Jan Krist

Detroit born singer-songwriter Jan Krist was raised on rock, and schooled in the folk of the 60’s and 70’s. Today, Krist’s work reflects the power and poetry of having matured as an artist in that place and time. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, Jan performed her songs in pubs, churches, cafes, and coffeehouses.

In 1992 she became a Kerrville New Folk Finalist, opened for the Ann Arbor Folk Fest, and signed a record deal with Rex Records. After releasing 2 CDs on REX she moved to Silent Planet Records, where she released four more CDs.

In 1996 Jan, along with her husband, Alan Finkbeiner founded their own record label, Outpost Records, and built their own recording studio, Outpost Studios. Jan has gone on to write and release 5 more solo records, 2 duo records (with Jim Bizer), and 1 EP with her band, Diamond’s in the Rust. She has also placed 8 songs on 4 different Yellow Room Gang compilations.

In 2004 Jan, along with David Tamulevich, started a writers collective which they dubbed the Yellow Room Gang, named for the bright yellow walls of David Tamulevich’s living room. The note worthy writers have continued to meet monthly for dinner and song critique for over 20 years now.

In the 90”s and early 2000’s Jans work met with an enormous amount of critical success; receiving five stellar reviews in Billboard Magazine, a spot on the “All Time Top 100 Albums” list in CCM Magazine, kudos from Entertainment Weekly, two spots as a finalist at the Kerrville Songwriting Competition, and five Detroit Metro Music Awards.

In 2007 Jan and her husband Alan moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she studied fine art, and received her BFA from Indiana Purdue University Fort Wayne, IPFW. While in Indiana Jan spent three years as an art and music instructor for developmentally disabled adults, and spent five years as a member of Fort Wayne’s inaugural Public Arts Commission, all while continuing to write, record and play. When Alan retired, in 2023, they decided to leave Indiana, and head home, to Michigan. Jan and Alan now live in South Lyon, Michigan, along with their their puppy mill rescue, a small Cocker Spaniel named Mabel. Jan is currently writing and illustrating a children’s book about Mabel, and the struggles of a puppy mill survivor.

Jan and Alan recently produced and released Jan’s 10th solo album, “Since You Asked me”. The album was recorded at their home studio, Outpost Studios and is available at jankristmusic.com, and music streaming services everywhere. Krist performs as a solo artist, in a duo with Jim Bizer, and as part of Midwest “super group”, Diamonds in the Rust, comprised of Alan Finkbeiner, Jim Bizer, Annie and Rod Capps, and Jan Krist.