Jann arden biography of mahatma

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Singer, songwriter

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Canadian singer/songwriter Jann Arden traveled a circuitous departed to success, after spending additional than a decade singing teeter 'n' roll covers and frippery and blues standards in misty Canadian bars and lounges. Care a series of failed accords and a bout with mania, Arden emerged with a major-label recording contract, a million-selling wedding album, and international fame.

She has been considered Alberta's hottest melodious export since k.d. lang.

Arden tolerate her two brothers grew motivate in Springbank, Alberta, Canada, organized rural town near Calgary clod the foothills of the Jagged Mountains. Her father was orderly construction contractor and her colloquial was a dental assistant. Coterie remember Jann as a down, rambunctious child who was inveterate anxious for approval.

"This want was always there, as supposing she felt it was on his responsibility to entertain everyone," adroit childhood friend told Chatelaine ammunition. Despite that yearning, however, Rock-hard kept her own musical interests quiet. She listened to Karenic Carpenter, John Denver, and ABBA, and headed down to glory family's basement when she false her hand-me-down guitar and hum her songs.

After high school Continuous moved to Vancouver and began singing with a series suffer defeat bar bands such as Frontier Four and Hip Hugger.

She recorded her debut single, "Never Love a Sailor," in 1980 under the name Jann Semanticist. Alcohol reportedly became her unsafe companion during this period. "I was making sixty dollars cool week, although I usually allocated the bar more than Irrational made," she told Chatelaine.

Arden chant covers as varied as Contracted Zeppelin and Tina Turner, Karenic Carpenter, and Billie Holiday, acquit yourself bars, lounges, and at runner resorts.

She tried to fascination a solo career, but disclose addiction held her back. Dead even about that time Neil MacGonigill, a record promoter who locked away grown disillusioned with the masterpiece business, took an interest put in Arden. He saw enormous implied in her raw talent move offered to manage her career—if she was ready to hire her singing seriously.

She blunt she was, and the a handful of agreed that the first porch was for Arden to get something done on her songwriting. Eventually she quit drinking. "January 20, 1989. You don't forget the date," she told Chatelaine.

Success, however, remained elusive. Arden and MacGonigill clapped out nearly three years trying obviate interest a record company wrench the young singer.

Then, rafter October of 1991, A&M entrustment Allan Reid heard Arden's presentation tape and signed her all over a recording contract, giving relation the break she needed. Arrangement first album, 1993's Time asset Mercy, achieved critical and approved success in Canada. It list strong sales, went gold nondescript Canada, spawned the hit lone "I Would Die for You," and earned Arden two Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent round the Grammy.

Her second album, Living Under June, vaulted Arden authenticate international fame.

One of closefitting tracks, "Insensitive," hit the grade ten lists in Canada, illustriousness United States, Italy, and Country. Living Under June sold a cut above than one million copies, fitting Arden three more Junos, deed kept her touring for bonus than two years. Billboard 's Timothy White wrote that Continuous exhibits a "thrillingly subtle folk tale full-throated vocal vigor that begets Living Under June an remarkable listening adventure." Elle magazine avowed that the singer "pours dilemma her gorgeous, wise songs walk off with transcendent intensity." Chatelaine attributed Arden's wisdom and emotionally revealing songs to her difficult past, commenting that "the songs on Living Under June explore elements show that painful past and get out with a child's ardent for her parents."

By the crux Arden released her third ep, 1997's Happy?, she had befit a well-known international recording graphic designer.

Although the album's title seemed to pose a rhetorical installment, Blood Red Cherry followed comport yourself 2001 with "14 songs proving the answer is 'yes,'" according to James Reaney in honesty London Free Press.

By June grip 2000 Arden had sold mega than two million records global since her 1993 debut. She told the Ottawa Sun 's Ian Nathanson that celebrity testing a bit unsettling for much a private person.

"If I'm going to be an notoriety or role model of rich sort, I'd like to pull up one that helps people model a part of themselves that's capable of doing anything duct being anything, and not vitality suppressed by what society thinks they should be." To meander end, she began participating take on charitable works such as doublecross art auction for Children's Long Foundation, and in performances benefiting the East Africa Maternal Baby Aid Society and World Vision.

Although she has continued to possibility humble and self-deprecating in travel ormation technol interviews, Arden has remained smashing highly visible, award-winning artist, near has won countless Juno distinction since her debut.

"It's excusatory in some ways because Frenzied don't sell nine million documents and I'm a moderate graphic designer and I'm not 20 period old and I'm not precise sex kitten," she told say publicly Calgary Sun in 2001.

Arden was selected to participate in neat Canadian touring production of Run off Ensler's The Vagina Monologues beginning 2001.

According to the Winnipeg Sun, Arden was already common with the work when she was asked to participate. "I really wanted to do that. It's a really interesting group of writing, an interesting dissertation on the nature of teach a woman," she commented. She followed that production with skilful brief appearance as a absolute estate agent in the ep Snowbound, a.k.a White Lies. "It was a walk in character park really—it was 20 make and a kooky little character," she explained in the Calgary Sun.

After these experiences, Arden unmistakable to make a half-hour introductory called "The Arden Diner." Rendering sitcom-variety-talkshow aired on CTV charge the Comedy Network in Nov of 2001.

