Jewel This successful, well-rounded singer, songwriter, and musician has also worked hard to make her voice known as an actress, author, and philanthropist. Born as Jewel Kilcher on May 23, 1974, in Payson, Utah, the singer has enjoyed fame and success throughout the world, including Europe, Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, in addition to North America. Jewel spent much of her younger years living in Alaska with her father, a German speaking immigrant from Switzerland. The two would often perform together in bars or taverns to earn a living. Later on, she learned to play guitar, began songwriting, and studied opera at Michigan’s Interlochen Arts Academy.
Jewel started off in the world of show business with no money and living in her van, travelling and performing in coffeehouses and cafes. She gained some recognition through her friend Steve Poltz of The Rugburns, and was discovered by Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea and Atlantic Records, who helped her cut her first—and arguably most beloved and successful—album, Pieces of You, in 1995. Pieces of You, which included top ten hits such as "You Were Meant for Me," "Foolish Games," and "Who Will Save Your Soul," stayed on the Billboard 200 for two years, and to date has sold more than 12 million albums in the U.S., more than all her albums put together. In 1998 Jewel released Spirit, her follow-up album, which included the hit single "Hands" and sold four million copies in the U.S. Exactly a year later, she released a holiday album called Joy: A Holiday Collection. Her fourth album, The Way, came out in late 2001, and received much critical acclaim and praise. Jewel went through a time of major change in her music, style, and image in 2003 in her release of 0304, which Jewel says was meant to be modern, Cole Porter style of big band music. The album sparked a bit of controversy, as some fans felt she was losing herself and trying to fit into a certain mold. 0304’s videos featured a scantily-clad Jewel, and the music had more of a “pop-y” sound. While some were bothered by Jewel's new sound, others appreciated her new look and sound.
Jewel released her sixth album, Goodbye Alice in Wonderful, which received mixed reviews; the album remains her only that hasn't received certified Gold status. While Jewel has been known to cover a number of famous tunes, she has also been mistakenly credited as the singer for other cover versions, including Chantal Kreviazuk’s "Leaving on a Jet Plane." Besides a famous musician, Jewel is also an actress. Her single film credit is her role as the leading lady in Ang Lee’s 1999 Civil War drama, Ride with the Devil, co-starring Tobey Maguire, Jeffrey Wright, and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. But Jewel has enjoyed a significant side career guest-starring on various television series. Some of her more notable guest appearances have been on Las Vegas, starring James Caan; 7th Heaven, starring Stephen Collins; The Lyon’s Den, starring Rob Lowe; and Lee Phillip Bell’s The Young and the Restless. Jewel is also a published author. In 1998, she published a book of poetry, A Night Without Armor, and two years later, she published a collection of diary entries from her life in Alaska and on the road called Chasing Down the Dawn. In addition to all of her other achievements, Jewel is also a noted and outspoken philanthropist, supporting and working on behalf of Higher Ground For Humanity, which she created, The Clearwater Project, The ONE Campaign, the 2006 Help the Homeless Walk, and breast cancer research and awareness. Jewel has been involved in a relationship with rodeo star Ty Murray since 1999. YUDDY |
