A busy, busy couple of weeks! Had a great time with old friends Cheryl Wheeler and Lucy Kaplansky at the annual Clearwater Benefit in Tarrytown. And of course, my sweethearts Tom Paxton and Tom Chapin were there. In fact, it occurred to Debra and me that we could do a tour of "Janis and her Tom Toms" at some point...
<ouch!>
I was also privileged to give the keynote address to the Alabama Librarians Association in Hoover, followed up a week later by two sold out shows with Karla Bonoff at the Hoover Library. What a great idea, to build a beautiful small theater as part of a library! I wish it was like that everywhere...
Pat and I got to see the incredible Lily Tomlin when she performed in Nashville last week. Can't recommend her show highly enough - we laughed, and laughed, and laughed.
AND I just got off the phone with my audiobook editor, and it will be available for download as of June 7th - details and clips to follow!
I'm headed up to Warren Wilson College to give the commencement address this Saturday - imagine, me, the high school dropout, telling graduates how to commence their lives!
The following Monday I'll be having rotator cuff surgery, so I'll be off line for at least four weeks and probably closer to eight. With no wish to offend, let me ask you all not to email me, or Judy, or Debra, with well wishes or questions -- Debra's going on vacation, Judy will have her hands full, and I won't be able to respond. In lieu of get well cards, I'm asking that micro-payments equivalent to the card and stamp be made to the Pearl Foundation through Paypal and our donation buttons on the site. I have a great surgeon, I'm not worried, and I'm actually (don't tell anyone I work with...) looking forward to some peace and quiet. Even physical therapy sounds pretty good compared to how busy I've been these past couple of years!
Most of all, I'm going to start plowing through all the great books I've been wanting to read these past couple of years - on my Kindle, on Pat's iPad, from the library and our fabulous local bookstore, Parnassus. I plan to enjoy myself as much as possible.
So thanks in advance for your well wishes, and for those of you following my "Quote of the Day" on Facebook, Twitter, or my own forums, it's going to be a while, so let me leave you with this:
"After all manner of professors have done their best for us, the place we are to get knowledge is in books. The true university of these days is a collection of books."
~Albert Camus
With all best wishes,
Janis
Pearl Foundation Update
Astonished and grateful to say that the Pearl Foundation has donated $44,000 in scholarship endowments for the year 2020, bringing our grand total to $1,235,500.00 in scholarship funding, with more than 75 graduates to date. Thank you all for your support!
[more]
New Album Hope Now Available!
Hope, a collection of 12 pieces from the Janis Ian Archives, ranging from 1976 to 2011, is now available exclusively in the Janis Ian Store. On sale as a digital album only, most of these tracks have never been heard before. Visit the store for more information and download options!! Hope will be available at other online stores and streaming services sometime after the new year.
[more]
IRS Grants Full Public Status To The Pearl Foundation
As some of you know, the Pearl Foundation began as a "private charity" because it was endowed solely by Janis and her wife Pat. As more people like yourselves contributed, we were able to apply for full public status. We began the process as soon as legally possible, and after years of rigorous oversight and specialized tax consultants (paid for by Janis), we have been granted full public status!
[more]
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All tour dates updated on April 6, 2021
Swannanoa Gathering Fiddle Mando Banjo Week, Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Swannanoa Gathering Fiddle Mando Banjo Week
Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Phone:
Visit the venue's website
Note that Swannanoa is moving online for 2021; for more information, please visit their website.
For the first time, Janis will be giving her 5-day series "A Master Class In Artistry" during each of the Swannanoa Gathering weeks. The final week will also feature a second, more interactive class tentatively titled "War Stories". Time of classes is TBA; please check the website for more information. The 5 day class covers everything from the origins of artists to physicalization, songwriting for profit and not so much, performance, the need to be brave, how to survive as an artist in the modern world, and why bother. Points are illustrated with songs and playing as she takes us on
Swannanoa Gathering Traditional Song Week, Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Swannanoa Gathering Traditional Song Week
Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Phone:
Visit the venue's website
Note that Swannanoa is moving online for 2021; for more information, please visit their website.
