Folk singer, born May 23, 1974, in Homer, Alaska, to Nedra and Atz Kilcher. Her parents were folk singers who incorporated Jewel into their act at age 6. The family lived in a town in Alaska with a population of 500 and had no running water, toilets or television. Jewel became very friendly with the local Native Americans. She joined her boyfriend's rap group La Crème when she was 14. For her last two years of high school, Jewel traveled to Michigan and the Interlochen Arts Academy where she took arts and music classes. Eventually, she settled in San Diego with her mother and tried to make it as a singer. While living in a van, Jewel played at the Interchange Coffee House and built up a small following. She also met singer/songwriter Steve Poltz and the two collaborated personally and professionally. In 1994, Atlantic Records signed Jewel to a contract and released her debut, Pieces of You, in February, 1995. The album, partly recorded live at the Interchange, was not an immediate success, but both Jewel and her record company kept pushing and she toured incessantly. Sean Penn saw her appearance on a late night talk show, called her and the two dated briefly. Finally, "You Were Meant For Me," written by Jewel and Poltz, became a breakout hit late in 1996 and was MTV viewer's favorite video of the year. Pieces of You went on to sell more than eight million copies and scored several Grammy nominations in 1997. Jewel sang at President Clinton's inauguration in January, 1997 and also sought out acting jobs. She scored a role in Ang Lee's Ride With the Devil (1999), a Civil War drama. Jewel also released a book and audiotape of her poems, A Night Without Armor. In 1998, Jewel released her sophomore album, Spirit. Although critically derided, the album has sold fairly well. Fans appreciate her earnestness and strong singing voice.