Jewel articles [Archive] - The Jewel Kilcher Forum

Little Bird

11-06-2006, 10:42 PM

Here's a not so positive mention of Jewel from Canada.com (http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/story.html?id=862ca02e-c2cc-48d6-9e46-bca0513c6d19&k=2318)

Misty Harris, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, November 06, 2006
The airwaves are alive with the sound of yodelling in what could be the unlikeliest trend to hit mainstream radio in decades. From chart-topping pop singer Gwen Stefani to hip-hop pianist Nellie McKay and hipster DJ Bart Plantenga, artists of every stripe are finding inspiration in the vocal stylings of mountaineers.

Although Billboard darlings such as Shakira, Bette Midler, the Cranberries, Jewel and Canada's own Alanis Morissette have been getting their falsetto on for years, it wasn't until recently that the sheepherder's cry of "yodel-ay-ee-oooo" evolved from geek to chic.

Stefani channels Julie Andrews in her new single Wind It Up, which leads off with an old-school yodel and sample of The Sound of Music's The Lonely Goatherd. Hip-hop pianist McKay unleashes an alterna-yodel on her just-released sophomore recording Pretty Little Head.

Plantenga, who has DJ'd everywhere from the anarchist Radio Libertaire in Paris to the highly influential WFMU freeform radio in New Jersey, recently dropped the compilation CD The Rough Guide to Yodel and is now in Switzerland filming a documentary on the genre.

And that's just scratching the surface of Alpine fever.

Platinum-selling hip-hop artist Mike Jones puts the ‘yo' into yodel on his rap track Cuttin. A jazz-infused yodel can be heard on the new Free Spirits' Coltrane tribute album For JC. And 11-year-old Taylor Ware yodelled her way into the top three on this summer's guilty TV pleasure America's Got Talent.

"(Yodelling) being put out there by the stars of the moment, young people are going to listen and probably think it's a cool new thing," says Norm Gwaltney.

For the past 10 years, Gwaltney, a self-taught Indiana warbler, has offered what's likely the Net's only Certificate of Yodelology through yodelcourse.com. He says trained singers tend to struggle the most with their yodelling education because they've been taught not to break their voices -- something required, on a controlled basis, to free one's inner Maria von Trapp.

But for those who push forward, the rewards are many.

"In small doses, yodelling is a fabulous way to grab the attention of your audience and express yourself," says Gwaltney. "You can't hear it or do it without smiling."

According to Gage Averill, dean of music at the University of Toronto, interest in yodelling has been bubbling beneath the surface for years. Although artists such as Morissette and the Cranberries weren't trilling "yodel-ay-ee-oooo" in their 1990s heyday, he says their use of vocal breaks as a means of expressing angst and a resistance to gender oppression played a key role in what we're hearing now.

Averill believes the current incarnations of yodelling on pop radio, however, are more about marketing than honouring the past.

"It's more like a plundering of recorded expressive history," he says. "Kind of a grab-bag approach to music."

Steve McLean, a Canadian music journalist and news editor at Chart magazine, says yodelling has achieved cult status through such rock classics as Hocus Pocus, a bizarre 1971 yodel odyssey by the Dutch band Focus. But he's unconvinced the style has the legs to dominate today's Top 40.

"It can make a neat little hook but it's not a truly pop art form," says McLean. "If any current artist was going to truly revive (yodelling), Jewel probably would have been the one to do it since she takes it seriously… But her career seems to be on the downturn right now."

kjm030584

11-07-2006, 02:05 AM

her carreer is on the downturn right now?! Well... that's depressing.

Little Bird

11-07-2006, 08:27 AM

It's neither up nor down as far as I am concerned. I think it's exactly where jewel wants it to be.

ItBeThatWay27

11-07-2006, 03:00 PM

I agree. I don't think Jewel intends to have sale like Madonna or Britney Spears (who's career is TRULY on the downturn he he).. Jewel just wants to be able to make music. Of coarse she wants her records to do well but it's not about fame or money so I think in her eyes and ours, she is doing well.

JThisWay620

11-09-2006, 03:20 AM

Ouch that comment hurt, he had to rub it in huh?
And no Gwen Stefanie does NOT yodel her voice is computerized and processed to get her to do that trick. Who knows maybe, but Stefanie does not have the range to do anything like that. Let's see Stefanie do Chime Bells.......
It amazes me how Jewel alwys sems ahead of her time..I mean look at Nelly Fertado,she was a soft spoken singer and now she;s cub hopping in her videos. When Jewel "does it" it's selling out when Nelly does it it's acceptable.
Jewel has yodeled for decades and now it's only getting recognized in mainstream music?
Jewel need not resort to a one trick pony thing to get attention and do "what's in." Sigh...ah well

Little Bird

11-09-2006, 08:03 AM

Nah. Jewel doesn't need to anything except be true to herself and that's all we ask of her.

I don't like it when she intentionally tries to conform to something. If she does it off her own bat then great, if not, then it's just being false. And I don't think any of us would like a false Jewel.

Funny how one small comment in an article has spun this conversation. I like it :)

ItBeThatWay27

11-10-2006, 01:44 AM

yes and the sad thing is Nelly Furtado isn't even doing it as a joke or to make fun of.... she's seriously doing the mainstream hip-hop BET thing, .... not that I am hating b/c I do actually like some of the songs on the cd, although like I always say, Folklore is by far the best album from Furtado.
Back to Jewel, yes, none of us want a false Jewel that would make me very sad.

Little Bird

11-11-2006, 01:14 PM

Interesting little article about Jewel not resigning with a new label.

Link (http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=430e2c56-3ecd-4a88-8b89-b657226b5db9)

ItBeThatWay27

11-13-2006, 09:57 PM

ok maybe I'm a little slow, but I just now understand why Gwen Stefani's name was brought up in that other article about yodelling. I consider myself a fan of Gwen, I have been listening to No Doubt since Tragic Kingdom and I have Gwen's first solo cd... so of coarse when I saw her new single "Wind it Up" on the iTunes music store, I went ahead and purchased it.... only to be in shock... what is this? Gwen Stefani yodelling? Now I like Gwen, but I think it's crappy how Jewel's been yodelling for YEARS and nobody really cares, now Gwen does it in the hip-hop urban scene and it's going to be all trendy.... I just think that's crappy.... and didn't someone say she can't even yodel? They just used computers to enhance her voice or whatever?
I think it's a shame.....

Little Bird

11-14-2006, 09:40 PM

This is a REALLY great interview (http://www.portfolioweekly.com/Pages/InfoPage.php/iID/2217)- well worth a read

Little Bird

11-14-2006, 09:43 PM

Another article.

Link (http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bal-to.jewel14nov14,0,2662879.story?coll=bal-features-headlines)

patbuchholz

11-15-2006, 03:28 AM

I kinda read some of these post, the one thing you can bet on is that Jewel can afford to do whatever she wants at this point.
First and formost she is a musician - we just want to play music - you know?

DreamsLast

11-16-2006, 09:16 AM

QUOTE: "Her latest CD, 2006's“Goodbye Alice in Wonderland,” didn't live up to the success of 2003's “0304,” which was powered by the single “Intuition” (which, sadly, ended up as the soundtrack to a women's razor commercial)."

You know, that is the first time I've ever really heard someone in the media to call 0304 a success. Most of the things I've read about it stated otherwise...