For the first time, Janis will be giving her 5-day series "A Master Class In Artistry" during each of the Swannanoa Gathering weeks. Time of her classes is TBA; please check the website for more information. The 5 day class covers everything from the origins of artists to physicalization, songwriting for profit and not so much, performance, the need to be brave, how to survive as an artist in the modern world, and why bother. Points are illustrated with songs and playing as she takes us on a journey that begins with the first caveman to tell a story and continues through the myth of
Swannanoa Gathering Celtic Week, Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Swannanoa Gathering Celtic Week
Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Phone:
Visit the venue's website
Note that Swannanoa is moving online for 2021; for more information, please visit their website.
For the first time, Janis will be giving her 5-day series "A Master Class In Artistry" during each of the Swannanoa Gathering weeks. Time of her classes is TBA; please check the website for more information. The 5 day class covers everything from the origins of artists to physicalization, songwriting for profit and not so much, performance, the need to be brave, how to survive as an artist in the modern world, and why bother. Points are illustrated with songs and playing as she takes us on a journey that begins with the first caveman to tell a story and continues through the myth of
Swannanoa Gathering Old Time Week, Swannanoa, North Carolina,
Swannanoa Gathering Old Time Week
Swannanoa, North Carolina,
Phone:
Visit the venue's website
Note that Swannanoa is moving online for 2021; for more information, please visit their website.
For the first time, Janis will be giving her 5-day series "A Master Class In Artistry" during each of the Swannanoa Gathering weeks. Time of her classes is TBA; please check the website for more information. The 5 day class covers everything from the origins of artists to physicalization, songwriting for profit and not so much, performance, the need to be brave, how to survive as an artist in the modern world, and why bother. Points are illustrated with songs and playing as she takes us on a journey that begins with the first caveman to tell a story and continues through the myth of
Swannanoa Gathering Cont. Folk & Guitar Week, Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Swannanoa Gathering Cont. Folk & Guitar Week
Swannanoa, North Carolina, USA
Phone: N/A
Visit the venue's website
Note that Swannanoa is moving online for 2021; for more information, please visit their website.
For the first time, Janis will be giving her 5-day series "A Master Class In Artistry" during each of the Swannanoa Gathering weeks. Time of her classes is TBA; please check the website for more information. The 5 day class covers everything from the origins of artists to physicalization, songwriting for profit and not so much, performance, the need to be brave, how to survive as an artist in the modern world, and why bother. Points are illustrated with songs and playing as she takes us on a journey that begins with the first caveman to tell a story and continues through the myth of the artist as "crazy", the need for silence, and
Shalin Liu, Rockport, MA
Shalin Liu
Rockport, MA
Phone: (978) 546-7391
Visit the venue's website
NEW 2022 DATE TBA. Janis has been hearing about Shalin Liu from friends for more than a decade, and it's taken this long to coordinate schedules so she could do two nights in this prestigious venue. Expect old songs, new songs, stories, and time afterward for hellos and signing whatever you bring or buy! Since she'll be there for two nights, things should get a bit more relaxed than usual - maybe an extra step out guitar solo, or an audience Q&A. Who knows?! We can promise that this ten-time-Grammy-nominee will put on a great show, with plenty of heart and soul. 8 pm show
Shalin Liu, Rockport, MA
Shalin Liu
Rockport, MA
Phone: (978) 546-7391
Visit the venue's website
NEW 2022 DATE TBA. Janis has been hearing about Shalin Liu from friends for more than a decade, and it's taken this long to coordinate schedules so she could do two nights in this prestigious venue. Expect old songs, new songs, stories, and time afterward for hellos and signing whatever you bring or buy! Since she'll be there for two nights, things should get a bit more relaxed than usual - maybe an extra step out guitar solo, or an audience Q&A. Who knows?! We can promise that this ten-time-Grammy-nominee will put on a great show, with plenty of heart and soul. 8 pm start!
The Magnolia, El Cajon, CA
The Magnolia
El Cajon, CA
Phone: 619-651-2004
Visit the venue's website
Solo show. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, April 15th, 2021.
McCabes Guitar Shop, Los Angeles, CA
McCabes Guitar Shop
Los Angeles, CA
Phone: 310-828-4497
Visit the venue's website
Solo show. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, April 15th, 2021.
McCabes Guitar Shop, Los Angeles, CA
McCabes Guitar Shop
Los Angeles, CA
Phone: 310-828-4497
Visit the venue's website
Solo show. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, April 15th, 2021.