Jewel (singer)

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For R&B singer Jewell Caples, see Jewell (singer).
Jewel

Background information
Birth name Jewel Kilcher
Born May 23, 1974 (age 32), Flag of United States Payson, Utah, USA
Origin Flag of United StatesHomer, Alaska, USA
Genre(s) Pop, folk, rock, dance, adult contemporary, country
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, guitarist, poet, actress, philanthropist
Instrument(s) Singing, guitar
Years active 1995–present
Label(s) Atlantic Records (1995–2006)
 Warner Bros. Records (2007–present)
Website JewelJk.com

Jewel Kilcher[1] (born May 23, 1974)[2] is a Grammy nominated singer, songwriter, actress, poet and philanthropist, generally known just by her first name, Jewel.[3]

Contents

[edit] Early years

Jewel was born in Payson, Utah, to German-speaking immigrants from Switzerland, Atz Kilcher and Lenedra Carroll.[4] She is the cousin of actress Q'Orianka Kilcher. She spent most of her young life in Homer, Alaska, living with her father.[5] The home she grew up in did not have indoor plumbing; it had a simple outhouse instead.[6] She and her father sometimes earned a living by singing in bars and taverns. It was from these experiences she learned to yodel, a quality demonstrated in many of her songs. Her father was a Mormon, but they stopped attending the church shortly before she turned eight.[7]

During high school, Jewel was known to spell her name "Jule" or "Juel," but she attributes this to simply playing with her name.[8]

Jewel learned to play the guitar while on scholarship at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan, where she majored in operatic voice. She started writing songs at the age of seventeen.[9]

For a time, she was poverty-stricken and lived in her van while traveling about the country busking and doing small gigs.[10] She gained some recognition by singing at the Innerchange Coffeehouse and Java Joe's in San Diego, California.[11] Her friend Steve Poltz's band, The Rugburns, played the same venues.[12] Jewel later collaborated with Poltz on some of her songs, including "You Were Meant For Me." (He also appeared in the second, best-known, video for this song.) The Rugburns opened for Jewel on her Tiny Lights tour in 1997. Poltz appeared in Jewel's band on the Spirit World Tour 1999 playing guitar.[13]

[edit] Music career

[edit] Early

In 1993, Flea of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers met Jewel after he saw her perform at a local cafe. He went back to her van where she was living, where she sang a few of her songs to him. He described her singing voice as being "beautiful" and "breathtaking".[14] It was at these coffeehouse appearances that she was discovered by Atlantic Records.[15] She cut her debut album, Pieces of You, when she was nineteen and it was released in 1995.[16] The album stayed on the Billboard 200 for an impressive two years, reaching number four at its peak.[17] The album spawned the Top 10 hits "You Were Meant for Me", "Who Will Save Your Soul" and "Foolish Games." The album was a huge success and eventually sold over 12 million copies in the U.S. alone, more than all of her subsequent albums put together.[18]

[edit] Peak

Due to her success, she was chosen to sing the national anthem at the opening of the Super Bowl in January 1998.[19]

In November 1998, Jewel released her second album, Spirit. The album peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 4 million copies in the U.S. The songs "Hands" and "Down So Long" hit the Top 10. Other singles followed, a new version of "Jupiter (Swallow The Moon), "What's Simple Is True", the theme song to her upcoming movie, and the charity single "Life Uncommon".[20]

A year later, In November 1999, Jewel released her holiday album, Joy: A Holiday Collection. The album sold over a million copies and peaked at #32 on the Billboard 200. She released a cover of "Joy to the World" from the album.[21]

In November 2001, the album This Way was released. The album peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200 and sold over 1 million copies in the U.S., standing as her most critically acclaimed album to date. Jewel hit the Top 10 with the song "Standing Still" and the Top 40 with the song "Break Me". Other singles released were "This Way" and "Serve The Ego", the latter giving Jewel her first number one club hit.[22]

[edit] Late career

In 2003 Jewel released her album 0304. She writes in her liner notes, "I wanted to make a record that was a modern interpretation of big band music. A record that was lyric driven, like Cole Porter, that also had a lot of swing. And a lot of it is thanks to Lester, because when I told him I wanted to make a record that combined dance, urban and folk music, he didn't look at me like I was crazy." While some fans considered 0304 an innovative album that held to the tradition of her previous albums, others felt that it was too much of a change from the style of her older albums.[23]

