JEWEL - JEWEL MAKES AMENDS WITH ALASKA

JEWEL MAKES AMENDS WITH ALASKA

Singer JEWEL is reaching out to residents of her native Alaska - urging them to forgive her for cancelling two concerts in the state.
The star has long been the focus of resentment from her fellow Alaskans after she scrapped an appearance at the Alaska State Fair in 1996 and failed to appear at a planned New Year's Eve gig four year later.
Fans in the region have been slow to forgive their famous former resident, but Jewel is preparing to mark her Alaskan comeback with a benefit concert in Homer on Wednesday (19Aug09) to raise money for a local charities, and two nights at Anchorage's Atwood Concert Hall.
And she is urging her fans to let go of their grudge - because she wants her home state to be proud of her.
She says, "I consider myself a product of Alaska. The love and the debt that I feel to my home state - you always want your hometown to be the proudest of you and so it's heartbreaking to hear people say snarky (snide) things."
Jewel's Anchorage shows have yet to sell out, with promoters reporting to have only shifted around half the 4,000 tickets available for the two nights.
Concert organiser Dan Fiacco adds, "Alaskans don't let go of grudges very easily. Also, Anchorage in general is kind of a last-minute market."