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.