DreamsLast

11-16-2006, 09:25 AM

This is a REALLY great interview (http://www.portfolioweekly.com/Pages/InfoPage.php/iID/2217)- well worth a read

Very nice article, I agree. This one got a little deeper into the actual songwriting process for her. The way she writes has always amazed me...she has such a unique gift of really capturing an emotion not only in writing music but also performing it. That's what is great about singer-songwriters...you know you're getting the real emotion of the song as it was intended by that person. You never get a false or watered-down interpretation. Jewel is the REAL DEAL!!:acoustic:

DreamsLast

11-16-2006, 09:34 AM

QUOTE: "In the video for "Intuition," the album's lead single, Jewel was sporting bras and bikinis, romping around in overly choreographed dance routines. This was a big change from the image of an unassuming, guitar-strumming blonde with crooked teeth, which were straightened by the time 0304 landed in stores."

Jewel had her teeth straightened??????? I don't think she did that. Just look at her most recent videos, she's still got the trademark snaggle tooth! Yet another thing that makes her even more unique! If she ever straightened them, I'd be so upset. It's something that makes her stand out even more, I think.

ItBeThatWay27

11-16-2006, 03:17 PM

She didn't get her tooth fixed.... I don't think she ever intends to. I hope not anyways...

last_dance_rodeo

11-16-2006, 04:52 PM

I love her tooth

Little Bird

11-16-2006, 09:33 PM

Interesting article with some insight on why Jewel's air play isn't so 'hot'

These days, you'll hear and see a more polished Jewel.

On her latest album, "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland," the 90s folk-pop singer-songwriter shows that she has come full circle -- from a gawky, Alaska-raised crooner of wide-eyed hits, to a glammed-up dance-pop diva and then back to a self-reflecting lyricist, but with a more realized and sophisticated approach.

"It's like a bookend to my first record," says Jewel, whose hits include "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "You Were Meant For Me." "I was 20 when I did my first record, and I was 30 when I started this one. So I thought it was a good time to explore both of those decades and where I've been and where I'm going in my life and career." advertisementhttp://www.azcentral.com/imgs/clear.gifOAS_AD('ArticleFlex_1')http://www.azcentral.com/imgs/clear.gif

In the 11 years since the release of "Pieces of You," which sold 12 million copies, Jewel has altered her image and sound a few times. In the process, she has lost momentum and perhaps a big chunk of her core audience. But the artist says she has no regrets.

"I think music should be liberal," says Jewel, 32. "I never felt like I had to pick a genre to fit into."

Released in May, "Goodbye Alice" is a more energetic, rock-tinged take on the folkish pop that made Jewel a star. The album is the last on her contract with Atlantic Records, the major label that issued her six albums. Jewel says she doesn't know whether she will sign another long-term agreement with the company.

"It's tough for any artist after 10 years to stay on top," says Chuck Taylor, senior correspondent for Billboard magazine, who profiled Jewel in May. "The radio air space for her is limited. Radio today isn't really interested in melodic music."

Jewel's soulfully introspective songs and sparse but polished production made her one of the biggest breakout artists of 1995. Later, she muddied up the mix, so to speak, and tried to stretch her music beyond folkish soundscapes. On her fifth album, 2003's "0304," she briefly transformed herself from a self-serious singer-songwriter with a best-selling poetry book (1998's "A Night Without Armor") to a scantily clad dance-pop diva. The change confused many fans, and Jewel's mainstream appeal plummeted: It was the first Jewel album that sold fewer than a million copies. But the artist sees it as a fulfilling experiment with her sound.

"I think "0304" is one of my best records," Jewel says. "I was just using different colors. You don't want to use blue all the time. Sometimes you want to use yellow, you know?"

Although the music is fuller and richer on "Goodbye Alice," that hasn't translated to impressive sales. The set sold 82,000 its first week in May and since has moved about 250,000 copies. Radio didn't warm to such mature, focused singles as "Again and Again," which peaked at No. 16 on Billboard's pop singles chart, or "Good Day," which sputtered at No. 30.

"We're not dealing with the new album on our Top-40 station," says Kid Kelly, senior director of music programming at Sirius Radio. "Our Hot AC (adult contemporary station) plays more of her older stuff. Nothing against Jewel; she's had her success. As for her new album, we're not digging into it as much as her debut. She's going through an evolutionary stage, and she has to redefine what she wants to do."

At this point, after selling more than 25 million albums worldwide, Jewel doesn't feel a need to musically define herself.

"This isn't a job where everybody likes you," she says. "You have to live your life the way you feel right, so that you can sleep at night."

LINK (http://www.azcentral.com/ent/music/articles/1116jewel.html)

ItBeThatWay27

11-17-2006, 04:14 PM

I want to give Jewel a hug. I love her........

Little Bird

11-18-2006, 04:23 PM

Good interview

By JEFF MAISEY, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 17, 2006

LOOKING AT her schedule, it might be hard to believe singer/songwriter/actress Jewel prefers the quiet life.
Earlier this year she released “Goodbye Alice in Wonderland,” her sixth album since debuting in 1995, and hit the road with a full band during the summer.
She shared the billing on the tour, which made a stop at the nTelos Pavilion in Portsmouth, with former Matchbox Twenty singer Rob Thomas.
Before heading out again for the current solo, acoustic tour, Jewel found time to film appearances in episodes of television’s “Las Vegas” and “Men in Trees” as well as the season premiere of “7th Heaven.”
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To top things off, Jewel will host the upcoming season five of “Nashville Star” beginning in January. That’s a lot of activity for someone who’d really rather be walking around her ranch or sitting in a recliner writing new material.
We talked to Jewel as her tour bus was pulling into Portland, Maine.

Q. Do you prefer aspects of the more intimate settings over playing amphitheaters?
A. You know, I started out solo. Every single tour I do, I do a band tour; then I do a solo tour for all my records. I think my fans might prefer me solo. I really enjoy it. It’s a more spontaneous show. It keeps me interested because it’s different every night, and I think the fans feel like they’re getting an authentic show and not something that’s by the numbers.

Q. Your recent album, “Goodbye Alice in Wonderland,” is largely an autobiographical work. What was it like for you growing up in rural Alaska?
A. It was different from how most people live. We lived on a large homestead. There was no electricity, no running water, no plumbing. We lived off the land. I was just raised on a ranch, basically. There were a lot of chores and a lot of work.
My whole family wrote songs and short stories. My family was real creative just to entertain ourselves. My dad was a singer, and so I grew up singing with him. He and I were a duo since I was about 8 years old in barrooms.
So I’ve gigged my whole life , and that’s kind of how we supplemented our income for what we didn’t raise ourselves to eat.
Q. Do you miss that lifestyle?
A. I guess that’s why I live on a ranch now in Texas. I miss the land. Texas is really different. We have 2,000 acres in Texas, but in some ways it’s nicer because we’re not living on the land. We have a toilet, you know? It’s pretty great.

Q. Now that you are a celebrity, are there any drawbacks to being a popular entertainer?
A. Well, I’m a really shy person, and I’m a writer, so it makes me more of a voyeur. I’m not an exhibitionist. That’s been the biggest adjustment for me. I’m not used to being watched – that was kind of hard.

Q. Looking ahead to your hosting season five of “Nashville Star,” how did you become involved?
A. My dad’s a cowboy, and I grew up on a ranch, so I kind of grew up on country music. I’ve been a fan of the genre my whole life, and I’ve watched “Nashville Star.” I asked to be a judge, and then they came to me and asked about hosting. I was a little bit hesitant at first because I’m not a cheerleader, outgoing personality. But I met with the producer, and he totally gets me.
And since I’m a fan of the show, I figured that if you want to have an influence and help those kids, then judging isn’t the best spot because you only have 15 seconds to talk about their performance. As a part of hosting, I get to do a couple of mentoring sessions that I’ll actually spend several hours with the kids and talk to them about performing. And if you think about it, a lot of these contestants have never been onstage, and they have to get up there and bring it like professionals. I just can’t imagine the pressure of it. This will give me some time to give them some tips and talk them through some things the judges aren’t able to.

