Gone Country: Jewel on Nashville

The L.A. Times ran a thoughtful piece a few days ago on pop-to-country star Jewel, whose new country record Perfectly Clear is out on June 3, and who has sold a record a staggering "every 15 seconds, 24 hours a day, for 13 years."

There are subtle suggestions that Jewel, who turned 34 on Friday, has entered a new and strange world. She released two versions of "Stronger Women," for instance—one using the word "horny" and another using "frisky"—to ensure that she wouldn't ruffle any of Nashville's conservative feathers. Still, she said, this feels like home. And those who will see her transition as some sort of career overhaul or reinvention—and she's been accused of all of that before—haven't been paying attention, she said.

"I've always loved this town," she said. "You can throw a rock and hit somebody in the head who is more talented than you."

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