Jewel hoping for country success (Reuters)

DETROIT (Billboard) - Pop singer Jewel is going country,and says she is willing to pay her dues to win acceptance. Shewill release her first country album, "Perfectly Clear," onJune 3, and will hit the road with Brad Paisley, beginning June11 in Albuquerque, N.M.

"I think my fans are going to like Brad because he's asongwriter and a musician; my fans like the real deal," Jewelsaid. "And I think his fans are going to like me. I think it'sa great fit, audience-wise.... I'm expecting it to be a lot offun."

Jewel said she's been a country music fan since she was achild, growing up on a ranch in Alaska, with a father who was"a cowboy listening to very traditional country music."

She said the producers of her previous album often "tookthe twang out of my song arrangements or melodic structures,"and she was looking forward to putting those elements back intoher music. Pop hits such as "You Were Meant For Me" and"Foolish Games" would have been great for country radio, sheadded.

Jewel is slated to join Paisley for 36 dates, with the tourconcluding October 18 in Selma, Texas.

Reuters/Billboard