Q. American TV audiences have a fascination with reality programs. What do you think of the genre overall?
A. It’s fascinating. I think years ago people thought it was going to go away, and it really didn’t. I think people like to see something that’s more like themselves, and that makes it more easy for them to relate to – like, what would they do in that situation? And you just can’t write the drama that happens in real life. No one would believe it.
Q. What have been the challenges in balancing your acting and music careers?
A. It’s funny. I did a movie years ago with Ang Lee as a full-length feature film (1999’s “Ride With the Devil”), and I really enjoy acting, but I decided to cut out acting because you see people turn 50 and 60 and they’ve been so focused on their career that they’re estranged from their family , and I didn’t want to let that happen to me.
I take my time off really serious. I take three years off between records, which management and labels want to kill me for because it kills all my momentum. It hurts my record sales, maybe, being out of the public eye, but I really want to have a life. With acting and balancing music, to tell you the truth, I do as much as I need to give my records a shot, and that’s kind of it.

Little Bird

11-18-2006, 04:53 PM

Atlantic always thought that doing a Country album would be Suicide for Jewel

Read the article here

A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY

Jewel says her next CD will have twang
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 11/17/06
BY CHRIS JORDAN
GANNETT NEW JERSEY

Not everyone can walk into Nashville, Tenn., and become a star, but singer/songwriter Jewel seems to be pulling it off. She will succeed country's Wynonna Judd as host of the upcoming season of USA Network's "Nashville Star."

"People in Nashville are very proud and very protective of their culture, and they don't want people coming in and capitalizing on their culture, and I respect that," Jewel said. "The town is still pretty insular, but I've always been involved with Nashville. My first record ("Pieces of You") was mixed and mastered by Gene Eichelberger, who's real old-school (Nashville).

"I've always been real comfortable in Nashville, where they respect hard work."

Jewel's turn on "Nashville Star," which begins in January, will include mentoring sessions with the "Nashville Star" wannabes.

"I'm not real outgoing and I don't have a cheerleading type of personality," Jewel said. "On other shows when you're a judge, you get 15 seconds to tell the kids how they were, and they're left (thinking) "You've got to give me more.'

"Here, I'm going to help them get some knowledge that they normally wouldn't have."

Jewel's been in the music game for 11 years now, so she has a little bit of knowledge to share. Jewel Kilcher was raised on a homestead in Homer, Alaska, and her father taught her how to yodel for the family's folk act when she was 6.

Later, Jewel found herself living out of her van and singing in San Diego coffeehouses. Her profile grew thanks to those coffeehouse shows and Atlantic Records signed her. Jewel's debut album, 1995's folkie "Pieces of You," became a sleeper hit in the midst of the grunge era and featured the hit singles "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "You Were Meant for Me."

Jewel's most recent album, this year's "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland," probably is going to be her last for Atlantic. She would like to broaden her sound and do an entire album of, you guessed it, country.

"(Atlantic) never really wanted me to do a country album — they considered it suicide," said Jewel, who lives with boyfriend and ex-rodeo star Ty Murray in Texas. "Now that I'm at the end of my record deal, I'd like to make a country record and a couple of others where you don't really have the big record sales, like a children's lullaby record and a Cole Porter-style jazz record."

It'll be solo style for Jewel during her upcoming show at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.

"I don't have a set list, and the show changes every night," she said. "The audience spends a lot of time talking to me — I enjoy it."

Link (http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061117/ENT/611170317/1031/ENT)

Little Bird

12-17-2006, 10:34 PM

New article about Nashville Star

From the remote tundra of her Alaskan youth to the triumph of international stardom, Jewel has traveled a singular road as an acclaimed singer, songwriter, poet, actress and painter.
The three-time Grammy nominee remains a unique and authentic artist, exploring fresh musical avenues for more than a decade that have taken her from the simplicity of acoustic-driven folk to the embrace of rock, pop, country, blues, jazz and classical influences.

To date, Jewel has sold over 25 million albums worldwide, enjoying career longevity rare among her generation of artists.

A native of Payson, Utah, and raised in Homer and Anchorage, Alaska, Jewel (born Jewel Kilcher) was the descendent of homesteaders: her mother's family old-guard Mormon, her father's side Swiss "futurists" who immigrated before World War II. Both of her parents, Atz and Nedra, enjoyed making local records and performing and, along with her brothers, Jewel accompanied her parents on tours through native villages. "At six I remember singing for Eskimos and Aleuts in remote places, taking dog sled rides through frozen tundra," she says.

At 15, she went her own way, performing solo for the first time and earning a vocal scholarship to Interlochen, a private arts school in Michigan, where she also majored in visual art. It was here she learned guitar and began writing songs, inspired by a love of reading at a young age.

Heartfelt songwriting became not only an emotional outlet, but a means of survival. During Spring Break one year she took a train and hitchhiked in Mexico, earning money as a street-corner minstrel.

"I made up lyrics everywhere I went and eventually it turned into a very long song about what I saw around me," she recalls. "I made it back to school two weeks later with an unformed song called 'Who Will Save Your Soul.'"

She was sixteen at the time and had no idea that that song would, a mere three years later, become the first single from her first album, offering not just a day's meal ticket, but meteoric success.

Jewel's personal odyssey, partly chronicled on her twelve-times RIAA platinum debut album, Pieces of You, comes to full flower in her new release, Goodbye Alice in Wonderland (Atlantic), released on May 2.

Accelerating into third gear, Jewel makes the most of her lyrical skills and malleable voice on Alice. Alice is her most autobiographical work in more than a decade, tracing her path from the extreme solitude of Alaska to the extreme joys and pitfalls of fame. Its title also alludes to other fantasies: the fairy tales we are told in youth about life, love and friendship versus the more complex, and often disheartening, truth.

LINK (http://www.tvgrapevine.com/index.php?topic=9601.msg28658;topicseen)

ItBeThatWay27

12-17-2006, 11:15 PM

Wow, what a great article. Thanks for posting Kiera. Reading that makes me wonder are their any rare recordings of her parents or of her at a young age floating around anywhere? Surely some local Alaskan so-and-so has recordings of them somewhere and put them on the net or somewhere to be heard, wouldn't you think?

last_dance_rodeo

12-18-2006, 02:42 AM

I would think. THat would be great to hear.

R*Philippines

12-23-2006, 06:09 PM

It's not really a big news but mentioning her name in one of the leading newspapers in the Philippines, as a Jewel fan, well what wouldn you expect?
CLICK: Manila Standard Today-Philippines (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=goodLife3_dec23_2006)

Little Bird

01-06-2007, 07:30 PM

Short article and slightly inaccurate towards the end..
Link (http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070106/ENT/701060332/1025/LIFE)

Not everyone can walk into Nashville and become a star, but singer-songwriter Jewel seems to be pulling it off. Jewel will succeed country's Wynonna Judd as host of the upcoming season of the USA Network's "Nashville Star."

"People in Nashville are very proud and very protective of their culture, and they don't want people coming in and capitalizing on their culture and I respect that," Jewel says.

"The town is still pretty insular but I've always been involved with Nashville. My first record ("Pieces of You") was mixed and mastered by Gene Eichelberger, who's real old-school (Nashville).

"I've always been real comfortable in Nashville, where they respect hard work."

Jewel's turn on "Nashville Star," which begins Thursday, will include mentoring sessions with the Nashville Star wannabes.

