Meet Joe Vitale Jr | Recording Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe Vitale Jr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joe, how do you think about risk?
When it comes to risk, I like to weigh a lot of factors but ultimately, I always pray about it to see which direction God would like me to go in. When it comes to performances I look at it in terms of financial cost to the group or myself if I am solo. I look at the strategic impact in terms of, will this lead to publicity, more or bigger events, management, opportunities, etc. I also like to look at time impact. What I mean by that is this, in life your greatest commodity is time. There is only one of you and will this, whatever it may be, be worth your time and energy or is it a distraction from your goals & aspirations. Sometimes it can be just something fun to do despite the time impact. Sometimes, it might seem fun but it would get in the way of what needs to be done. The same applies to marketing, music writing, recording & production.

If I feel God is directing me to do something, even if I might be afraid of the risk, I take that leap of faith & trust what I feel He is directing me to do because ultimately, we are here to build & expand God’s Kingdom. You can’t let fear get in the way of what you feel He is directing your steps towards.

Fear is something that can totally paralyze you from making a decision. You have to let go of fear. It’s of course prudent to always be cautious and careful but when you have weighed all the options, prayed about it & looked at it from all sides, if it looks good, go for it!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I grew up in a household which was focused around art. My mother is an amazing artist & photographer. My father is famous renown drummer, recording artist & producer. In my home now, my extremely talented wife is an amazing radio personality. She’s the best! I have always had encouragement from friends & family & it takes many to get through the veritable minefield of the entertainment industry. For me, I always love to learn new things & approach everything with a sense of creativity. I’m a professional musician, recording artist, producer, author, cinematographer, actor, editor & Laserist. I throw 1,000% percent of myself at everything I do. It doesn’t matter what it is, I want it to be the best I can do to the limit or beyond the limit of my abilities. I continually push myself to only do the best.

I am always excited to learn new creative things whatever that may be in any artistic field because a lot of the time I’m able to cross those into one another. I am always excited about putting out new music & music videos. It is my life’s work & passion. While having a famous drummer & artist for a father has opened doors for me, I still have to absolutely deliver on my side & I never take any opportunity for granted. What works right now might not tomorrow. It never is easy even when it appears that it is. Each situation has it’s own difficulties. You have to be humble in all situations. Choose your battles in conflict & know your worth as an artist. For me, I have always placed my faith in God alone. Through every struggle He shows me the way forward. I’m always learning new lessons in life… How to deal with difficult people, how to move forward when you hit roadblocks, how to fight through depression or other difficulties, etc. I never stop learning & in this industry you never should stop learning. It’s also so important to always be good to those around you.

I would like people to know that I love to make powerful music that helps give strength to others in difficult situations. I want people to know that I am a Chirstian and I have a deep faith in my Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. I want people to know that every show my band puts on, the songs I write, the visuals I design all are to give you an experience that you might not find anywhere else. I’m always working to give my audiences the best I can deliver for them because I wouldn’t be where I am without them and without God. In the end, you have to always keep moving forward even when you don’t want to. Because like digging through a mountain, one day you will breakthrough!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
In the area I live, which is North Eastern Ohio, there is a myriad of things to do. Sometimes you just have to look deeper. If I had a friend coming in from outside the area I would take them hiking at Virgina Kendall Park which are post glacier rock formations, I would take them for a boat ride up on Lake Erie or through the amazing waterways in Portage Lakes. I would take them to see a live show at Blossom Music Center or to a theatrical performance at either the Akron Civic Theatre or the Canton Palace Theatre two historic gems. There are so many restaurants too and I would be sure to take them to the Desert Inn in Canton, Ohio, my favorite restaurant. I would take them to Put-In-Bay an, an amazing & fun island on Lake Erie. I would take them to see the multitude of local original musicians in a variety of venues all over the state. I would take them to Cedar Point for the best rollercoasters on the planet & I would show them just how amazing the people & area is in Ohio.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are truly so many people that I could do a shoutout for but I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. Throughout my life on earth I have faced health issues, difficult situations beyond my control, good times, bad times, struggle & thriving moments but ultimately, God is the focal factor to which has kept me going all these years. As I look back at so many situations I thought would possibly destroy me, I am still here and I attribute all of it to God. I do what I can in my fragile corporeal self, but it’s God that guides my steps, sustains me & directs me forward. My wonderful wife and I are both Christians and we give all the glory to God. He deserves it all!

Website: http://www.joevitalejr.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/joevitalejrofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/joevitalejr

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/joevitalejrofficial

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/joevitalejrofficial

Other: Website of my rock band Ravenwood: http://www.ravenwoodrocks.com

Image Credits
Photos provided by: John C Benson, What’s Up Ohio, Joe Vitale Jr & Ravenwood