Fish out of water

Talking to Jenn Cristy is like talking to any other 25-year-old. Still working on completing her degree, it would be easy to assume that, like most 20-somethings, she hasn't really decided on her future. However, with a John Mellencamp tour and a solo album on her resumé, this former IU alumna has more options than the average 20-something.\nWhen Cristy came to IU in 1997, she seemed destined for greatness as an athlete. She was awarded a full swimming scholarship and though she applied and was accepted to IU's competitive music school as a piano performance major, she devoted a majority of her time to swimming. \n"That was my passion at the time so I let music go in the background for a while. You can always go back to music, but your body eventually gives out," Cristy said.\nEventually, swimming seemed to overshadow her music completely. She changed her major to physical education and set her sights on Olympic glory. Then, after singing the national anthem at an IU basketball game in 2001, opportunity knocked on her door in the form of John Mellencamp. To Cristy's complete surprise, he wanted her to join his band.\n"To be honest, I'm from Tennessee so at first I wasn't even sure who he was. When I found out I was shocked. I used to sing 'Wild Nights' in the shower in high school," Cristy said.\nIn an instant, Cristy's plans for the future shifted from swimming to music.\n"(Swimming) was something that I considered (for the future) until I got hired by Mellencamp. Then I thought, 'Well, I guess I'm going to be a singer,'" Cristy said.\nThe amazing thing about her story is that Cristy didn't consider herself a singer until Mellencamp called. She was a pianist and a swimmer, but her singing experience was limited to the shower and other informal venues.\n"I didn't sing unless I was in church choir. I never saw myself as a singer until Mellencamp hired me," Cristy said. "I didn't believe I was a part of his band until we were on the tour bus. I thought it was all a hoax."\nCristy says touring with Mellencamp was an "eye opener."\n"I had never been to a concert and I had never worked with pros in the studio. I learned so much from the band members about presence and how to come across to (audiences). If you're having a bad day you leave it at home. You're a performer. You're supposed to reach people in ways they can't be reached every day," Cristy said.\nFour years later, the lessons she learned while touring with Mellencamp seem to be paying off. Cristy is working to promote her debut solo CD, Becoming. The release party, which was held at Second Story on Friday, January 21, was a rousing success.\n"(It was) incredible. I really didn't think it was going to be that awesome. Close to 150 people came out. I made sure to get 100 CDs by the CD release and we don't have any left," Cristy said. "My CDs are actually on back order, which is amazing."\nWhile Cristy would love to focus all of her energy on her music, other commitments in her life including her husband, Ben, her daughter, April, and a number of students she gives private music lessons to, make juggling everything a struggle. She says her family is what keeps her sane.\n"My husband is really supportive. He's amazing. He took the day off Friday (for the CD release party) to make sure that I didn't go crazy," Cristy said.\nShe is passionate about teaching and says it has actually been beneficial to her music career.\n"The teaching part is actually pretty easy because it's good practice for me. I have a couple piano students, a guitar student and about 24 voice students," Cristy says. "I love teaching. I want these kids, especially the ones who are looking way down the road, to get to experience what I do."\nIt is also important to Cristy that young people and college students are exposed to original music.\n"Around here college kids want to listen to cover bands, which I think is great. Whatever excites people about music is a great thing. But there's a lot of great original, local bands that I don't think they're exposed to," Cristy said.\nCristy's experiences working with youth have also made her sensitive to the struggles of young people. She hopes that she can reach them through her songwriting.\n"I have a song called, "Cinderella" about self-image. I try to emphasize to kids that they can be themselves," Cristy says. "I have a whole bunch of students and I try to make sure they know you can wear sweat pants, you don't have to wear makeup and it's OK to wear your hair down."\nWife, mother, singer, songwriter, teacher ... with all of these titles, Cristy says it's been challenging to keep swimmer on the list. Aside from her lack of time, she says sometimes it's difficult to be involved in swimming without some element of regret.\n"I coached the last two years at (Bloomington High School) North because my husband is the diving coach, but by the time the Olympics came around I decided I needed to let it go for a while," Cristy said. "It was the first time that I hadn't been working toward (being an Olympic swimmer)." \nCristy watched the Olympic time trials and said part of her wondered if she should have kept training.\n"As much as I love it, I do not get into the water anymore. It's too awkward," she said.\nWith more than 200 songs in her catalog, Cristy is an accomplished songwriter. However, she stresses that she's a performer first and foremost.\n"I just want to play. Even if I'm playing in front of 10 people it's really cool," Cristy said. "You're playing your songs and people are listening to your music and enjoying it."\nCristy currently lives in Bloomington with her family and plays a number of local venues regularly. Her Web site, www.jenncristy.com, includes a complete calender of future shows. She will be part of the Tsunami Relief Benefit Show at 7 p.m. tonight at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Tickets are $10 and all proceeds will go to the American Red Cross.\n"I've seen all these fundraisers on TV and I wanted to do something," Cristy said. "Those people, I could not imagine being in their situations. So many lives were lost. It's for the greatest cause in the world: giving someone hope."\nCristy is currently working with venues in Indianapolis and Chicago for possible shows and hopes to organize a tour, even if she isn't headlining.\n"I would love to open up for someone (on tour)," Cristy said. "I just want to play for different crowds and try to build a fan base. I love to perform and I love to sing and I want people to enjoy it"