Jann Arden (born Jann Arden Anne Richards; March 27, 1962) is an acclaimed and award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter.

Life and career

Arden was born and raised near Calgary, in Springbank, Alberta, and she attended Springbank Community High School. She spent most of the 1980s playing her music in bars and busking. Her breakthrough came with her critically acclaimed 1993 debut album Time for Mercy and her first single "I Would Die For You". Her success grew with 1994's Living Under June, which featured her biggest hit to date outside of Canada, "Insensitive", which was released as a single from the soundtrack to the Christian Slater film Bed of Roses (number 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100). Another single from that same album, "Could I Be Your Girl", has also had significant, and consistent airplay on Canadian adult contemporary radio since its release, and in an unusual move for a Jann Arden song, even featured a dance remix version which circulated on pop radio at the time.

Subsequent albums include 1997's Happy?, 2000's Blood Red Cherry (on which Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo sang backing vocals), and 2003's Love Is the Only Soldier. She also released a greatest hits album, Greatest Hurts, in 2001, and a live album, Jann Arden Live with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (2002). In 2005, she released her eighth album (her sixth album of new material) titled simply Jann Arden.

She also covered Leonard Cohen's "If it be your will..." on the 1995 Cohen tribute album Tower of Song. The song also appears on "Greatest Hurts" and was a b side to the Good Mother Single.

Although Arden's pop-rock songs are known for their sadness and tales of heartache, Arden is paradoxically also known for her gregarious sense of humour. Her personal stories, often involving her close-knit family, have won her great affection among her loyal fan base, and her concerts routinely sell out across Canada. In 1998, respondents to Chart magazine's year-end reader's poll named Arden the Canadian celebrity most deserving of her own talk show. Arden frequently does loving, homespun impersonations of her parents during her shows. As part of her public honesty about her family life, she has revealed that one of her brothers is serving a life sentence in prison, and that her song "Hangin' by a Thread" is dedicated to him.

In December 2006, the first images of a slimmed-down Arden appeared in a photo shoot for Chatelaine magazine, and she revealed that she has recently lost over 50 pounds.

Jann Arden released her ninth album, Uncover Me, on February 6, 2007. This album was her first comprising cover songs exclusively, except for one original piece, "Counterfeit Heart". This was followed by her Uncover Me Tour across Canada during the spring of 2007.

On the weekend of March 24, 2007, Jann Arden was admitted to intensive care for heart related concerns, diagnosed as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a condition commonly associated with acute stress and exhaustion.

She had a 2007 USA Summer tour with Michael Bublé and in 2008 she co-produced the Nashville based Country Crossover group SHeDAISY's latest Album.

In September 2009, Arden released her tenth album, Free, and its first single A Million Miles Away. She is also doing a cross-country Canadian tour, which began in November 2009.

Other projects

• Arden has also written two books of personal reflections and poetry, If I Knew, Don't You Think I'd Tell You, released in 2002 and I'll Tell You One Damn Thing, and That's All I Know in 2004.
• She currently authors a monthly advice column in Elle Canada magazine, and also regularly contributes thoughts, ideas and poems on her personal website.
• Arden was also the owner of a diner in Calgary named The Arden which closed down in April 2005. In 2003 she starred in her own Canadian TV reality show called The Arden Diner, a behind-the-scenes look at a day in the life of the hectic restaurant.
• In 2008, Arden recorded "Angel in the Wings" with Olivia Newton-John, from Olivia's duets album, Olivia Newton-John & Friends, A Celebration in Song. The song peaked at number 28 on the Canadian Singles Adult Contemporary Charts.

Accolades

• 17 top ten singles from eight albums

• Arden has received a total of 19 Juno Award nominations to date. She has won eight of them, including Songwriter of the Year in 1995 and 2002, and Female Artist of the Year in 1995 and 2001.

• She has also won awards at the MuchMusic Video Awards, the Prairie Music Awards, the Western Canadian Music Awards and at the ARIA (Alberta Recording Industry Association) Awards.

• In March 2006, it was announced that she would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.

• In November 2006, Arden received the National Achievement Award from the Society of Composers, Authors, and Music Publishers of Canada for having six singles reach the 100,000 airplay mark on Canadian radio. She was awarded the prize at a gala in Toronto.

• In November 2007, Arden was inducted into the Canadian Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and was the winner of the International Achievement Award at the 2007 Western Canadian Music Awards

Material used in other sources

• "Good Mother", one of Arden's most popular songs, is the final song sung at all of her concert performances. The song has been covered by country singer Terri Clark and Canadian Idol Season 2 runner-up Theresa Sokyrka. It was also featured prominently on episodes of the television series Party of Five and Dawson's Creek.

• Dawson's Creek also featured several other Jann Arden's songs as well, including "You Don't Know Me," "Hangin' By A Thread," "In Your Keeping," "Mend," and "Sleepless".

• Country singer LeAnn Rimes recorded a cover of "Insensitive" for her album Sittin' On Top Of The World in 1998.

Notable Appearances

• She has made a number of charity appearances, including appearances in Africa for World Vision, performing at Live 8 and the MAC Cosmetics Fashion Cares AIDS benefits.

• She appeared in the opening segment of an episode from the sitcom "Ellen" starring Ellen DeGeneres, originally aired on January 8, 1997.

• In 1998, she appeared in a comedic skit with host Jason Priestley to kick off the Juno Award ceremonies held in Vancouver, British Columbia.

• In 2002, she appeared as The Ghost of Christmas Specials Past in The True Meaning of Christmas Specials

• She also appeared in the 2005 Corner Gas episode "Fun Run" and often makes guest appearances on the Rick Mercer Report.

• She has taken part in performances of The Vagina Monologues across Canada.

• She toured with Michael Buble on the U.S. and European legs of his 2005 tour, and is again touring with Michael Buble on his 2007 U.S. tour.

• She sang "O Canada" at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.

• At the 2006 Juno Awards, to counter host Pamela Anderson's on-stage anti-seal hunting rant, Arden generated cheers when she jokingly told the audience that her bra was "made entirely of seal eyelids".

Discography

External links

• Jann Arden's web site
• Arden.html CanConRox entry
• Jann Arden discography
• Jann Arden's entry in the Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
• Jann Arden UK web site
• Audio Interview recorded February 2007