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Quick Facts
- NAME: Joan Jett
- OCCUPATION: Singer
- BIRTH DATE: September 22, 1958 (Age: 54)
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- ZODIAC SIGN: Virgo
Best Known For
As frontwoman for The Runaways, Joan Jett became a female pioneer in the male-dominated world of rock music. She is also a songwriter and producer.
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Play NowJoan Jett. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 06:52, May 23, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004.
Joan Jett. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004 [Accessed 23 May 2013].
"Joan Jett." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 23 2013, 06:52 http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004.
"Joan Jett," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004 [accessed May 23, 2013].
"Joan Jett," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004 (accessed May 23, 2013).
Joan Jett [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 23] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004.
Joan Jett, http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004 (last visited May 23, 2013).
Joan Jett. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/joan-jett-531004. Accessed May 23, 2013.
In 1999, Jett released Fetish, which featured a mix of old and new material. She took a long break between full studio efforts as she faced difficulties with her record company. Her next full studio album was 2004's Naked, quickly followed by 2006's Sinner, both of which she released through her own record label. Sinner marked a change in direction for Jett. The song "Riddles" was her first political song, which she wrote as "a commentary on the state of our country,
Contents
" she explained in Interview magazine.
New Directions
In recent years, Jett has had her music featured in several films and TV series, including The Runaways, Baby Mama and Shrek. Still, Jett continues to tour extensively and plays a variety of gigs. "I love playing fairs. I think they're great, because you get out and you see America. We always have wonderful, very boisterous crowds. You see families; you see lots of kids. And it's great," she said.
Jett has also taken an active part in signing bands to her record label. "We made Blackheart Records what we wanted it to be," Jett said. "It's a place where girls can feel comfortable to be—both in a work environment and on an artistic level." Current acts with Blackheart Records include Girl in a Coma and the Dollyrots.
In the film world, Jett has played an important role in the biopic The Runaways, a film based on Cherie Currie's biography Neon Angel: The Cherie Currie Story. She served as an executive producer on the project, and assisted actress Kristen Stewart with her portrayal of Jett. Jett gave the actress audio tapes from when she was 14 years old, which were meant to help Stewart capture Jett's distinct accent—"a combination of Maryland–East Coast–Philadelphia slang," Jett said. The two also spent a lot of time together. "I was there to be a resource for Kristen. She watched me a lot—the way I spoke . . . the way I moved in space, everything," she explained.
While away from work, Jett devotes much of her time to social causes. She is active with Farm Sanctuary, an animal protection organization. Jett is also a vegetarian, but says her "goal is to be vegan. It helps the animals and the earth." Jett is also a spokesperson for PETA and a
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