Singer-songwriter Jewel to perform in Naperville

Singer-songwriter Jewel will perform and discuss her new memoir, “Never Broken,” during an appearance later this month on the campus of Naperville's North Central College.

Her appearance is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, in Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave. The program is sponsored by Anderson's Bookshop and tickets will be available with the purchase of the new book at the store, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., in downtown Naperville. For details, call (630) 355-2665 or visit www.andersonsbookshop.com.

Already a best-selling poet, Jewel's new book explores her unconventional upbringing and extraordinary life in a memoir that stretches from her childhood to her career, marriage and motherhood.

Jewel's first album, “Pieces of You,” rose to the top of the charts in 1995 and she since has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. Her latest album is called “Picking Up The Pieces.”

She learned to yodel when she was 5 years old living on a homestead in Alaska and joined her parents' entertainment act, working in hotels, honky-tonks, and biker bars. But she also was dealing with instability, abuse and trauma and by 15 had moved out and soon was accepted by the Iterlochen Arts Academy in Michigan where she began writing her own songs.

She was 18 and homeless in San Diego when a radio DJ aired a bootleg version of one of her songs and by 21 her debut album had gone multiplatinum.

Since then she has received four Grammy Award nominations. She is the founder of Project Clean Water, and author of the best-seller “A Night Without Armor: Poems,” as well as two books for children. She lives in Tennessee and Colorado with her son.