Before the on-line chat with Joan on the internet, Joan sat with Jon Fox (MediaCast), Bruce (her Publicist), Matthew (our digital photographer for this site), and me (Laura a writer with JetPack Digital Media), around a small round table in the backstage area downstairs at the Warfield club.

Jon Fox and I shared our experiences of being out front in the crowd and interviewing the fans waiting in line, especially the outbursts we recorded with Michael, the "ultimate" fan. She said it was interesting the way the people at her shows range all age groups and then she talked about how one fan almost stopped a show recently with her shoutings in the front row of, "I love you!"

Jon fox asked when Joan could have found the time to get to India and Joan said she had gone last December. Jon had just gotten back from there himself. They talked about how beautiful the Taj Mahal was and she said she'd spent about six hours there wandering the grounds. Joan said she'd wish she'd gone out of New Dehli more, but she was there with her vocal coach to focus on vocal technique.

I told her how great it was that her career just sort of happened and she said it would of probably not have happened any other way. She said she just started to become "obsessed" with music, listening to it, singing and buying records. Then she went inside a small room to do her internet chat. I must say, Joan is just as lovely, if not more so, in person than as how we see her in the media. Her face is radiant, her complexion flawless, and her sincerity and warmth continuously shines.

Dressed in a Spearhead t-shirt, jeans, wool socks and sandals, Joan Osborne was the epitomy of comfort and cool as she strolled into the room for a chat with her fans. Much prettier in person, Osborne had on little makeup, and her trademark locks sat in a messy ball on her shoulders.

Sitting on one knee, Osborne seemed completely at ease as she waited for the interview to begin. Bruce, from Mercury Records, sat in the corner just to watch and do the record-company 'just-making-sure-everything's OK' thing. ATN Exec-VP and MediaCast co-founder Jon Luini sat at the computer, typing the interview between Joan and I. Equipped with my own questions as well as ones sent to me by Osborne's fans, I sat opposite of her, nervous at the realization that I was face to face with this mega-successful pop star.

But Osborne's easy-going banter and friendly gestures put me and the others in the room at ease. Osborne answered the questions carefully, taking her time with every one. As time was running out, Osborne requested to see my list of questions, picking out a few more to answer before she took some from fans that anxiously awaited online.

Osborne took great interest in the fan's questions, leaning over Jon's shoulder to read the comments and questions. She laughed at some, surprised at their detail. But like a pro, Osborne answered each one with personal care and concern. "What is your favorite blues' song?" asked one fan. Osborne sat, paused as she ran her fingers through her hair and thought. She would tackle even a question as general as this one, rather than brush it off as one too hard to answer.

Osborne seemed to throughly enjoy the chat, even recognizing some of her fans' online names as she reads much of the fan mail she gets online. The following is the transcript of the interview and chat in full.