Unassigned
Alaskan songstress Jewel is embracing her rustic Texas surroundings on the newly released album . As part of a national “Road Trips and Guitar Picks” tour sponsored by COUNTRY Financial, Jewel is traveling cross-country to meet fans, tell stories and perform her signature songs and new music.
During a private meet and greet session, Jewel shared these pearls of wisdom:
- “I’m shy. People expect performers to be gregarious, but it’s taken me a long time to get used to it. I actually don’t have the personality for being famous.”
- “I have hundreds of unrecorded songs and great fans that help me keep track. For my new album, I spent about two days in Nashville and then built the album virtually with a guitar player and piano player. It was wonderful to be home and do my job. Being home more often is a big goal of mine.”
- “I learned to play guitar at 16 and I’m 36 now. I taught myself so I could hitchhike through Mexico and sing on my spring break. My first gig was in Chicago and I basically improvised the lyrics as people walked by. I saw a nun and thought of the line, ‘Who will save your soul?’”
- “The title of my album reflects both sides of me. There’s the part of me that shoots and smokes cigars – that’s raw and aggressive – but also a side that’s sweet and poetic. I’m a Gemini and could’ve called it that, but I went with Sweet and Wild instead.”
- “I’ve always been country. I was raised on a ranch and milked cows throughout my childhood. I’ve always had a folksy sound. Radio is really segregated – you can’t be pop and country. I got off my label and made the switch. I consider myself a storyteller and a lyricist.”
- “The advice I would give to my younger self is, ‘It’s going to be okay.’ I went through a very stressful time and I’ve worked hard not to be bitter, but to be more compassionate. There are other writers who I admire that are braver and suffered more. I would tell myself to relax…it will be okay.”
Jewel’s performance at The Vic blew away any preconceived notions of an off-the-radar artist with a few hits under her belt and the bizarre ability to yodel. In fact, merely describing Jewel as “talented” is misleading. She’s a supremely gifted singer, songwriter and entertainer with quick wit, low-key charm and an incredible voice. Powerful at times, whispery at others and always compelling, Jewel’s singing captivated the room, accompanied by only a guitar. Yodeling was kept to a minimum, but soaring notes and raw emotion were a constant presence.
While the crowd was already full of devoted fans – who knew a surprising range of obscure songs and unrecorded tracks – she won everyone over with a newly written number. Composed only a half-hour before the show, Jewel paid tribute to the city where her music career began with a special song for Chicago. Here’s her ode to the town where it all began:
