FREE – JANN ARDEN IN HER OWN WORDS It’s not easy writing about yourself…or myself as it were. But here I go, about to ramble on quite gladly about all things me.
I feel like I should give a brief synopsis of how I even got to this point in my life. We lived, and still live, in a very small community south of Calgary. I didn’t roll far from the tree. I don’t plan on rolling.
My mother, Joan Richards, was taking guitar lessons when I was 12 years old. She needed something to do while I was engaged in hockey practice at the Rockyview Community Association. If you’ve ever tried to learn to play guitar, you find out very quickly that it’s hell on your fingers. They become bloody knobs. Mom gave up within a few months, after having perfected “On Top of Old Smokey”, and “Irene, Goodnight Irene”.
I used to sit atop the stairs in our living room and watch her strum away, struggling to make the chords sound like something, singing quietly, not knowing anyone was listening. I was intrigued to say the least.
Whenever I had a spare moment I’d grab that giant Yamaha guitar, open her large orange songbook, and try to figure out how to make something happen. After learning a few chords, I was able to play the entire John Denver collection. I moved on to Janis Ian, The Carpenters, Frank Zappa, James Taylor, Bette Midler, Olivia Newton John, ABBA, KISS, Blondie, Carly Simon, Seals and Crofts, and a hundred other artists that I wanted to dissect and emulate. I was overjoyed. I had found something that I loved to do. That I could do on my own, that I could do without having to be funny. Writing unlocked my imagination and the very key to my soul.
I was obsessed with all things guitar. John Denver, not so much, but it was a great start to understanding that people wrote songs about simple sentiment. I started writing my own songs that same year …they were all terribly sad and lonesome and introspective and usually long and winding ballads. The first song I ever remember writing was about my mom and dad dying. The song was called “Paradise”. I still laugh about that one…
It would take me an entire book to cover what’s happened between then and now, that perhaps will be at another time.
“FREE” is my tenth studio record. That in-and-of-itself is unbelievable to me. I didn’t sign with Universal until I was nearly 30 years old, so all of this came to me rather late in life. In light of labels signing 15 year old acts these days, I don’t think my story will be repeated very often, if ever. I am 47 now and feel like I don’t know anything about music. I feel like I am just getting started.
With “FREE”, I’ve more or less gone back to my roots. All 11 of the songs are very simple in their message. They are all about simple human sentiment. Not political in nature, not preachy, not overly poetic, just very simple basic emotions. I did a fair amount of co-writing on this project to try and get my mind pushing into different corners of my own understanding. That was a wonderful, educational experience. I didn’t want to keep making the same record over and over again, and I felt like I had begun to do that over the past 5 or 6 years. I just found myself in a rut for a thousand reasons, so I was determined to make some big changes.
It’s hard to change. It’s hard to move forward for the most part…. But I knew I had to. It’s not easy breaking off relationships that you’ve nurtured for a long time, but art suffers if you don’t constantly try to reinvent yourself, which is what I feel like I did with this record.
I worked with an old friend of mine, Bruce Leitl, who is more known for his work on composing music scores for film and commercial use, than he is for pop music production.
Bruce is a brilliant musician and a wonderful composer. He has a wonderful sense of structure. I needed structure. I wanted to be very clear as to what my intentions were. He kept me on track. I wanted to experiment with different textures and grooves and sounds and Bruce was confident in what we needed to do. He presented ideas to me that were exciting and innovative. I felt like it was a new and fresh version of me and my work. Because of the amount of time that I’d spent in Nashville the previous year and a half, I felt it only natural to use some of the extraordinary musicians.
Mandolins and acoustic guitars and pedal steel and dobro and banjo…all sounds that I loved, but had never thought to use these past 25 years. Between those organic sounds and Bruce’s progressive programming, I knew I’d done something very different for me, but yet, extremely familiar. We knew with the blend of organic and electronic sounds we’d threaded together that we’d need someone amazingly gifted to mix the entire project. I didn’t have to think twice. It would be Ed Cherney. I won’t list off his thousands of triumphs: you can do that on the world wide web. He was as much a part of the music as the music itself. I trusted him completely to carve his way through the hundreds of tracks we’d recorded. I love what he’s done and I’m proud of what we have made.
I’ve found a great amount of comfort in my life over the past 3 years…amazing peace and happiness. For whatever reason, I feel like that all shows up here on “FREE”. I do feel free. I feel like I’ve come over the hill and I can see much clearer than I did before.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Millions of records sold worldwide, with 16 top ten singles from eight albums: Time for Mercy, Living Under June, Happy?, Blood Red Cherry, Greatest HurtsñThe Best of, Live With the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Love Is The Only Soldier, Jann Arden and her latest release, Uncover Me.
