Jewel KilcherJewel Kilcher

Jewel spent her early childhood in Anchorage, Alaska. She grew up on the homestead without amenities such as in indoor bathroom and television. The family was surrounded by creativity and inspiration.

But, as early as the age of six, she began to tour with her parents, who both were musicians. During those performances, Jewel learned yodeling from her dad.

Jewel's parents divorced at age eight. Although the divorce and relocation invoked many mixed feelings, Jewel found solace in writing. She remembered the vitality of those poetry workshops she participated in back in Anchorage.

As her teenage years approached, jewel enjoyed performing with her dad as a duo in local bars, hotels, and Eskimo villages. She learned how to "work a room" the way her dad did and to study people's reactions to the songs and the stories.

With her mother's emotional support, encouragement and limitless hope to pursue their dreams, they moved out of their apartment and into their vans. Cutting costs, eating mainly peanut butter & carrot sticks, Jewel settled down with her guitar and began to write songs. These songs were from her heart, about her own life, about those shed met, about pain she saw in others and joy she wanted to share.

Her song writing flourished and soon she met local singer/songwriter, Steve Poltz and his band The Rugburns. Their friendship was instantaneous and Steve helped Jewel to work within a verse/chorus/verse structure. His influence also helped Jewel combine her deeply serious writing style with his own of humor and spontaneity. (Steve and Jewel later co-wrote You Were Meant For Me and Steve appears in the video with Jewel.)

Also during this time Jewel met and collaborated with other talented musicians in San Diego. She enthusiastically participated in "house jams" which often became spontaneous song writing sessions for her. She then began performing solo to scattered curious crowds at coffee houses throughout the San Diego area among which was The Innerchange Coffee House in Pacific Beach. To her, it was just another fun gig to play after brushing the sand off her feet, but to the audience it was an stirring experience not to be forgotten. Word spread around town, and soon Jewel had a regular Thursday night gig at The Innerchange. For a mere $3, people listened to a three to four hour set of Jewel singing and telling funny little stories about her life. Little did she know how popular shed become. Audiences multiplied, Jewels name began to appear in the local press, and she landed several choice opening spots for bigger bands.

By 1993 record executives began racing each other to San Diego to see her perform. After a flurry of options, Jewel signed a deal with Atlantic Records. She spent the beginning of 1994 traveling to Los Angeles to meet with potential album producers. Finally, Ben Keith (Neil Young and James Taylor) was chosen to produce Jewels first album.

In late July 1994, a sound crew set up The Innerchange Coffee House to record four sets of Jewel singing to her regulars. Over the next few months, songs were selected from the Innerchange recordings and the studio sessions were mixed.

Leadership Characteristics

• Determined– Jewel jumpstarted her career by traveling around the country playing her music in coffee houses.

• Resourceful– While she traveled, Jewel lived out of

her van and worked as a waitress to feed herself. She was completely independent at a very young age.

• Talented– Jewel’s musical development started

when she was just a small child and sang backup for her dad in Alaska. Her voice is unique and beautiful as a result of her talent and practice. She taught herself to play guitar.

A Night Without Armor

Chasing Down the Dawn

Pieces of You

Spirit

This Way

Jewel has three released full albums (to the right) as well as a Christmas album “Joy: A Holiday Season” and many singles. Her two books (shown to the left) are compilations of short stories and poems that Jewel has written. Jewel can also be seen in Ang Lee’s movie “Ride With the Devil” and in a musical production of “Wizard of Oz.”

Pieces Of You was released to the public in February of 1995. Who Will Save Your Soul was the first hit single, followed by You Were Meant For Me, and Foolish Games. You Were Meant for Me has reached second on Billboard's Top 100, and first on Casey's Top 40, Dee's Top 40, and VH1 Top 10. As of this year, the album has sold over 10 million copies and has won her, among others, an American Music Award for Best New Artist. She describes the album as a time capsule of where she was at nineteen years old.

From 1995 to 1998, Jewel continuously toured the world, promoting her album. Quickly learning the rigor of traveling the world, she played thirty cities in twenty days, touring Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan. Europe was on her path three times. She had the honor of opening for legends Bob Dylan and Neil Young and collaboratively performing in Lilith Fair. By 1997, she was selling out 15,000-seat arenas. Her press and promotional schedule was so rigorous, she appeared in over one hundred magazines and newspapers and several TV talk shows. Most notable was her appearance on the cover of Time Magazine. However far from San Diego, she still kept her friendships close. Steve Poltz opened for her several times and Jewel and Steve occasionally performed their favorite songs together.

Her Organization: Higher Ground for Humanity

A note from Lenedra Caroll, Jewel’s mother:

“In 1993, before beginning her musical career, Jewel and I had a series of important discussions that clarified our mutual desire to make a difference. These discussions united us in a creative partnership to be of service to humanity and laid the foundation for the development of Jewel's career. Our partnership encompasses the philosophical, ethical, and spiritual covenant that is an integral part of our lives and work. Higher Ground for Humanity (HGH) is the non-profit, humanitarian foundation that has grown out of our partnership.

In the spirit of giving back to the global community which provides us with such abundance, we choose to advocate values and principles that improve the human condition and foster the positive spiritual evolution of human awareness and action. We commit ourselves to inspiring, supporting and empowering new possibilities for humanity. In order to identify and develop these possibilities, we established Higher Ground for Humanity. HGH's vision is to facilitate the ongoing discovery of what it means to be human in the highest sense ... and how to be that.

I feel that the opportunity of our times is for each one of us to understand, at a very personal level, that we can have a profound impact on the world in which we live. The greatest possibilities for the transformation of the challenges that face our world exist in the fabric of our lives. If we can learn to become our prayers and hopes, expressing them in our daily interactions, then together we can create a more peaceful and loving world.” 

• Our Vision: To help create a world in which clean, safe water is available for everyone.

• We accomplish this vision by: – educating the public, – providing solutions to areas in need, – building alliances with like-minded organizations,

governments and communities, and – creating long-term success by honoring local cultures

and facilitating community involvement and ownership.

““What What we call we call human human nature is nature is actually actually human human habit.”habit.”

"I am very dedicated to using whatever influence I can to improve qualities of lives, because somebody took an interest and know success will come and go. I just want to keep being able to live with myself ... I want to live bravely before I die.”

“In the end, only kindness matters.”

“Be the difference that makes a difference.”