"I'm not real outgoing and I don't have a cheerleading type of personality," Jewel said. "On other shows when you're a judge, you get 15 seconds to tell the kids how they were, and they're left (thinking) 'You've got to give me more.'

"Here, I'm going to help them get some knowledge that they normally wouldn't have."

Jewel's been in the music game for 11 years now, so she has a little bit of knowledge to share. Born Jewel Kilcher, she was raised on a homestead in Homer, Alaska, and her father taught her how to yodel for the family's folk act when she was 6. Later, Jewel found herself living out of her van and singing in San Diego coffeehouses. She lives with boyfriend and ex-rodeo star Ty Murray in Texas.

Jewel's debut album, 1995's folkie "Pieces of You," became a sleeper hit in the midst of the grunge era, producing the singles "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "You Were Meant for Me."

Jewel's most recent album, this spring's "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland," is probably going to be her last for Atlantic. Jewel would like to broaden her sound and do an entire album of, you guessed it, country.

Little Bird

01-06-2007, 07:38 PM

Short interview with Jewel about 'Nashville Star' from CanMag.com (http://www.canmag.com/nw/6290-jewel-nashville-star-interview)

American Idol gets all the attention but other music industries are welcoming a public talent search too. For country, it's Nashville Star, beginning its fifth season January 11. Jewel hosts the latest rounds of auditions and eliminations.

Interview: Jewel On Nashville Star
"What's nice is reality TV shows have come such a far way and what I think is great about Nashville Star is it's legitimate," she said. "I think the focus of Nashville Star is they're giving a showcase to legitimate artists and not many people are given any form for that."

Jewel remembers what it's like to struggle as an artist and hopes for the chance to mentor this latest crop of talent. "I think something Nashville Star does a really strong job at is all these musicians here, these next contestants, they all play at least one instrument. Most of them play three instruments and they all also are writers so these aren't just people singing that are great singers. They actually have a whole package which is unusual. I think that's one of the hardest things to promote and when you're that kind of artist to come up through, because people are looking for something kind of poppier and showier."

ItBeThatWay27

01-07-2007, 02:10 PM

I found this article about Atlantic's release of Arthur & the Invisibles:

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=188899

Atlantic Unveils "ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK" Album Slated for January Release

NEW YORK, NY -- (MARKET WIRE) -- November 28, 2006 -- Atlantic Records has announced the forthcoming release of "ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK," the companion soundtrack album to the upcoming MGM release of a Weinstein Company presentation. Due in stores on January 9, 2007, the soundtrack album features new tracks by Jewel, Snoop Dogg and Elijah as well as the Original Motion Picture Score. The film is set for wide release in the U.S. on January 12, 2007.

The first single from "ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK" will be Jewel's "Quest for Love." The album also features Snoop Dogg's "Go Girl" and Elijah's "It's A Beautiful Day."

From the creative mind of talented filmmaker Luc Besson ("La Femme Nikita," "The Fifth Element") comes a larger-than-life, family adventure about a boy who, after his grandfather disappears, sets out to save his family home from emerging real estate developers. Arthur learns that he must follow his grandfather's ancient clues to a vast treasure -- and unlock the passageway to a spectacular new world filled with mysterious little people, so tiny they are considered invisible, and enlist their help. But once in the magical land, Arthur must join swords with a beautiful princess and a reckless army of defenders to save the land from the evil wizard. It seems like an impossible task, but as he discovers along the way, sometimes the smallest heroes can make the biggest difference.

Using a dazzling new combination of live action and groundbreaking CGI technology, "Arthur And The Invisibles" is a story about the true meaning of courage and the endless power of imagination. The film stars Mia Farrow and Freddie Highmore, featuring the voices of Madonna, David Bowie, and Snoop Dogg. "Arthur And The Invisibles" was written and directed by Luc Besson and is based on the best-selling children's book, "Arthur and the Minimoys." The film will be released nationwide on January 12, 2007.

Little Bird

01-07-2007, 08:56 PM

Another Interview about Nashville Star from Readingeagle.com (http://www.readingeagle.com/re/tvtimes/16032127.asp)

Nashville Star' lands a Jewel of a co-host for fifth season

Jay Bobbin
Zap2it

She had her struggles on the path to musical fame, so Jewel is glad to help launch someone else's career.

Just who that someone is remains to be seen and heard, since first, he or she must get all the way through the fifth season of ``Nashville Star.'' Jewel (last name: Kilcher) becomes the host alongside returning co-host Cowboy Troy in a new round of USA Network's talent competition starting Thursday, Jan. 11. The panel of judges includes country music stars Randy Owen (of the group Alabama) and Blake Shelton, and industry executive Anastasia Brown.

As with Fox's ``American Idol,'' top-selling talents have gotten their starts on ``Nashville Star,'' notably Miranda Lambert -- recently a Country Music Association Awards nominee -- and Buddy Jewell. Though her songs from ``Who Will Save Your Soul?'' and ``You Were Meant for Me'' to ``Standing Still'' and ``Intuition'' have crossed several genres, Jewel appreciates Nashville as a music center, having written and recorded many of her lyrics there.

``I grew up on country music,'' she reflects. ``I was raised on a ranch in Alaska, and my father is a cowboy. My favorite memories are of driving the cattle every spring and bringing them home in the fall. We'd camp out under the stars, and my dad would play me his songs. That really had a big influence on me as a kid.

``The music I continue to write is really a classic, old-school kind of country. I've had a million producers try to take that out so they could bring the music to pop radio, but I really view it as the last great American storytelling genre that's healthy. And I look at my job as trying to tell a story.''

Having a weekly commitment to ``Nashville Star'' is ``actually an attraction for me,'' maintains Jewel, who completed her latest concert tour last month. ``I get to have a steady gig where I can be at home. I live in Texas, so I can fly in on Wednesday, fly out on Thursday night and be home for the rest of the week. For me, that's pretty novel, so I'm excited about it. I've always tried to make it a priority not to work so much that I can't enjoy what life I'm having.''

Jewel warmed up for her ``Nashville Star'' stint by playing guest judge in ``American Idol'' auditions for that show's sixth season, which debuts Jan. 16 on Fox. ``I think the entire music industry is in flux,'' she reasons. ``Record labels aren't quite sure what the solution is to downloading, to the change in record sales, and I think shows like these have really stepped in to show how to groom and break talent in a way that labels aren't accustomed to anymore.

``What really got me interested in `Nashville Star' was its strong focus on songwriters,'' Jewel adds. ``Originally, I was looking at being a judge on it, then I realized the judge only gets about 15 seconds to help the artist. I looked for a way to have as much time with them as I could. I'm not only hosting but mentoring, so I'll get to be with each contestant and actually talk to them about performing.

``These are people who work at places like post offices, so they don't have all the background you wish you had by the time you get on national television and are being judged for your life. I hope to help them be as good as they can be.''

Proving she isn't just giving lip service to the changes in her business, Jewel is marketing her latest music on her own, without being on a major label.

``I really believe in the craft,'' she says, ``and I've tried to lead my career in a way that hopefully would never capitalize on a short-term gain. I'd like to still be doing this when I'm 68 and, most importantly, to still be writing well.

``Growing up, my favorite writers were novelists who didn't do their best work until they were in their 40s and 50s, maybe even their 60s. It's the opposite with songwriters; they write great when they're young, then stop being poignant in their 30s and 40s for some reason. It's something I've been very wary of.''

Still, Jewel deems her present activity ``a good stage for me, because I don't have to have that pressure of getting radio hits and making money for a label. While I'm not sure what the next outlet for my kind of music is, because radio really is still the best forum, I do think there's an audience out there for it. We'll see how it goes.''