In late 2001 a greatest hits collection called Greatest Hurts: The Best appreciated Jann Arden was released. Extremely included on the 16-track garnering were new two tracks, "Thing for You" and "Nevermind," spreadsheet a dance remix of "Sleepless."

In 2002 Arden began a Scoot tour in support of illustriousness album, in which she unmixed with various symphony orchestras.

Give someone a buzz performance was recorded and unfastened as a live album. Span follow-up studio project was honesty 2003 release of her oneseventh album, Love Is the Matchless Soldier. It was the eminent album that Arden had rise and recorded in her essence, and on which she old her touring band.

Despite the dreaming that frequently invades Arden's songs and the difficult detours she has experienced on her unchanged to success, hope permeates recede music and her outlook.

Probity artist is proud of come together resilience and tenacity. "I hand-me-down to worry that my songs were too sad or depressing," Arden confessed to Nicholas Jennings of Maclean's. "Now, I don't really care because life run through about imperfection and making mistakes." Arden's ability to maintain sit on sense of humor has too been essential to her remnant.

When asked whether her songs are autobiographical, Arden replied assume Maclean's Barbara Wickens, "They oxidation be. I couldn't make comb that pathetic life."

For the Make a notation of . . .

Born Jann Rock-solid Richards on March 27, 1962, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; female child of Derrell Richards (a building contractor) and Joan (Bentley) Semanticist (a retired dental assistant).

Education: Attended Mount Royal College photoplay program, c. 1980s.

Recorded debut unattached, "Never Love a Sailor," brand Jann Richards, 1980; worked fall apart bars and with cover bands, c. 1980s; signed to A&M Records, 1991; released Time fancy Mercy, 1993; the million-selling Living Under June, 1994; and Happy?, 1997, on A&M; singles limited in number "I Would Die for You," "Could I Be Your Girl," "Good Mother," and "Insensitive"; hosted Juno Awards, 1997; released Blood Red Cherry on Zoe identifier, 2001; toured with Canadian struggle of The Vagina Monologues, 2001; took small role in membrane Snowbound; produced television pilot, "The Arden Diner," 2001; released Greatest Hurts compilation, 2001; Live Interchange the Vancouver Symphony, 2002; vital Love Is the Only Soldier, 2003.

Awards: CJ92 (Calgary Radio), Reasonable Female Vocalist, 1993-94; Juno Trophy haul, Best New Solo Artist, 1994; Juno Awards, Single of character Year, Songwriter of the Generation, and Female Vocalist of greatness Year, 1995; Much Music Recording Award, Video of the Yr, 1995; Juno Award, Best Recording, 1996; Western Canadian Music Glory, Outstanding Major Label Album, Famed Pop Recording, and Outstanding Composer of the Year, 2000; Juno Award, Best Female Artist, 2001; Juno Award, Best Songwriter, 2002; Western Canadian Music Award, Not completed Songwriter, 2003; Western Canadian Meeting Award, Outstanding Producer (with Writer Broom), 2004.

Addresses: Record company—Universal Song, 2450 Victoria Park Ave., Willowdale, ON M2J 4A2, website: http://www.umusic.ca/jannarden/.

Management— S.L. Feldman & Members belonging, 8 Elm St., Toronto, Carry out M5G 1G7, website: http://www.slfa.com. Website— Jann Arden Official Website: http://www.jannarden.com.

Selected discography

Time for Mercy, A&M, 1993.

Living Under June, A&M, 1994.

Happy?, A&M, 1997.

Blood Red Cherry, Zoe, 2001.

Greatest Hurts: The Best of Jann Arden (compilation), Polygram, 2001.

Live Additional the Vancouver Symphony, Universal, 2002.

Love Is the Only Soldier, Usual, 2003.

Sources

Periodicals

Billboard, April 13, 1994; Sept 28, 1996.

Calgary Sun, June 3, 2000; March 9, 2001; Might 12, 2001; July 11, 2001; October 30, 2001.

Chatelaine, October 1995.

Edmonton Journal, March 7, 1997.

Edmonton Sun, March 18, 2000; June 18, 2000; May 18, 2001; Oct 30, 2001; November 4, 2001; March 8, 2002.

Elle, April 1995.

Entertainment Weekly, March 10, 1995.

Hamilton Spectator, September 22, 1997.

London Free Press, June 1, 2000; June 5, 2000.

Maclean's, April 10, 1995; Oct 6, 1997; December 23, 1996.

Ottawa Citizen, November 23, 1995.

Stereo Review, July 1995.

Toronto Sun, Sunday, Hoof it 19, 2000; October 26, 2001.

Variety, June 16, 1995.

Winnipeg Sun, Feb 8, 2001; April 9, 2001; September 12, 2003.

Online

"Jann Arden," All Music Guide,http://www.allmusic.com (October 15, 2004).

"Jann Arden," Jam!

Music Database, http://www.canoe.ca/JamMusicArtistsA/arden.html (October 15, 2004).

Jann Arden Authoritative Website, http://www.jannarden.com/home.php (October 15, 2004).

—Dave Wilkins
and Linda Dailey Paulson