Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 17, 1995 TAG: 9506210070
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: REBECCA THOMAS ORLANDO SENTINEL
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
From striking out on her own in Los Angeles at age 17 and befriending such music legends as Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin to coping with an abusive husband to coming forward with her homosexuality, Ian hasn't had to look far for controversy.
``It's karma,'' she said. ``I'm not meant to have a calm life - I try. Hard.''
In 1981, this meant taking time off from recording - for a decade.
``I had been touring and recording for 11 years,'' the 44-year-old said. ``I just got tired.''
Ian used her hiatus to explore the other side of the arts - acting, theater, ballet.
``All arts are one and the same; it's all the same discipline,'' she said. ``There's not one that's easier or harder. You just find one that you do well and do that.''
When she was convinced that singing and songwriting were really what was right for her, Ian set about working her way back into the industry, taking with her what she learned from experimenting with different fields.
``From acting, I learned to be more careful as a lyricist,'' she said. ``I try not to waste words, time, anger, passion.''
But, as par for her course, her return was yet another struggle. It took several years before anyone took her seriously.
``It was really hard. There were times when I thought I'd go off and become something else, but I couldn't think of anything else I could do. I type well,'' she said with a laugh.
And although she can laugh now, Ian was not amused at the time.
She had landed in Nashville, Tenn., by way of a relationship: ``I was dumped by somebody. I didn't have any money; I was stuck staying there. I guess that's a pretty stupid reason to live there.''
Once there, she had difficulty getting a record deal but had no trouble writing songs for other artists, including Amy Grant and Bette Midler.
Despite hard times, Ian said it never got as personal as many homosexuals might expect.
``Nashville has been great to me,'' she said. ``It's put the lie to everything about the South.'''
In 1992, she was picked up by New York-based Morgan Creek Records and turned out the album, ``Breaking Silence.''
``It got a good reaction but guarded,'' she said. ``There's a whole other generation who has no idea what I did [20 years ago].''
Still, the music industry turned out to be welcoming. In 1993 ``Breaking Silence'' was nominated for a Grammy in the contemporary-folk category - Ian's 10th nomination in her 30-year-plus career.
``It was great,'' the two-time Grammy winner said. ``It was funny because I lost (in 1993) to a good friend of mine, Nanci Griffith, so it was real good.''
Besides her return to music, Ian also became involved - albeit a bit reluctantly - in writing a column, also called ``Breaking Silence,'' for the gay publication The Advocate.
``I was roped into it,'' she said. ``My partner and I went to lunch with the editor. I went to the bathroom, and when I came back, the two of them had worked it all out.''
Ian describes her column as a look at gay people and their lives.
``It's humorous; it's not a threat,'' she said.
Although she has been writing the column for a little over a year, she still hasn't overcome her initial fright. ``It's scary,'' she said. ``I'm in total panic three days a month. I have a newfound respect for journalists.''
In 1995, Ian was back in the studio, this time recording for independent Beacon Records of Los Angeles. The result was ``Revenge,'' which was released in May.
``It's done real good,'' Ian said. ``People aren't used to hearing 12 good songs. It was a lot more fun. I worked with a band I really admired.''
Ian's self-proclaimed ``dream band'' consisted of drummer Steve Gadd, bassist Willie Weeks, pianist Matt Rollings and percussionists Cyro Baptista and Jim Brock.
``It was a really good lesson,'' she said of working with the musicians. ``We recorded it in a month, so it's still real fresh.''
Just because her new material is still fresh in her mind doesn't mean that fans won't be hearing Ian classics.
``I play `At Seventeen' at almost every show,'' she said. ``People [other artists] who don't do that are stupid and greedy. There's an obligation; [fans] are spending a lot of money.''
And even if they weren't spending a lot of money to see her, Ian wouldn't have her life any other way.
``I can't imagine not writing,'' she said.
by CNB