Janis Ian helps wrap up 2013 Annual Conference and rev up for 2014 Midwinter Meeting

CHICAGO - Two-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Janis Ian will be helping 2013 Annual Conference attendees wrap up in Chicago and rev up for 2014 Midwinter Meeting in Philadelphia. Ian appears as part of Wrap Up/Rev Up from 2 p.m. - 3 p.m. on Monday, July 1 in McCormick Place S100.

"Libraries and librarians saved my life, truly, and I would not be the person, or writer, I am without them," said Ian, who started playing the piano at age 2 and is now in her fifth decade of writing songs (and other poetry and prose) and performing. Her most recent triumph was beating out President Bill Clinton, First Lady Michelle Obama, Rachel Maddow and Ellen DeGeneres for the 2013 Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for her audiobook “Society’s Child.” In her acceptance speech, she said, “We artists are the last alchemists, pulling your dreams, your hopes, your deepest desires out of thin air, and turning them into something you can hear, and play, and sing.”

Since she released her first album in 1967 at age 16 and got her first of nine Grammy nominations, Ian’s career has included numerous highlights, awards, gold and platinum albums, global chart-toppers and albums inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. She has also endured some stormy times and says of her early career, “I wrote my first song at 12. Was published at 13. Made a record at 14, had a hit at 15, and was a has-been at 16.” She was the musical guest on the very first episode of “Saturday Night Live,” studied theater with Stella Adler and is also a published writer. Following the success of her autobiography, she is expanding her literary horizons with a children’s book based on her song, “The Tiny Mouse” (Lemniscaat Publishing, Fall 2013). Her music now appears on her own label, Rude Girl Records.

Attendees can start Wrap Up/Rev Up celebrations any time on Monday in the Exhibit Hall with discount sales and special giveaways in exhibitors’ booths.

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