnesota Music Awards in 1996. This was no small accomplishment when you think of all of the popular acts that were coming out of Minneapolis in the mid-1990s. In addition to singing and playing violin in the "Dust Bunnies", Julie also handled the lion's share of the book keeping and general management of the band. The "Bunnies" released 2 CDs that sold quite well thanks to the band's hectic gig schedule and incredible media support.
By the end of the 1990s, as the Millennium approached, Julie became restless and knew there was a destiny awaiting her outside of the comforts of the Minneapolis area. Boldly defying what may have seemed logical, Julie sold her house and possessions and whittled her world down to a Jeep Cherokee, a
U-Haul trailer and not much else. Much like the stories you hear about an artist going to Hollywood to follow their dream, Julie headed West with the same aspirations as the thousands of other young women who make that move every year. As realistic as she is talented, Julie promised her family that she would return home if she had not done something remarkable within the span of one year. It did not take long for something truly "remarkable" to happen. While in Los Angeles, Julie worked as a promotions manager for an independent record label for a brief period of time before setting out on what would become her first and......only......audition. An advert in Backstage Magazine looking for a
female vocalist who could also dance turned out to be the North Star that Julie was looking for. Management for The Brian Setzer Orchestra had placed the ad that Julie read. The BSO were riding high on a wave of success, having just sold 3 million CDs and also having won 2 Grammy Awards in 1999. The band were looking to expand by adding two female "Vixens" to the ranks. The "Vixens" would sing back-up as well as dance during the BSO live shows. Many aspiring "Vixens" auditioned before Brian Setzer chose Julie and another talented young lady, Joie Shettler to fill the parts and become the first women to join a band fronted by the veteran rocker turned Big Band leader. The year was 2000.
Since that time, the Brian Setzer Orchestra has toured the world countless times. They've been nominated and won a handful of Grammy Awards, and they've performed at the White House on 2 occasions. They have sold millions of CDs and DVDs and they have become a Christmas season franchise with their yearly Christmas Extravaganza Tour and innumerable television and radio appearances.The Brian Setzer Orchestra has become an American classic and Julie has been a part of it all. The second part of the Julie/BSO story was something that was not part of the original blueprint. Somewhere along the way, the magic that Julie and band-leader Setzer created on-stage followed them into the real world and they were married in 2005.
Although the Brian Setzer Orchestra is still going strong and Julie will remain a full-time member of the band, the purpose of this website is to help the successful "Vixen" branch out and use her vocal talents in a new way. A career as a "Voice Over Artist" is something that Julie has always been interested in. Please see our resume page for a full list of the recordings that Julie has appeared on.
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