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Kathryn Dawn Lang is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress popularly known by her stage name K.D. Lang. She is also widely known for being an animal, gays, and Tibetan human rights activist. One doesn’t just get to win the prestigious Juno and Grammy awards for being average. K.D. Lang possesses very exceptional vocal prowess which earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1989.
Her music fuses together a blend of genres like country-rock, pop, folk, and jazz. With over 25 years in the business of music, she has attracted the interest of many record label like Warner Bros. Records, Bumstead, Sire, Nonesuch and Elektra Records to mention but a few. Read on to learn more about K.D. Lang below.
K.D. Lang Biography
K.D. Lang is of Canadian descent with English, Irish, Scottish, German, Russian-Jewish, Icelandic and Sioux ancestry. She was born on the 2nd of November 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada to Audrey Bebee and Adam Frederick Lang. Her birth name is Kathryn Dawn Lang and she has three known older siblings; two sisters and a brother. Not so much has been said about where she had her elementary and secondary school education except the fact that she attended secondary school in Consort, Alberta. As for her college education, Lang enrolled at Red Deer College. She started leaning towards music while she was in college due to a certain kind of attraction to the music of Patsy Cline.
In 1983, she formed a band with the help of co-songwriter and guitarist, Ben Mink, and it was called ‘the Reclines’ in honor of Patsy Cline. Two years later following the successful recording and releases of two albums, ‘Friday Dance Promenade’ and ‘A Truly Western Experience’, she won a Juno award for ‘Most Promising Female Vocalist’.
This was a major breakthrough for the musician who kicked off her career in the 1980s as a country singer. Though K.D. Lang started as a country singer, it didn’t take her long to let go of the genre and embrace the paths of an adult contemporary singer. She broke into the United States musical scene shortly after signing a label deal with Sire Records, an American record outfit in Nashville Tennessee, in 1986.
The four-time Grammy award winner has done some collaboration, in the studio and on stage, with other pop and country musicians notably amongst them are Elton John, Anne Murray, Ann Wilson, Jane Siberry, Bonnie Raitt, and veteran performer . She has also recorded songs for movie soundtracks and has performed at two winter Olympics; 1988 Winter Olympics closing ceremony in Calgary, Alberta and 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Vancouver, British Columbia singing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”.
In 1996, K.D. Lang was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. Several years later (in 2013), she was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. She has been described as one of the most accomplished Canadian singer-songwriters of all time. K.D Lang is also a recipient of MTV Video Award and American Music Award.
Interesting Facts To Know About The Singer
1. In June 1992, K.D. Lang declared in an interview with ‘The Advocate’ just before the release of her fourth album that she was a lesbian. Her award-winning hit song ‘Constant Craving’ is widely referred to as a gay anthem. She said she realized she was a lesbian when she was just 5 years but came out to herself at the age of 13. She is also a gay rights activist.
2. She is a vegetarian. This has caused lots of controversy in her home province of Alberta which is a meat-driven province. She had to cancel a show once after being threatened by beef farmers to block the show entrance with farm machinery.
3. The musician has admitted to often being mistaken for a man. Considering her short hair and every other thing, you’d take her for a male too. K.D. Lang has the looks and physical appearance of men with a masculine fashion style.
4. Did you know that apart from her interests in music, she had similar interests in athletics playing volleyball and has been previously ranked 8th at the national level for Javelin Throw? Her love for athletics made her accept two invitations to perform at 1998 and 2010 winter Olympics.
5. She discovered a passion for acting in college although she went there with intention of studying music.
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Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.