Tish Pearlman came to radio from a background in theatre and politics, and her broadcast journalism career has taken her from The Columbia School of Broadcasting to cable TV to public radio. Now she's the host of the WEOS program 'Out of Bounds.' The first of many things that Ms. Pearlman has got going for her as an interviewer is a naturally beautiful, always-conversational voice. It's obvious when you hear interviews, like this one with Janis Ian, that Pearlman is intuitively able to put her guests at ease. This knack, coupled with Pearlman's ability to listen carefully and then flow with the natural tangents of an organic conversation, makes her a rare talent in the interviewing field.

I knew next to nothing about Janis Ian when I listened to this piece, but by the end of it I felt like I had been let in on a very intimate and candid side of the performer.