Janis ian is a survivor, and her book is an illuminating and inspiring read. April 7, 1951 is an american singersongwriter who was most commercially successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her songs at 17 and society s child are in the grammy hall of fame. The book is simply superb, it is full of highs and lows, choices both good and bad and some what the. Janis ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at the age of fifteen when her soulwrenching song society s child became a national hit. In 20 she won the grammy award for best spoken word album for. She wrote societys child, her first hit, fifty years ago, at the age of fourteen.
Its lyrics were centered on the thentaboo subject of interracial romance. An intimate portrait of an interracial relationship, society s child climbed the charts despite the fact that many radio stations across the country refused to play it because of its controversial subject. Grammy award winning singer and songwriter janis ians memoir of h. Janis ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at the age of fifteen, when her. Janis ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at age fifteen, when her soulwrenching song about an interracial relationship, societys child, became a hit. Janis ian tickets the tin pan richmond, va august 9th. Anne mccaffrey janis ian is at once largerthanlife and excruciatingly human. The song climbed the charts despite the fact that many radio stations across the country refused to play it because of its controversial subject matter. Bursting upon the scene in with the grammy hall of fame song society s child during the turbulent sixties, continuing through her reemergence with the grammywinning record of at seventeen, right up to her presentday work with artists like willie nelson, society s child.
Janis ian is songwriter, performer, and author with 9 grammy nominations. Sign up for news about books, authors, and more from penguin random house. Societys child, or baby ive been thinking, was a song written, composed, and recorded in 1965 by janis ian. This was very controversial subject matter in the 60s. Ian was years of age when she was motivated to write and compose the. Each chapter begins with an evocative lyric, and in this audio, read and sung by ian, listeners are thrust into the moment. Winner of the 20 grammy for best spoken word album janis ian was catapulted into the. Grammy winner audie winner her mesmerizing memoir transports us back in time with both words and music. The last in a series of 3 unreleased cds singersongwriter ian created specifically to benefit. Janis ian american songwriter, singer, musician, author and multiple grammywinning writer of at 17, jesse and society s child.