On May 2, 2006, Jewel released her sixth album, Goodbye Alice In Wonderland. The album received mixed reviews, but still managed to debut at #8 on the Billboard Albums Chart.[24] The album sold 82,000 copies in its first week out.[25] The lead single "Again and Again" has had moderate success on Top 40 Radio, peaking at #16.[26] The second single, "Good Day", was released to radio in late June but failed to gain any traction on the radio airplay charts. Recently, a video for "Stephenville, TX", her next single, has been seen on Yahoo! Launch.[27]

As of December 2006, the album barely sold 270,000 copies.[28] It is notable in that it is the only Jewel album to not achieve Gold certification.[29]

Currently, Jewel has released a video for the new song "Quest for Love" as the lead single from the new movie Arthur and the Invisibles. The song is only available of the soundtrack for Arthur and the Invisibles, which was released January 2007.[30]

In early February, Jewel made a promotional appearance on the T in Boston for the Verizon Yellow Pages, playing songs on a moving subway car and then doing a small acoustic concert in South Station. In an interview with the Boston Globe, Jewel confirmed that she is no longer affiliated with a record label, confirming rumors that Atlantic Records failed to renew her contract after the lackluster sales of her latest album. She also hinted that she would like to do a country album next.[31]

[edit] Film and Theater

Jewel starred in the 1999 Ang Lee film Ride with the Devil.[32] Jewel also starred as Dorothy in the 1995 "Dreams Come True" production of "The Wizard of Oz" (available on VHS).[33]

[edit] Television

Show Character Note Date Aired
Saturday Night Live Herself Host, Joan Allen 1998
VH1's Rock and Roll Hall The Fame Herself Performer, sang duet of Here Comes the Sun with Rob Thomas 2002
VH1's 2003 Diva Duets Herself Performer, sang duet of Proud Mary with Beyoncé 2003
The Lyon's Den Rob Lowe's ex 2003
The Young and the Restless Herself Performed at a fund raiser hosted by characters Nick and Sharon Newman to mark the first anniversary of their teenage daughter's death in a drunk-driving accident.[34] May 31, 2006
CMT Country Music Awards Presenter Presented with Ty Murray 2006
7th Heaven Herself Neighbor to characters Kevin Kinkirk and Lucy Camden.[35] September 2006
Las Vegas Herself Sang three songs from Goodbye Alice in Wonderland[36] October 26, 2006
Men In Trees Herself November 10, 2006
American Idol Herself, Guest-Judge American Idol, Season 6 Guest-Judge for the season six premiere / auditions in Minneapolis.[37][38] January 16, 2007
Nashville Star Host Co-host is Cowboy Troy.[39] 2007

[edit] Minor

[edit] Writing

Jewel published a book of poetry titled A Night Without Armor in 1998. Although it sold over 1 million copies and was a New York Times Bestseller, it received mixed reviews.[40] Jewel went on to write an autobiography titled Chasing Down the Dawn in 2000. Chasing Down The Dawn was a collection of diary entries and musings detailing her life growing up in Alaska, her struggle to learn her craft and life on the road.[41] Jewel was scheduled to release a third book called Love Poems which was supposed to be an extremely intimate portrayal of her relationship with her boyfriend Ty Murray. It was canceled several months before release because Jewel was worried about Ty's mother's reaction to her intimate confessions.[42]

[edit] Philanthropy

Jewel performing in 2000 tour co-sponsored by the USO
Jewel performing in 2000 tour co-sponsored by the USO

Jewel Kilcher formed a non-profit organization called Higher Ground For Humanity with her mother Lenedra J. Carroll and her older brother Shane Kilcher. The organization's main focus became access to clean water in developing countries after The Clearwater Project was launched in 1999. The organization's focus is education, sustainable improvements, and building alliances with like minded organizations.[43] The Clearwater Project has taken on projects in South America, Central America, India, and Africa, building wells and water filtration systems. One such project was the reactivation of construction of a well through the use of a solar powered pump for the benefit of the Maasai people in the Sukenia region of Tanzania, Africa. Before Clearwater's involvement villagers were walking as much as 10 hours a day to fetch clean water. Other projects have taken place in Malakkara, India, Gualcea, Honduras, Sisoguichi, Mexico, and Bangladesh.[44] Jewel donates a portion of her income to the organization and often holds events to benefit the organization.[45] The organization tends to parallel the career of Jewel since she provides the majority of the organization's funding. As of 2005, the activities of the organization were reduced. In September, 2006, as part of Lifetime Television's Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign, Jewel delivered more than 12 million petition signatures to Capitol Hill, urging Congress to pass the bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2005 (S 910/HR1849). The bill would ban the practice of "drive-through" mastectomies, when women are forced to leave the hospital just hours after their surgeries and before they are ready to go home.[46]

