Music Star Janis Ian

[1:15]" Well that's a very important -- you started at the age of fourteen. And for many out there are listening who may be young musicians are thinking hey that could be me but it's not these using the world and how to -- like Michigan go into great detail but it briefly how was that break -- break occur for."

[1:32]" It Lucas you know being an amber could take place there right time that the summit that part of their business. I am listening -- now with the reverend Jerry dated and old black blind to these player wonderful guitarist. And taking lessons from him his -- like me she insisted that. It club I guess I can't say which is the premier folk club in the United States. That the owner but he opened for reverend Jerry he did it guy Cambridge index states that kid I'm gonna make it star. And next thing I knew I was singing all twelve songs agreed to date at the Chatham Martin's office. Chad it was tradition shangri -- doesn't -- I think -- the -- schools. At a blue gold records on his wall and one week later we were in the studio cutting society chants."

[2:16]" It's so cool to have. Have you talked about being on the road and you know drinking sodas conjure --"

[2:23]" It's going -- this background yeah tablet to make sure that I cabinet complete but I did my homework."

[2:28]" And yet you were. Because of the position you -- and you were you were forced to do what big time professionals do and that's. Handle the pressure of the road which for anybody's stuff."

[2:38]" Well I think it would be tough for anybody and I concluded that there."

[2:41]" RBI you can record because I was a child being about it interracial relations was so very controversial. It made people feel angry people actually buy it goes as they should try to do not say it was an incredible."

[2:55]" Let's listen to a little of societies -- without further and ask. This tune became on the -- you say. It was a it was a lightning rod of people loved it and also people attacked you and -- you tell RW BZ audience I love the story in a book about you know where you came up with the idea for your only kids but you noticed things."

[3:57]" Well I think I was raised and it and it is very conscious and very artistic conscience -- my parents -- to operate -- all of our friends were. And we we're living in the eastern teachers and -- black area. And I was sitting on the bus on the way to school and I a couple of key club obviously -- the biracial couple. Maybe ten years so it could be and the Libyans is equal layers that they were giving them all adults around them. And arrogantly thinking of the little things to work -- think she can take a kind of pressure. And so that's what everything song around it when I wrote it I had no idea George -- is going to be this kind of powder caked. So again I think being being -- statement and having it break entry anyone is a lot to -- it. Dealing with it when you're getting desperate. Really taking it --"

[4:49]" It with Genesee and we're talking about her autobiography society's child which covers it all from the music. To these relationships to your parents who as you mentioned work. As socially conscious of certainly left of center and were followed by the FBI -- that was a tough to Europe for people who who may have had different points of view than the mainstream."

[5:07]" It led to the -- bacteria there -- a demand president paranoid Americans -- announcement appeared clearly exactly. Indian. -- Houston and it's justified but mostly. Would just to get really good way of keeping popular -- I think -- any question it and you know things don't change that much."

[5:28]" One of the things that I loved about the book focus on the big celebrity gunmen on a lot of these people but you name dropping with people like David Geffen who was your agent to attack. That's pretty cool."

[5:39]" yet you know again when it started thinking back of my life a lot of it. When I'm 32 billion Janis -- which is where it statement read it. A lot of my time I was just wow how cool is that how could I forgot that I can believe that happened."

[6:11]" Jamie was -- beautiful beautiful man I mean I don't know how to predict any better than that he wouldn't normally referred to the man has beautiful that he was beautiful he was. -- good looking guy now that he never really thought he was on the part packets now. But outside is that he can happen in the continent of great. Another in a lot of ways that you'd use felt like Q we're the only person. He was talking to in the room with them. And he made me welcome them and I adore him for it you know from the time I met him when I was sixteen till he died I would -- welcome."

[6:46]" And Janice Janice Joplin of course -- I guess they're still working on a biopic of her but I didn't really and I have been good but -- a much how would you say misunderstood. Even today."

[6:56]" Absolutely agree absolutely and I think there -- a lot of people every time -- media including your female thing it does not want to play Kaplan I think dear. -- dear. You you know you're from people whose talent is so astounding impact those surpassing that. I don't think he can do a fire picked up and I don't think you can do their lives justice."

[7:16]" As -- talk with you on. Again names come to mind one is at the legendary. Teacher of the dramatic arts Stella Adler yeah. And for people who don't know the name her impact on cedar and drama and movies and TV is amazing she touched so many what did she. Do free you could shoot you describe her was great love hurt her impact on your life."

[7:40]" He really gave me the ability to articulate. What I felt that being an -- gave me and that. -- could retain you as surely any religion could be used that art. Lift you -- in -- noble want you in in spans really between the world and chaos sometimes Clinton when times get tough. He really gave me language for what I felt and that that an extraordinary gift."