To keep up her visibility, Jewel has guest-starred on such series as ``Las Vegas'' and ``7th Heaven'' this season. ``When I was starting out, I pretty aggressively went after movie roles, and I was lucky enough to get an Ang Lee film (`Ride With the Devil'). I really liked doing it, but my problem is that to break my records, I've always had to tour ridiculously hard. I had very little free time, so I started to look at the quality of my life.``

From that, Jewel determined ``a lot of celebrities have spent so much time trying to stay at the top, they didn't always find love. I just made a decision that if an acting job comes up, I'll do it, but I stopped going after it.''

More offers could come Jewel's way through her presence on ``Nashville Star,'' for which she anticipates ``a good season. What makes me a believer in the show is that they are looking for real talent, and that's attractive. There are so few outlets for true artists to get seen nowadays, it's really nice to have at least one show that values that.''

Little Bird

01-07-2007, 08:59 PM

This next article has an interesting comment towards the bottom. It's actually like an edited version of the one I posted in post #35 of this thread but with a couple of extra comments that weren't mentioned in that article. Children's Lullaby record? Anyone heard that one before now?

JEWEL DELVES INTO COUNTRY
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 01/7/07
BY CHRIS JORDAN
GANNETT NEW JERSEY

Not everyone can walk into Nashville, Tenn., and become a star, but singer/songwriter Jewel seems to be pulling it off. Jewel will succeed country's Wynonna Judd as host of the upcoming season of the USA Network's "Nashville Star."

"People in Nashville are very proud and very protective of their culture, and they don't want people coming in and capitalizing on their culture, and I respect that," Jewel says.

"The town is still pretty insular, but I've always been involved with Nashville. My first record ("Pieces of You") was mixed and mastered by Gene Eichelberger, who's real old-school (Nashville)."

Jewel's turn on "Nashville Star," which begins Thursday, will include mentoring sessions with the Nashville Star wannabes.

Jewel's most recent album, "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland," is probably going to be her last for Atlantic. She would like to broaden her sound and do an entire album of, you guessed it, country.

"I'd like to make a country record and a couple of others where you don't really have the big record sales, like a children's lullaby record and a Cole Porter-style jazz record," she says.

DreamsLast

01-07-2007, 10:14 PM

I've only heard in articles where she mentions 3 types of records; country, lullabies, and Cole-Porter style....but it didn't really say "children's " lullabies per se. Although I'd love to be a kid and have Jewel sing "Angel Standing By" to me every night!!!! Her future children will be very lucky!

fabiojj

01-08-2007, 03:02 AM

She did say children's lullabies before...

DreamsLast

01-08-2007, 05:36 AM

I found this article tonight. This is the first time I've seen where she's mentioned getting a 1 record country label contract to see what happens...

Source:
http://www.portfolioweekly.com/Pages/InfoPage.php/iID/2217

Beyond the Music
Jewel opens up about inspiration, genre-shifting and Lit. 301

By Jerome Spencer
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2006

Her debut album is certified 12 times platinum, her book of poetry was a New York Times bestseller and she’s one of the most revered singer-songwriters of our time. Jewel could be doing anything she wants to right now. And what she wants to be doing is embarking on a 16-city acoustic tour, which happens to make a stop in Hampton Roads. I had a chance to talk with Jewel about her new record, new artistic freedom and new aspirations:

What was the inspiration behind the title, Goodbye Alice In Wonderland?

A larger theme of the record is about growing up and coming of age. Which doesn’t have anything to do with a certain age, but an attitude. How do you grow up in the world and understand the difference between dreaming and pretending? And the difference between lying to yourself and having hope?

Sort of like finding the truth in fairytales?

Yeah. I think a lot of us have such an escapist attitude. We want to believe in these fairytales. And what happens when you see the real world? You’re disappointed and disillusioned. So how can you be in love with everyday life? You find romance and poetry in reality.

The new record incorporates elements from all of your diverse albums while maintaining a strong personal narrative. Was that the intention when you began the writing process?

I wanted this record to loosely tell the story of my life. It’s not like if you look at the record you’ll go, "Oh, this is a biography in chronological order of her life." But for me, I can tell. I talk about going from living on a ranch in Alaska to being homeless, to being discovered, to living on a ranch again, this time in Texas. So there is a strong narrative because it is my life. I’ve also been really diverse- I have rock and roll moods, folk moods and country moods. It’s all just me, sincerely. So I wanted to try to get all of that on the record.

You’re slated to host next season’s Nashville Star. Are there any plans to make a country album yourself?

Yeah, I’ve been wanting to since I was about 12-years-old, but my label was always pretty horrified about me doing it. This is the end of my record contract on Atlantic and I think my next move is going to be to make a country record. It won’t be a huge departure. Most of my songs have always had a country leaning.

Now that you’re finished with Atlantic, are there any plans from here?

I think the industry’s changing so much that I’d like to see where it all settles. If I do a country record I’ll do a one-off deal with a country label and go from there. There’s a couple kinds of records I want to make and I’ll just pick each as they come.

What other genres are you looking to do?

One’s the country. The second is a record of lullabies that I write, and the third would be Cole Porter-style songs.

You’ve also been dabbling in acting. Is that something you would consider as a career?

At the beginning of my career it was a strong goal. I made an Ang Lee movie called Ride With the Devil. But I started to see what it would take to have two separate careers and I started to look at people in the industry. You turn 60 and you’ve spent your whole life on a career and not becoming a happy person. I decided to let acting go. I do act when things come up, but I don’t fight for it or go out on auditions. I love it though. When it comes up I really enjoy doing it.

Lyrically, you’re poignant and personal, finding the dramatic meaning in small things. Growing up, who or what inspired your writing style?

I grew up reading a lot. Nabokov and Pablo Neruda- I think those two writers really affected my writing- where I wanted to use color and smell, what a person’s doing with their hands. Those things that give away the mood and what’s really going on at the heart of a scene. It’s really a lot of little details-oriented things and it always fascinated and moved me and caused me to use it in a lot of my songwriting.

I pick up on a lot of Bukowski imagery, the way you use a small detail to portray an emotional tone...

I love Bukowski and Anais Ninn. I love well-crafted writers and I love writers also that write in simple, plain language. I think that’s really important, that’s what people relate to. And if you can find nostalgia and poetry in everyday occurrences then people can go into their own lives and discover that same nostalgia and poetry.

What led to the decision to do a second tour for this record?

With every record, I’ve always done a band tour and an acoustic solo tour. I love doing solo because there’s no set-list. The crowds are really cool with just letting me be me and it’s kept me interested in what I’m doing. It let’s me just be who I am every night as that changes.

I’m pretty impressed with how personal you are up there...

I’m really shy one on one, but on stage I guess I’ve just been doing it so long that I’m real comfortable up there. I enjoy myself and I enjoy playing off of the crowd. When I come through solo it’s sort of like being in my living room. •

Little Bird

01-08-2007, 08:03 AM

The thing I've noticed about Jewel is, she says a lot but it doesn't always pan out like that. She's very creative and full of ideas and great intentions but often what she shares about 'maybes' they often don't materialise for whatever reason.

ItBeThatWay27

01-08-2007, 11:05 AM

that's exactly how I am. My ideas don't always get off the floor, but maybe something else equally good happens

Little Bird

01-09-2007, 12:26 AM

Jewel to Sparkle as Host of 'Star' Search

From New York Daily News (http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/486623p-409711c.html)

Singer-songwriter Jewel makes her debut as the host of USA Network's "Nashville Star" Thursday night, but it's not her first brush with the reality format.
Indeed, Jewel said years ago there was a discussion about her becoming part of MTV's "The Real World," a reality show in which seven strangers live together before the cameras.