  • Jewel has publicly supported The ONE Campaign, to eradicate third world poverty.[47]
  • Jewel served as the honorary chairperson of the 2006 Help the Homeless Walk in Washington, DC.[48]

[edit] Discography

Main article: Jewel discography

[edit] Albums

Year Title Chart positions U.S. sales
U.S. AUS
1995 Pieces of You 4 5 12 Million
1998 Spirit 3 5 4.5 Million
1999 Joy: A Holiday Collection 32 1 Million
2001 This Way 9 6 1.5 Million
2003 0304 2 10 1 Million
2006 Goodbye Alice in Wonderland 8 17 295,000
2007/2008 Jewel's Country Album TBA TBA TBA

[edit] Singles

Year Title Album Chart positions
U.S. AUS UK Billboard Adult Top 40 Dance/Electronic Top 40
1995 "Who Will Save Your Soul" Pieces of You 11 27 52 3
1997 "You Were Meant For Me" Pieces of You 2 3 32 1 (9 weeks)
1997 "Foolish Games" Pieces of You 2 12 1 (3 weeks)
1997 "Morning Song" Pieces of You (UK Only Single)
1998 "Hands" Spirit 6 25 41 2
1999 "Down So Long" Spirit 59 38 5
1999 "Jupiter (Swallow the Moon)" Spirit 15
1999 "What's Simple Is True" Spirit
1999 "Life Uncommon" Spirit
2001 "Standing Still" This Way 25 32 4
2002 "Break Me" This Way 30
2002 "This Way" This Way
2002 "Serve the Ego" This Way 1
2003 "Intuition" 0304 20 4 52 5 1 (7weeks)
2003 "Stand" 0304 21 37 1 (3 weeks)
2003 "2 Become 1" 0304 49 33
2006 "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland"/"Again and Again" Goodbye Alice In Wonderland 80 38 16
2006 "Good Day" Goodbye Alice In Wonderland 30
2006 "Only One Too / Stephenville, TX" Goodbye Alice In Wonderland
2007 "Quest For Love" Arthur and the Invisibles Soundtrack
2007 "Anybody But You" Jewel's Country Album TBR TBR TBR TBR TBR

[edit] DVDs

  • Jewel: A Life Uncommon. An intimate documentary featuring live performances and candid interviews. (1999)
  • Live at Humphrey's By The Bay. Shot over two sold-out performances at the San Diego venue. Bonus features include interviews, live footage from her This Way Tour, and a photo gallery. (2004)

[edit] Books

  • Revealing Jewel An Intimate Portrait from Family and Friends (2003) Edited by Kenneth Calhoun and Cambria Jensen
  • A Night Without Armor : Poems by Jewel (September 1999)
  • Jewel : Pieces of You Published by Alfred Publishing Company (November 1997), ISBN
  • Chasing Down the Dawn: Stories from the road, Published by Harper Paperbacks (November 2001), ISBN
  • The Best of Jewel - Piano/Vocal/GuitarPublished by Hal Leonard Corporation, ISBN

[edit] Major tours

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.
This article has been tagged since March 2007.
  • Papillion Tour (1997)
  • Lilith Fair Tour (1997)
  • Tiny Lights Tour (1997)
  • Spirit World Tour (1999), Support Acts: Steve Poltz, Rusted Root
  • This Way World Tour (2002), Support Acts: M2M, Soul City Cafe Artists (which included Libbie Schrader's band Think of England.)
  • New Wild West Acoustic Tour (2002), Support Acts: Stewart Mathis, Jason Mraz
  • 0304 World Tour (2003), Support Acts: Josh Kelly (Tour cancelled after death of bassist Terone "T-bone" Hannon.)
  • 0304 Acoustic Tour (2003/2004), Support Acts: Madeline Peyroux, Joe Firstman, Ryan Cabrera, Susan Greenbaum
  • Tour For No Reason [Acoustic] (2005), Support Acts: Joe Firstman
  • Summer Tour (2006), Co-headlining tour with Rob Thomas, Toby Lightman opened all dates.
  • Goodbye Alice In Wonderland Tour (2006), Tour included dates with a band, but majority were performed as solo acoustic shows. Steve Poltz opened several show.