Winner of 8 (eight) Junos, 8 (eight) 2006 SOCAN Awards, 2 (two) 2006 Western Canadian Music Awards and many other industry accolades including a star on Canadaís Walk of Fame.
JANN IS A SUPPORTER OF THE FOLLOWING CHARITIES:
Thank you for all of the messages! It's so great to hear from you all!
Yes, this is a real page that is viewed and updated by Jann and her management staff. Although Jann makes every attempt to be actively involved in this page, please realize that due to the large volume of e-mail and comments that she cannot always personally respond. Thank you for being a part of this page and for supporting Jann's career. For Charity requests and inquiries, please email jatours@jannarden.com. This email address is for inquiries only and is not a "fan mail" address.
Opening nite at the Port Theatre in Nanaimo reminded me of why you are so much fun to see in concert! There were so many unmistakable Jann moments last evening but I won't give those highlights away--I'll just say GO & see for yourself! Loved ALL the new songs & The Devil Won is my new favorite. Insensitive was absolutely amazing. Your band was awesome Jann--especially your violinist. What a priviledge & honour it was to share your opening night. Thank you & good luck on the rest of your tour. kindest & respectful regards, IslandgirL
Oh, so it is okay to still write my happy comments here?? Great show, Jann...we loved it, you made me cry, laugh, sing, and wish I could watch another four hours of non stop great music and pure entertainment!!! SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD!!!!!!!
Hi! I hope you are doing well. Please stop by and listen to two New Singles off Elizabeth’s upcoming 2010 album, that will be released on iTunes in a few weeks!! For updates, please Join Elizabeth’s Email list. And, add Elizabeth’s new FACEBOOK music page: www.facebook.com/elizabethsouthmusic and new TWITTER: www.twitter.com/elizabeth_south Thank you! Keep being awesome! Please leave a comment, let Elizabeth know what you think, and tell her how you’re doing!
Ladies and gentlemen is time for me to announce that my latest track "Heads up" is here. So everbody visit my site and have a listen. A comment will also be appreciative. MUCH LUV
my single "Disrespectful" by Kat st. john just hit the charts, yaaaaa
check it out on my page, its because of my myspace friends why its so hot, go to check it out again on my page and follow me on twitter to see when i will be in your town. twitter.com/kat_stjohn
Online friends are people we may never meet... We see pictures, we see cams... It isn't the same.... We grow close... We care and love one another.... One day we may not hear from one another... Our hearts will break... All we see is a name on messenger but we don't see the person anymore... We pray..."Please come back" All I ask is that you remember me in the good times we had...
Keep me close to your heart... Friends forever. Pass this on to all your friends... If I get it back... I know you care.
~~~Hug Me Til I Hug U Back~~~ ~~~Trust Me Til I Trust U Back~~~ ~~~Watch Ur Front Cuz I Got Ur Back~~~ ~~~Any True Friend Would Get This Back~~~ ~~~Pass This On To All Ur True Friends~~~ ~~~See How Many U Get Back~~~
COURT ORDER!!! You are accused of.... crawling into my HEART... And hijackin my SMILES... With your CUTENESS... HOW DO YOU PLEAD..... GUILTY?!?! YOU are sentenced... TO BE MY FRIEND FOR LIFE!!!!!! NO BAIL...... ;o) Send this to all your friend's... Including ME!!! IF YOU GET 10 BACK......!!!!!!!! YOUR FRIENDSHIP IS WORTH KEEPING!
Stopping by to wish you a fantastic week!!! Hope all is going great with you!!! Check out my newest single Whipping Post on Texas radio NOW!!! Love, ~Susan Hickman www.susanhickman.com www.reverbnation.com/susanhickman www.twitter.com/susanhickman
Its Finally Here, "Hypnotic Rhythm" The New Track from Kevin S. & Kobbe with a Vocal from mar-C is a haunting track with a grewling bass line that will hypnotise you and take total control over your moves on the dance floor
Remixes By: DJ Exodus & Matt Arnott, Ralph Berr, Rich Gior & Louis Aliberti
SUPPORTED BY: DJ CHUS, CARLOS MANACA, HUGO RIZZO, FRANK MAUREL
Hi, everyone Hope you enjoyed my latest work "Heads up". Wait there's more! Check out my brand new song. This one is called "Lights, Camera and Action. You will not be disappointed. Please enjoy....Much Luv
Hi, everyone Hope you enjoyed my latest work "Heads up". Wait there's more! Check out my brand new song. This one is called "Lights, Camera and Action. You will not be disappointed. Please enjoy....Much Luv
Online Now!
