JEWEL, Abravanel Hall, Aug. 24, one performance.
Turns out, Jewel wrote "You Were Meant For Me" just after participating in a drug bust in northern Mexico.
The singer/songwriter told fans in Abravanel Hall Saturday night that she and friend Steve Poltz found themselves completely lost, spent the night in an abandoned shack and the next morning were invited on a pleasure-cruise-turned-drug bust with four Mexican "Federales."
For officials, the result was 1,000 pounds of marijuana, and for Jewel it was a song that helped skyrocket her to stardom. "I wish I had the picture to prove to you guys that I'm not just lying," Jewel told the laughing crowd.
Jewel was in Salt Lake City in support of her newest album, "This Way," in the middle of five straight nights of concerts — coming from Montana and then heading on to Wyoming.
Fans at the concert enjoyed Jewel's gregarious banter at least as much as they did her music.
Her introduction to "Race Car Driver" was among many crowd favorites. Apparently, one time when Jewel's car broke down, a man offered to take her to the gas station, and after some friendly chatting, he asked the singer if he could see what was under her blouse. "He said it kind of like, 'You know, do you have the time?' "
Jewel declined the offer and eventually got out of the car unscathed. "But I wrote a song," she said coyly, to raucous applause.
Jewel stood alone onstage for 2 1/2 hours with only three guitars and a floral arrangement to keep her company, and she was absolutely enchanting.
Her almost unbelievably versatile voice fluctuated effortlessly between sweet crooning, belting high notes and coy whispers.
The woman even yodeled.
And as fans begged for more, Jewel kept doling it out.
She played a lot of her big hits — "Break Me," "Foolish Games," "Who Will Save Your Soul?" and "Hands" among them.
But it was the lesser-known songs that really made the show, such as "Cold Song," "A Boy Needs a Bike" and "Studies in Love No. 12."
Between encore numbers, Jewel paused then said quietly, "It really is a dream come true to be able to play music for people. Thank you for coming."
It was our pleasure.
E-MAIL: kwhitley@desnews.com