[edit] Awards

Year Award-giving Body Award Result
1996 MTV Video Music Awards Best Female Video - Who Will Save Your Soul Nominated
1996 MTV Video Music Awards Best New Artist Nominated
1997 American Music Awards Favorite New Artist WON
1997 American Music Awards Favorite Pop/Rock Artist Nominated
1997 VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards Most Fashionable Video: Foolish Games Nominated
1997 Grammy Awards Best New Artist Nominated
1997 Grammy Awards Best Female Pop Vocal Performance - Who Will Save Your Soul Nominated
1997 MTV Video Music Awards Best Female Video - You Were Meant For Me WON
1997 MTV Video Music Awards Viewer's Choice - You Were Meant For Me Nominated
1997 MTV Video Music Award Video Of The Year - You Were Meant For Me Nominated
1997 Billboard Magazine #1 Female Singles Artist Of The Year WON
1997 Billboard Magazine Top 40 Artist Of The Year WON
1998 American Music Awards Favorite Female Artist Nominated
1998 American Music Awards Favorite LP - Pieces Of You Nominated
1998 Grammy Awards Best Female Pop Vocal Performance - Foolish Games Nominated
1999 Blockbuster Music Awards Favorite Female Artist WON
1999 Audie Award Best Spoken Word Album - A Night Without Armor WON
1999 Govenor's Award Songwriting Award WON
2003 Radio Music Awards Favorite Female Artist - Modern Rock WON
2003 Regis & Kelly Awards Favorite Musical Guest WON
  • Jewel also holds the record in the Guinness Book of World Records for longest chart run of a single for "You Were Meant For Me (Radio Edit) /Foolish Games".

[edit] References

  1. ^ "IMDB Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  2. ^ "Starpulse". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  3. ^ "Jewel Official". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  4. ^ "Jewel Kilcher". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  5. ^ "Jewel's new image puzzles some critics". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  6. ^ "Article from React". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  7. ^ "Here's the skinny on LDS celebrity urban legends". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  8. ^ "Pieces Of Info". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  9. ^ "Jewel Questions". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  10. ^ "Jewel at Popmatters". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  11. ^ "FindArticles". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  12. ^ "Simply Jewel FAQ". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  13. ^ "The Songs Vin Played for 06/21/1998". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  14. ^ Calhoun, Kenneth; Jensen (2003). Revealing Jewel: An Intimate Portrait from Family and Friends. New York, NY: Atria. 978-0743475402. 
  15. ^ "iSound Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  16. ^ "Jewel: Pieces Of You". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  17. ^ "Superiorpics". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  18. ^ "Answers Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  19. ^ "NEXT STOP: SUPER BOWL XXXII". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  20. ^ "Spirit thing". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  21. ^ "Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  22. ^ "Billboard, Jewel Pleasing Fans". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  23. ^ "The Log Book". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  24. ^ "Billboard Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  25. ^ "Billboard Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  26. ^ "Beyond Radiol". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  27. ^ "Jewel on Yahoo! Launch". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  28. ^ "Answers Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  29. ^ "CMT Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  30. ^ "MTV Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  31. ^ "Boston". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  32. ^ "IMDB Ride With The Devil". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  33. ^ "IMDB Wizard Of Oz Dreams Come True". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  34. ^ "YouTube - Jewel performs on The Young & The Restless".
  35. ^ Template error: argument title is required.
  36. ^ "Youtube - Jewel on Las Vegas".
  37. ^ "Jewel on American Idol".
  38. ^ "YouTube - Jewel on American Idol, Season 6 Premiere".
  39. ^ "YouTube - Jewel performs on Nashville Star".
  40. ^ "CNN excerpts from Jewel". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  41. ^ "Chasing Down The Dawn". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  42. ^ "Jewel Diamond In The Rough". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  43. ^ http://www.jeweljk.com/about/ Official Web Site of Jewel (Retrieved on 11/01/2007)
  44. ^ "Water.org". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  45. ^ "Atlantic Records". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  46. ^ http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php Lifetime Television's Stop Breast Cancer for Life campaign (Retrieved on 11/01/2007)
  47. ^ "G8 Summit". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.
  48. ^ "Fannie Mae Walk For The Homeless". Retrieved on March 2, 2007.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Jewel

· Discography ·

Albums
Pieces Of You · Spirit · This Way · 0304 · Goodbye Alice in Wonderland · Jewel's Country Album

Special Album
Joy: A Holiday Collection

Singles
"Who Will Save Your Soul" · "You Were Meant For Me" · "Foolish Games" · "Morning Song" · "Hands" · "Down So Long" · "Jupiter (Swallow the Moon)" · "What's Simple Is True" · "Life Uncommon" · "Break Me" · "Serve the Ego" · "Intuition" · "Stand" · "2 Become 1" · "Goodbye Alice in Wonderland" · "Good Day" · "Stephenville, TX" · "Quest For Love" · "Anybody But You"

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