"'The Real World' was just starting when I was coming up and they asked me to be on that," the singer said, "and I didn't want to be known as the girl from 'The Real World.'"

Exactly when Jewel might have been considered for the show is up for debate.

A spokesman for show producers Bunim-Murray Productions said they could not confirm that Jewel was close to being cast on any of the first seasons of "Real World. Considering her age, the spokesman said, it might have been for seasons two through eight.

"I want to say, it was 'The Real World's' first year, and I bet I was 18 or 19," Jewel said. "They were putting word out to the industry. My label was looking for a way to break a folk artist."

It also didn't hurt that her back story included living in a car.

"They brought it to me," she said of her record label. "I wanted to be known [for] my music, and not that girl kind of thing."

Interestingly, the cast of the first season of the "Real World" (1992) did include Rebecca Blasband, a budding folk singer.

These days, Jewel is focusing on "Nashville Star," and helping to introduce new country singers on the fifth season of the USA Network's talent show.

She co-hosts the show with Cowboy Troy, who is back for his second season.

The series is often compared to "American Idol," which gets underway next week, but the two are different in several ways. "Nashville Star," for instance, starts with the 10 finalists already in place, while "AI" starts off with an audition phase.

"The show was created before 'Idol' ever made it to air," said "Nashville Star" executive producer Ben Silverman. "We made a show where talent was first, where the quality was real."

Nevertheless, perhaps because of the music genre or the late time period - the show airs at 10 p.m., cutting down the potential for family viewing - "Nashville Star" has never garnered the kind of viewer interest or water-cooler buzz "Idol" has.

"I absolutely would love more attention," Silverman said. "When people discover the show, they get more excited about it."

And, like "Idol," "Nashville Star" has launched the careers of several top country acts, such as Miranda Lambert and Buddy Jewell.

As part of her hosting gig, Jewel will serve as a mentor to the contestants. She plans at some point during the show's run to have them visit her Texas ranch.

"I was really amazed when I watched people perform and read their bios," Jewel said of the new crop of contestants. "It's a pretty competitive field ... they're pretty stage savvy."

ItBeThatWay27

01-16-2007, 09:56 AM

here's a sort of article that came out during the Spirit tour that talks about Jewel & Steve Poltz. It has some good pictures.

http://www.antimusic.com/specials/gosummer/jewel/index.shtml

Little Bird

04-16-2007, 08:44 AM

Interview Titled "Jewel still inspiring belief and hope" from Rocky Mountain News (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/music/article/0,2792,DRMN_54_5481225,00.html)

By Mark Brown, Rocky Mountain News
April 13, 2007
It's a matter of good timing that Jewel is available to play a fundraiser for abused children Saturday night. She's in Colorado Springs for a Professional Bull Riders board meeting with longtime boyfriend Ty Murray, president of the organization. She spoke with the Rocky's Mark Brown about working without a label, American Idol and the importance of giving a hand:
Question: How do you view your recent work with both American Idol and Nashville Star?
Answer: "With American Idol, I know a lot of people have gripes about it, but to me they've raised the level of singers in the industry. Unfortunately, a lot of record labels are continuing to do the Milli Vanilli-type lip-syncing and fixing singers in the studio if they have the right look when they really can't sing. It's elusive and hard to find a real talent that has the persona and characteristic of a star who can also sing and be talented. It's really rare. At least American Idol, is trying to find somebody who has all that. With Nashville Star the reason I got as involved as I did is, they're looking for something the labels quit looking for, which is an all-around artist. Everyone on the show wrote their own song, played their own instrument and is a world- class singer. It's something I want to stand behind and help foster. If I were to come around today and somebody saw me singing in a coffee shop, I can't guarantee a label would have signed me."
Q: You've survived through your career despite the sort of every-man-for-himself mentality out there these days.
A: "It has kind of always been that way. There are 300 to 3,000 artists on any given label. It's up to you to make yourself a priority. There are so many bottom lines they have to meet. I always felt like it was on my shoulders to make my record a go and try to inspire my label to believe in me. The industry has changed so much. . . . I don't know what the new way is yet. It hasn't become real clear except that we all know the Internet is really powerful. Labels are becoming less and less needed, more of a middleman."
Q: Your deal with Atlantic is over. How will you get your music out? Do you even need a label?
A: "It's a really interesting question and a great time to ask it. I'm making a country record right now and funding it myself. It's just fun and creative. I'm not thinking about anything but writing songs that I've wanted to do for a long time. I'm looking at other ways. Can I go direct to Wal-Mart without a label? Can I go direct to Starbucks without a label? Do I need a label to work radio? Those are definitely questions I'm asking. I'm sort of waiting to see if I get the record right."
Q: It's affordable now to make your own records.
A: "Especially in Nashville. They've been making great records for less money for quite a while now. The abundance of talent and resources is evident there. It's odd, though, because we all know record sales are down and you can't make the money you used to in the business. Yet all the musicians, all the hair, makeup, all the ancillary satellite businesses that branch off of my business in New York and L.A. haven't come down in their prices. So it's still costing people in L.A. a half-million dollars to make a record. Musicians don't want to bring down their prices for playing guitar on the records. I think that's the next phase that's going to become crippled."
Q: Do you have a working title for the album?
A: "No working title. Believe it or not, I went in the studio with a guy named John Rich from the band Big & Rich. We cut 10 songs in five days and it might be a record. It happened a lot quicker than I ever thought. There's no timeline or no hurry. I'm going to play it for a few labels and see what my options are."
Q: You've had a long history of charity work.
A: "I guess because of the experiences I had growing up. I was aware of how little effort it took to help people and what it meant, even just to give hope. There were so many times I had nothing - no food, no place to live, no water to drink. Just somebody being nice sometimes meant the world of difference to me. It's easy to get disconnected and not realize how much we do affect each other's lives. It has never been hard for me. It's so little effort to do what I do. It's a no-brainer."
Q: Your latest album, Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, addresses letting go of childhood dreams.
A:"That whole record dealt with that whole idea. We're idealistic as children, and that's so important. I see a lot of people get cynical to the point where it drowns them. You need some degree of hope to go through life and make good and creative things happen. At the same time, optimism gets confused with being ignorant and hiding from problems. It's hard to grow up and see the world isn't as beautiful as you thought and see the truth about things without it depressing you. To me the trick of growing up is being an informed optimist. Learning how to have hope in a really practical way. I've seen a million people say: 'Just have hope! Don't think unhappy thoughts!' That doesn't help. Almost every song on there, whether it was dealing with love or social issues, was (asking), 'How do you grow up and not be bitten by bitterness?' "
Jewel
• When and where: 8 p.m. Saturday, Wells Fargo Theatre, Colorado Convention Center
• What: Benefit for the Kempe Foundation for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect
• Tickets: $60 for the concert, with various benefit packages ranging from $125 to $1,000 dollars that include dinner at Larimer Square restaurants, a reception and VIP seating. • Information: www.kempe.org/ (http://www.kempe.org/) jeansandjewel

DreamsLast

04-17-2007, 06:11 AM

Sounds like the recordings with John Rich are actually more like a demo record to pass around to labels. With John Rich's well-respected reputation in Nashville, she may have an edge with her recordings. To have JOHN RICH produce your DEMO??? She'll get a deal, no doubt, even if it's just a 1-record deal. Or maybe she'll just market it herself, kind of like Garth Brooks did with Walmart. Forget the "middle man" (i.e. record labels), just make your own for cheaper and get it straight to retail!

Little Bird

04-17-2007, 08:15 AM

She has mentioned before that she may just do a 1 record deal and then do something else different, such as the jazz album and the lullabies albums.