[9:58]" So here we are listening to. -- song that became. There's big hit to defer in my era when I was playing music on the radio. At seventeen I only didn't happen I think we did yeah. And -- a little older than seventeen of course but and tell me about that song and I guess it had many. Many different lives and it seemed to pop up good different time."

[10:20]" He had like a cat on it with the I love that -- I love it he's in the early and Eric and I think it's anything yet. And I know -- advocate and continued his anger he'd probably get started thinking of things that means that people because. Every night at this -- I look at an audience has been mounting the -- along -- is I don't. It's a glorious feeling Independent."

[10:43]" I would put on about much else I really felt like I was. DS these Albanians had a chance it's turning into this one's. I was gonna be stuck with the -- in the body and there -- nothing around it I would never. I was never the one who would get -- when they could people's her basketball or anything like -- What I wrote at seventeen I should at least felt like I was the only person in the world itself by -- and I what -- they get the first six months the next thing it onstage it sang imagine those just I didn't want. Take a lot of TV -- wrapping -- it's been a revelation to me."

[11:19]" It's the poetry of your music by the way you right there can music's okay. So like the great call according -- doing it both which is a little little unusual even in this day and age and the fact that you. You wrote this lyric and it seemed to just flow from your own experience but boy did that touch a lot of people more than more than a hundred songs might touch other people who. That is that's a nice -- on the this is this is a assigned -- Personal. Growth and and feeling you know a little bit down and then. -- just just sat with a lot of people for what I think -- one of those things that you learn about. You in the book and by the way this book comes with a with a wonderful CD society's child is that there -- two things one. The graduate. Now and it he had always there's things you turned down -- don't think about until it's too late what happened you didn't you can go for that."

[12:11]" Will not dependent on me. By the agency standard and you're ready to give -- wonder that is wonderful agent and wonderful guy but sometimes you make a wrong call and the way it was presented it was going to be. Directed by Mike Nichols was very successful on costly but that franchise film director and that. Going to start this business guy nobody gets hurt evident in hospital. And good plot line is going to be that he hasn't -- there with his neighbor. And then falls in love with her daughter and of course the neighbor gets angry and and the daughter way she tries to marry another guy and because those."

[12:48]" I -- a surge and we are ready part of the sword with a big it would be big crowd maybe none of that and we were all penetrating -- that -- won't work. And -- Paul Simon did in 1910 and spectator -- at."

[13:01]" But -- great chapter and you did however and launched breakfast sandwiches. It's for for all America for all time did you kind of are it's different. Matter and Turkish. And I've read this book you can tell that -- I found that to be interesting and don't forget that many many performers. Do commercials movie stars do them -- And why not -- mean if it -- and as we talk about your career I mean I've I know we'll a few minutes left. I want to talk about your life now but as to what -- you write about some real down times not just career wise but health wise. And you went through hell several times. And I know that this is a cliche but when you're you can when it doesn't Killian it'll teach you but tell -- little bit about your expert kids is. And what you know what you learned from from all that punishment on the road."

[13:46]" Ally to have a background -- scenes here -- And that district manager who went south and everything and forged a lot of -- and a lot of paperwork and look upon Dana. It's every -- I didn't get to the -- old testament gimmick one point three million dollars my agency named mr. granite even more than that it. And at the same time ahead and burst contestant out of nowhere and I was dying and wound up in the hospital in Florida. Got a one thing after another accident here's got robbed Tibetans can -- feel that dumped in Nashville that nobody expected LA. But this thing that I realized over and over again writing the booklet that. UN that we -- supposed to be no matter how hard chief society you'd end up where he's supposed to beat and we have look at it now if I hadn't gone broke if that things had happened to me would -- international that would have -- capita income of nineteen years now. I wouldn't be the writers that I am now because I think Italy is conducive to making use. A little crazy because purely safety net -- spring. Not keeping people on and I would be as happy as I am now."

[14:57]" And as you. Look out today at the Vista that lies ahead I imagine you see yourself doing what you're doing which is performing and hopefully story."

[15:07]" I feel very fortunate that I -- in my party -- an immediate Pollyanna part of me. But -- part of me didn't keep thinking -- their long ago that I could work critic couldn't get work and I feel very. It's a very fortunate that I am about to continue doing what I look for a living."

[15:21]" When people read society's child by Genesee and realized. The musicianship. You've taken very seriously and over the years and you had to deal with all kinds of ups and downs but your musicianship has still. Been the focal point and you write and you composing new play and you sayi