Shocking Loss in the Music Industry
The music industry was shocked this week when the groundbreaking singer-songwriter Jill Sobule died on Thursday at the age of 66 in a house fire outside of Minneapolis. Sobule, known for her political activism, broke through with songs like "I Kissed a Girl" and "Supermodel" in the 90s. The former was the first open gay song to crack the top 20 in the Billboard charts. The latter was presented in the film "Unsuspicious" in 1995.
A Tribute from a Close Friend
Among the many shocked friends is Michelle Lewis, a long-time friend and CEO of the Songwriters of North America (SONA). Lewis and Sobule often wrote together since they met in the mid-2000s. She was supposed to see Sobule shortly before she heard the news of Sobule’s death, as Sobule was to stay in Lewis’ house in Los Angeles next week when she came to the city. Lewis says that "she was unable to move a shock" because she is still getting away with what happened. "She was a figure anywhere, just magical," she says.
A Unique Artist
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Lewis describes her girlfriend as a unique writer who was only driven by her own creative expression a day after Sobule’s death, and as a nomadic artist who lived her life free. Jill was definitely not like someone they ever met. I know that you are a cliché that you hear all of these things, how it marches about the marching drum. But when I say that she is the only one of her kind, I literally mean the only person like her.
Her Carefree Spirit
It not only played in her music and songs, but also in the way she lived her life. She was vagabond. It did not plant any roots. They never knew whether she was in New York or LA or on tour, and that is the charm of her. She filled the room with this whirlwind. Every single call or text by Jill had the potential for an adventure. I never said no. Every time she asked me to do something, I knew that there would be an adventure, so I always said yes, even if I was pregnant with my son.
Adventures and Collaborations
Lewis recalls the many adventures she had with Sobule, including writing a song for Ariana Huffington’s book publication that would include the raps of Ariana Huffington. The book was called "Correct is Wrong" and was about how the right wing of politics tended to be wrong. They wrote this song for this title with a rap from Ariana in the middle. Ariana came to Lewis’ home studio to record the rap, and for the actual book publication, they landed on a private jet to Larry Ellison’s house in San Francisco to perform the song with Ariana ahead of Nancy Pelosi.
A True Original
She was never a name. It hasn’t moved in any way. It completely overcame one of these bullshit parts of celebrity and only floated over it. People like Kara Swisher loved her. She was a key player without being a player. She was like a lesbian mafia. It was like a muse of a political movement and really satirized the more ridiculous things over the right wing. As a songwriter, she was inspiring, but also brought it with her. It was an inspiration for ideas, but never huge or overwhelming.
A Lasting Legacy
Lewis hopes that people will rediscover and appreciate Sobule’s songwriting brilliance. She was magical. Her legacy will live on through her music and the many lives she touched. Despite all the personality, the humor of her persona, including, was this songwriting brilliance, which I really hope that they really discover, rediscover and really appreciate people. She was a true original, and her loss will be deeply felt in the music industry and beyond.
