k.d. lang Facts for Kids

k.d. lang OC AOE
lang in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Kathryn Dawn Lang
Born	(1961-11-02) November 2, 1961 (age 63) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Genres	Country pop folk
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter record producer actress
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1981–present
Labels	Bumstead Sire Warner Bros. Nonesuch Elektra

Signature

Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), who is known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter. She is also sometimes an actress. Lang has won major music awards, including Juno Awards in Canada and Grammy Awards in the United States. Her most famous songs include "Constant Craving" and "Miss Chatelaine".

Lang is known for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice. She has recorded songs for movie soundtracks and has worked with famous musicians like Roy Orbison, Tony Bennett, and Elton John. She famously performed at the closing ceremony of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and sang "Hallelujah" at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Besides music, lang is an activist. She speaks out for animal rights and human rights.

Early Life
Music Career
Film and Television Appearances
Activism and Causes
Honors and Awards
Discography
See also

Early Life

Lang was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. When she was a baby, her family moved to the small town of Consort, Alberta. She grew up on the Canadian prairies with her two older sisters and one older brother.

After high school, lang went to Red Deer College. There, she became very interested in the music of American country singer Patsy Cline. This inspired her to become a professional singer. After graduating in 1982, she moved back to Edmonton to start her music career.

Music Career

Starting with The Reclines

In 1983, lang formed a band to honor Patsy Cline. The band was called the Reclines. They became very popular in Edmonton. Their first album, A Truly Western Experience, was released in 1984 and received great reviews across Canada.

Lang became known for her unique "cowboy punk" style. She wore creative outfits, sometimes sewing plastic cowboys and Indians onto her clothes. In 1985, she won a Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist.

In 1986, lang signed with an American record company in Nashville, Tennessee. Her 1987 album, Angel with a Lariat, was a success. Her final album with the Reclines, Absolute Torch and Twang, won a Grammy Award.

Going Solo and Gaining Fame

Lang decided to style her name in all lowercase letters, like the poet E. E. Cummings.

Her career got a big boost when rock and roll pioneer Roy Orbison asked her to sing a duet of his song "Crying". Their version was a hit and won a Grammy Award in 1989. This success made her very famous in the Canadian country music scene.

In 1988, she performed at the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Calgary. This performance brought her attention from all over the world.

Mainstream Success with 'Ingénue'

In 1992, lang released the album Ingénue. This album had more of a pop sound than her earlier country music. It included her biggest hit, "Constant Craving". The song was a huge success and won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

That same year, lang publicly announced that she was gay. At the time, this was very unusual for a major music star, and some country radio stations in the U.S. stopped playing her music.

Another hit from the album was "Miss Chatelaine". The music video for the song was playful. It showed lang in a very feminine style, which was a joke about how people saw her.

She also received a songwriting credit on the Rolling Stones' 1997 song, "Anybody Seen My Baby?". The chorus sounded very similar to "Constant Craving". The Rolling Stones said they had not heard her song before but gave her credit to be fair. Lang said she was honored.

Later Career and Collaborations

Throughout her career, lang has worked with many other artists. In 2003, she and singer Tony Bennett won a Grammy Award for their album of classic songs, A Wonderful World.

In 2004, she released Hymns of the 49th Parallel. The album featured songs by famous Canadian songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and Leonard Cohen.

On February 12, 2010, she gave a memorable performance of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

In 2016, lang worked with singers Neko Case and Laura Veirs on the album case/lang/veirs. In recent years, lang has said she is "semi-retired" and may not write or record new music.

Film and Television Appearances

lang performing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" at the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony

Lang has appeared in several movies and TV shows. She had a lead role in the 1991 movie Salmonberries and co-starred in Eye of the Beholder (1999).

She has also made guest appearances on TV shows like The Larry Sanders Show, Dharma & Greg, and Ellen. In 2010, she appeared on the show Glee to sing a Christmas song. She also played herself in an episode of How I Met Your Mother in 2013.

Activism and Causes

Lang performing at Hamer Hall in Melbourne, Australia, in 2008

Lang has used her fame to support causes she believes in. She has been a strong supporter of LGBTQ rights since she publicly shared that she was gay in 1992.

She is also a vegetarian and an animal rights activist. In the 1990s, she appeared in a PETA ad campaign with the slogan "Meat Stinks." This caused a lot of controversy, especially in her home province of Alberta, which has a large cattle ranching industry. Some radio stations in Alberta and the American Midwest refused to play her music because of the campaign.

Lang also supports human rights in Tibet. In 2008, she joined protests in Canberra, Australia, during the torch relay for the Beijing Summer Olympics to bring attention to the issue.

Honors and Awards

Lang has received many honors for her music and activism.

In 1996, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest honors.
In 2008, she received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.
In 2013, she was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
In 2018, she was appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence.
In 2024, she was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

Discography

Studio albums

Shadowland (1988)
Ingénue (1992)
All You Can Eat (1995)
Drag (1997)
Invincible Summer (2000)
Hymns of the 49th Parallel (2004)
Watershed (2008)

with The Reclines

A Truly Western Experience (1984)
Angel with a Lariat (1987)
Absolute Torch and Twang (1989)

Collaboration albums

A Wonderful World with Tony Bennett (2002)
Sing It Loud with The Siss Boom Bang (2011)
case/lang/veirs with case/lang/veirs (2016)

k.d. lang facts for kids

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