Little Bird

04-17-2007, 01:07 PM

Brief mention of Jewel and Ty out to dinner on Rocky Mountain News (http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/news_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_86_5488218,00.html)

THE SEEN: Super singer Jewel and her world-champion cowboy boyfriend, Ty Murray, dining at Elway's on Friday. Elway, according to my spy, sat with them and "they all had a good time." That could explain why Murray ended up standing on top of Elway's table. Murray and Jewel competed against Elway in Fast Cars and Superstars.

Little Bird

04-26-2007, 08:33 PM

Classic Rockers go a little bit Country - at El Paso Times

Classic rockers go a little bit country
By Nick Marino / Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Article Launched: 04/26/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT

Classic rock doesn't go through much in the way of trends. It's a pretty simple genre: Established rock stars -- folks such as Jimmy Buffett and Mick Jagger -- tend to bank on classic hits until they're ready to hang up their margaritas and leather pants.
And yet, in recent years, several "heritage" rock acts have made a dramatic career move, marching en masse toward Nashville and the allure of country music.

Buffett teamed with a fleet of country stars for his 2004 album "License to Chill." John Mellencamp's two most recent hits broke through the country charts. Jewel co-hosted the most recent season of "Nashville Star." Jon Bon Jovi recorded a duet with Sugarland singer Jennifer Nettles, and in June he will release a country-tinged album called "Lost Highway."

Even pop culture stronghold "American Idol" caught the country music fire for last week's theme, and the country trio Rascal Flatts was set to appear on the show during its special two-hour fundraiser.

When classic rockers Johnny and Donnie Van Zant -- veteran band members of, respectively Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special -- teamed up as Van Zant for a 2005 country album, they wound up with their first gold record as a duo.
"People ask us if we've gone country, I tell 'em, 'We ain't gone country, we were born country,' " Johnny says on the band's Web site.

Perhaps it has something to do with economics.

Last year was not the best for the record business. According to music sales tracker Nielsen SoundScan, album sales were down 4.9 percent. Certain genres, including R&B and rap, were down more than 18 percent from 2005 -- and 2005 wasn't so hot either.

Yet country album sales for 2006 were down less than 1 percent from 2005.

"I gotta believe that John Cougar 'Mellencamp' and Bon Jovi are spending time in Nashville because they realize that this is very fertile ground," says country radio executive Mark Richards.

Cathy Edwards thinks it's just fine when her beloved Jimmy Buffett goes country. Edwards, who's on the board of directors for the Atlanta Parrothead Club, observes that Buffett started out performing country music.

"The country music was no big surprise for us," she said. "We love the CD."

Little Bird

04-26-2007, 08:36 PM

Fake Femmes at E! Online (http://www.eonline.com/print/index.jsp?uuid=bb1143bf-2625-4462-9265-59d8ae67012d&contentType=awfulTruth)

Fake Femmes?

Just when you thought awards season was over, Hollywood Life mag has their annual Young Hollywood Awards. This year’s shindig brought out some repeat revelers, like Brittany Snow and Amanda Bynes, along with new ones like Ludacris and Katherine Heigl.

Jewel was on hand to present a category of the awards and had a bit of a bone to pick with some members of Young Hollywood, so it seems. “I think that often we really encourage our celebrities to do the wrong thing,” she said, standing proud 'n' rather stunning in a hot-pink number. “We reward them with fame and money and lucrative endorsement offers for being ill behaved.”
You don't say! So, it's actually not just us meanie media types making wayward wannabes look bad? I asked the singer if she thinks they get a bad rap, or if it's, like, possibly deserved.

“Well…nobody's making things up,” she finally said (sounding awfully familiar to the Grey's Anatomy powers that be, when I pressed them a while back).

http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/20070320/102.jewel.032007.jpg

Little Bird

05-27-2007, 09:34 PM

From JessicaHarp.com (http://www.jessicaharp.com/2007/05/look-whos-gone-country-pop-stars.html)

Jewel, who co-hosted USA Network's country talent-search show "Nashville Star," puts it more plainly: "I don't feel like I've changed, the formats have changed." In the past, she says, "a lot of the producers tried pretty hard to take the country out of me. I had to finally get off [Atlantic] to do this record, or I would have done it a long time ago."

John Rich says Jewel's fans shouldn't expect a radical revision of her music. "It's a really cool combination of Jewel's singer-songwriter folk blended with real commercial country energy." The pair left the production deliberately spare. "I didn't want more than four or five instruments at a time," Jewel says. "It's pretty raw and live."

DreamsLast

05-27-2007, 10:13 PM

That sounds like the perfect Jewel record to me; raw and live!!!!!!

JewelJK

05-27-2007, 11:10 PM

That sounds like the perfect Jewel record to me; raw and live!!!!!!

I totally agree!! When i Think of raw and live i think of POY! I am so freaking excited for this album!! I think my head is going to explode.

DreamsLast

05-28-2007, 05:02 AM

You and me both, JewelJK!!!!!!!

ItBeThatWay27

05-28-2007, 05:24 AM

I wish she would release a live album.. I mean aside from POY.. I mean an actual event recording. that would be awesome too

JewelJK

05-28-2007, 08:49 PM

lol! deffinatly DreamsLast!

I agree Itbethatway. I also think it should be a album of unreleased songs. I really want Nicotine Love and The Swedish Lullaby to be somewhere on them or something. idk

M€RIO

06-02-2007, 04:56 PM

an article about the performance of jewel and her father with a great foto of both!

http://www.swissroots.org/celebrities/images/jewel2.jpg

http://www.swissroots.org/images/jewel.jpg

Little Bird

06-02-2007, 06:29 PM

Merio - just had to adjust the link and put the pic in it's place.

Anyway, I remember that. It was the Swiss Roots even she was at with her Dad last year.

M€RIO

06-02-2007, 09:51 PM

http://www.swissroots.org/celebrities/

so hears the right link =) sry

lovely greetings
hope it worx

Little Bird

07-12-2007, 02:44 PM

July 11, 2007 – Big & Rich’s John Rich recently finished work producing the upcoming country album by pop singer and Nashville Star host Jewel. "It's freakin' awesome, man," John told billboard.com. “She is probably one of the greatest American singer/songwriters we've ever had, in my opinion.” The album is set for release later this year.

SOURCE (http://www.countryweekly.com/jewel_john_rich/scoop/2454)

fabiojj

07-12-2007, 06:39 PM

^^ That's a really odd article. The Billboard reference is from months ago, so I don't get it. Maybe all they wanted to say is that the album is finished.

JewelJK

07-13-2007, 05:27 AM

Oh YAY!! Maybe we will all be surprised and it wil come out tomorrow! Lol I kid. Thats awesome though! i really wonder what the songlist is.

Little Bird

10-14-2007, 03:37 PM

Source - The Star (http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/265958)

Singer Jewel is taking a country twist with her new CD, currently in the works. Email story

It’s been a year since her last CD, but Jewel has been keeping busy with TV, a potential new country album and her Casino Rama concert next week

Oct 13, 2007 04:30 AM
Linda McAvoy
Special to the Star

Mention the name "Jewel" and snippets of the singer/songwriter's lilting voice – perhaps crooning "Who Will Save Your Soul," will likely float through your mind.

But what exactly has Jewel Kilcher been up to lately? After all, it's been a while since the 2006 release of Goodbye Alice in Wonderland, her last album with Atlantic Records.

It turns out she's been pretty busy, writing, performing (she'll be at Casino Rama on Friday), acting and driving a race car, as well as taking on some philanthropic causes and spending time with her boyfriend of nine years, rodeo champion Ty Murray.

