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k.d. lang

Canadian k.d. lang began her career as a cheeky country chanteuse and has

since morphed into a politically outspoken adult-contemporary torch singer.

Kathryn Dawn Lang was born November 2, 1961, in rural Consort, Alberta.

She showed an interest in singing at age 5 and performed at weddings during

her teens.

At first, lang liked rock and classical music, but she fell in love with

country while playing a character in a college play based on legendary

singer Patsy Cline. After answering a 1982 Edmonton newspaper ad for a

singer, lang joined the Reclines, with whom she toured Canada for two

years.

She recorded her first album, A Truly Western Experience, on the

Canadian indie-label Bumstead. She began to attract attention for her

emotional live performances and was signed by Sire Records. Roots rocker

Dave Edmunds produced lang and the Reclines' Angel With a Lariat

(1987), including "Three Cigarettes in an Ashtray." That same year, lang

teamed up with legendary rocker Roy Orbison for her cover of his 1961 hit

"Crying."

Shadowland (1988) was lang's homage to country's famous female

singers. It was produced by Cline's musical partner Owen Bradley and

featured appearances by Loretta Lynn and Brenda Lee. The LP also featured

Chris Isaak's "Western Stars."

Absolute Torch and Twang won lang the 1989 Grammy Award for Best

Female Country Vocal Performance and featured "Full Moon of Love" and

"Big Boned Gal." She went public with her vegetarianism the following

year and received much media attention. Soon after, she declared her

lesbianism to "The Advocate" magazine.

Ingenue, released in 1992, remains lang's most popular LP. It

featured the hit "Constant Craving," which she co-wrote with her guitarist,

Ben Mink. The song won lang another Grammy and was later partially

appropriated by the Rolling Stones for the melody to their song "Anybody

Seen My Baby?" Ingenue also included the hit "Miss Chatelaine,"

"Wash Me Clean" and "The Mind of Love."

The next project for lang was the soundtrack to Gus Van Sant's film "Even

Cowgirls Get the Blues." The pop-heavy All You Can Eat (1995)

featured "Sexuality," "You're OK" and "I Want It All."

Drag (1997) included a cover of the Steve Miller Band's "The Joker,"

"Theme From the Valley of the Dolls," the '40s pop tune "Smoke Dreams"

and "Don't Smoke in Bed."

Earlier this year, lang contributed "Fado Hilario" (RealAudio

excerpt) to Red Hot & Lisbon — Onda Sonora, benefiting

AIDS education.

A new album from lang is due mid-2000.

Other birthdays on Tuesday: Earl "Speedo" Carroll (Cadillacs), 62; David

"Jay" Black (Jay & the Americans), 58; Bruce Welch (Shadows), 58; J.D.

Souther, 54; Len "Chip" Hawkes (Tremeloes), 53; Dave Pegg (Jethro Tull,

Fairport Convention), 52; Rick Gooch (Quarterflash), 51; Maxine Nightengale,

47; Carter Beauford (Dave Matthews Band), 42; Bobby Dall (Poison), 36;

Alvin Chea (Take 6), 32; Dominique Durand (Ivy), 32.

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