Ian, Janis (1951–)

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Ian, Janis (1951–)

American folksinger and songwriter. Born Janis Eddy Fink, April 7, 1951, in New York, NY; m. Peter Cunningham (photojournalist), late 1960s); m. Tino Sargo (Portuguese writer), 1978 (sep. 1983, div. 1988); m. Patricia Snyder, 2003.

Known for forth-right lyrics dealing with difficult topics, began composing songs as a student; scored 1st hit at 15 with single "Society's Child" (1967), a tale of interracial love that caused a furor; dropped out of high school during senior year; retired before she was 20; reemerged with albums Present Company (1971) and Stars (1974); had best career year in 1975, releasing album Between the Lines, which included the Grammy-winning single "At Seventeen"; returned from 12-year hiatus with album Breaking Silence (1993); released albums Revenge (1995), Hunger (1997), and God & the FBI (2000), which featured collaborations with Willie Nelson and Chet Akins.