She's also been busy in Nashville recording her as yet unnamed seventh album, which, during a recent telephone interview, she shied away from calling "country."

"Oh, it's just a Jewel record. It won't sound like a dramatic departure to any of my fans who have been seeing me live for all these years," said the three-time Grammy nominee, noting she wrote the entire album.

"It's still storytelling the way all my records have been. I've just really had a big influence and a big respect for country music all my life. Just growing up on a ranch in Alaska, I guess."

Expounding on the idea country music is currently "the only format where a singer/songwriter can actually be themselves," the singer feels her lyric-driven music suits the current country music genre well.

"This is a record I've been wanting to make my whole career and have been just frustrated because my label wouldn't ... They didn't understand the country music for what it was."

Past experience is perhaps the reason behind the 33-year-old's current indecision over whether to go independent or choose a new label for the new album.

"If I can find a good label, I'd love that. I still think it can be a good partnership but I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the type of situation I was in. We'll have to see."

Between recording sessions and live performances, fans may also have spotted Jewel on TV. Although she has multiple acting credits, including a role in the 1999 Ang Lee film Ride With the Devil, the singer said she was about 26 when, after realizing the importance of making time for a personal life, and her dislike for the often lengthy auditioning process, she decided not to aggressively pursue an acting career.

That said, she did host the USA Network's talent search show Nashville Star. Then, along with Murray and a bunch of other celebrities, she climbed into a race car and "had a blast" speeding around the track for ABC's reality series Fast Cars & Superstars – Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race.

No matter what else is going on in her life, though, Jewel says she's continually writing, both songs and poetry.

But unlike her previous two books, A Night Without Armor and Chasing Down the Dawn, don't look for her current collection of love poems to hit store shelves anytime soon.

After becoming an ambassador for the charitable foundation Virgin Unite, Jewel spoke last June before the U.S. Congressional Subcommittee on Youth Homelessness on an issue that "is close to my heart because I was homeless for a about a year. It's something that nobody can understand – what it's like, unless you've been through it."

Though homelessness and her own Clearwater Project (which she's been working on for about 10 years) are favoured causes, the singer was quick to add, "I've never liked to be didactic and tell people what to work for."

The singer says she's tried to navigate her career in terms of what would make her a better writer and has, for the most part, eschewed the "distracting lifestyle" of celebrity.

"I've just tried to do whatever I could to keep myself alive on the inside, to keep writing well," she said. "Plus I grew up on a ranch in Alaska, it's not like I ever dreamed to be in the party scene anyway."

piecesofuk

10-14-2007, 04:28 PM

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/home/chi-1014snoop_jeweloct14,1,6768908.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

The down-to-earth life suits Jewel just fine

By Nina Metz |Special to the Tribune
October 14, 2007

For every self-destructing Britney or Amy Winehouse, there is a Jewel. She was just 19 when her debut album, "Pieces of You," helped define the folk-rock sound of the mid-'90s. And she never once seemed to be teetering on the brink of personal disaster.

Today at 33, Jewel has lost none of her down-to-earth appeal. (Her next Chicago-area performance is Saturday with the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra at the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont.) Her low-maintenance rep is reflected in the Stephenville, Texas, home she shares with longtime boyfriend, Ty Murray, and their dog, George, a 6-year-old tshihzu.

To be blunt, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom house (built and furnished in the late 1970s) could use an update. "There are lots of brown Formica countertops and brown shag carpet and green faux marble linoleum," she says, anticipating the next question: "Yes, really."

The land itself -- a 2,300-acre ranch -- makes up for everything. "My favorite thing about this house is the view," she says. "As you can imagine, 2,300 acres is a lot of land, and it's green and hilly and full of trees and lakes and rivers. I also happen to like Ty an awful lot, which brought me here in the first place." Ty found the place first 13 years ago; Jewel has made it her home for the last nine. "I keep meaning to remodel, but shockingly have just never found a good time to come home to construction work and copious amounts of dust."

(The singer-songwriter also has a two-bedroom Spanish-style home in Los Angeles that she uses when working on the West Coast. As she explains below, the house is basically a satellite closet.)

In Texas, the home is defined mainly by Ty's decorating style: "Lots of trophies [he's a rodeo cowboy] and championship saddles and cool bits and spurs and guns -- very Western, which luckily I happen to like," she says.

Other than that, the interior aesthetics of their home are not a priority. "Neither Ty nor I tend to think much about the decoration of our house. When we remodel, we will have to get back to you."

1. Most luxurious feature in your home: Our view. We live on one of the prettiest and largest pieces of land, full of oak and pecan trees.

2. One thing on a wall in your living room: A giant cedar tree that hangs all of Ty's World Champion saddles, including one from 1998 when he broke the all-around record.

3. One thing you have in your house from your childhood: Gosh, I don't think I have anything from my childhood in my house. Well, I have a picture of the bay I grew up on over our bed, if that counts.

4. Oldest thing in your fridge or freezer: Some barbecue sauce. That stuff just lasts forever. It must be good for me.

5. One thing on your nightstand: My netsuke. I collect animal netsuke. They are small ivory carvings that Japanese monks sculpted to hang on a string that went around their robes, like charms.

6. If we came unexpectedly, would we find your bed made? Yes, I do make the bed every day. Amazing. I'm very messy in general.

7. Favorite household chore: Favorite household chore? Is that, like, what they call an oxymoron?

8. Most high-tech gadget or appliance in your home: Definitely not our can opener. It's from 1979. It's mounted on our kitchen wall and must be the first electric can opener ever made. Ty won't let me throw it away; he loves it. I dream of throwing it away, but he keeps a very close eye on me.

9. Best furniture bargain you ever got: Great furniture bargains only happen to my friends. They always have great stories that start with, "You're never going to believe what I found!" and end with " ... and it was only 20 dollars!" But not me. All my stories start with a salesman seeing me coming from a mile away. I have no heart for haggling, either.

10. Biggest surprise we'd find in your closet: Well, if clothing surprises you, prepare to get shocked. Actually, my closet here is really small. I have a second house in L.A. that is pretty much all closet, so all my "show" clothes and dressier stuff are there. I take a digital photo of every piece of clothing I own, and I made a file on my computer of my virtual closet. So when I'm getting ready for a tour, I just go into my iPhoto and make a folder of all the clothes I will tour with, and my assistant [who lives in L.A.] brings it with her when she meets me on the road. That way my little closet here doesn't get too crammed. OK, more crammed.

11. Messiest room in the house: My bathroom. Lots of lotions and potions and makeup. I'm addicted to buying makeup. I'm a sucker for a new shade I never wear ...

12. What is the biggest collection in your home? Ty has an amazing collection of buckles he's won over the years.

13. If you had to save one "thing" from your home, what would it be? The one thing I would save from my home would be photographs and my writing journals.

14. Weirdest thing about your home (or in your home): Probably the cottage-cheese ceilings and the green linoleum floors in the kitchen.

15. Do you do any friendly snooping when visiting the homes of others? I don't tend to snoop when I'm at other people's houses. When I was a teenager and babysitting -- that was another story.

16. Thoughts on TVs in the bedroom? TVs in the bedroom rock. Ty and I call it our mini-vacation every night. Our days are so stressful and we are on the phone so much that we love to get into bed at 6 if we can just veg out to some good ol' TV.

17. What is your decorating nightmare? A snobby decorator. No one likes a snob.

18. Room in the house that inspires you artistically: I love writing outside, really, or in my office. But outside on our porch looking out across the fields, a glass of wine, a guitar, and a nice cool evening ...

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Chris.