
Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter Janis Ian's memoir of her more than forty years in the music business. Janis Ian was catapulted into the spotlight in 1966 at the age of fifteen when her soul-wrenching song "Society's Child" became a national hit. 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 matter. But this was only the beginning of a long and illustrious career. In this fascinating memoir of her life in the music business, Ian chronicles how she did drugs with Jimi Hendrix, went shopping for Grammy clothes with Janis Joplin, and sang with Mel Tormé all the while never ceasing to create unforgettable music. In Society's Child, Ian shares with readers what it felt like to move in and out of the public eye. In 1975 her legendary song "At Seventeen" earned two Grammy awards and five nominations. But during the 1980s she made a conscious decision to walk away from the often grueling music business to study ballet and acting. She also struggled through a difficult marriage that ended with her then husband's threat to kill her. The hiatus from music lasted for nearly a decade until, in 1993, Ian returned with the release of Breaking Silence. Rather than risk losing artistic control, she took out a second mortgage on her home to fund the record. It paid off as Breaking Silence gained Ian her ninth Grammy nomination. Now in her fifth decade, Ian continues to draw large audiences around the globe. Janis Ian has inspired generations of fans and in this moving book she shares the fascinating story of her life in music.
Author

I was was born April 7, 1951, a month and day shared with Billie Holiday. Wrote my first song at 12, was published at 13, made a record at 14, had a hit at 15, and was a has-been at 16. I took a break for 3 years shortly thereafter, and moved to Philadelphia to write and find out if I really could be a great songwriter. "Came back" in 1973 with an album called Stars, and was fortunate enough to have a second career. I've been lucky enough to have ten Grammy nominations in eight different categories, and two Grammys - most recently for the spoken word edition of my autobiography, "Society's Child". I love writing - articles, speeches, stories, songs, books. I love reading. For years, my fans brought me used books on tour in lieu of flowers or jewelry. I'm 63 going on 64 and thinking about "retirement", trying to call it "transitioning" instead. Less time on the road, more time to write. If you want to reach me please email through the contacts page of my website (below). I don't check email on Goodreads very often! Thanks for reading. Janis