k.d. lang OC (without capital letters; real name Kathryn Dawn Lang) (born November 2, 1961) is a Canadian singer and songwriter.

She was born in Consort, Alberta, Canada. Singing at country and western venues in her homeland, she made several recordings that received good reviews and earned a 1985 Canadian Juno Award for "Most Promising Female Vocalist".

In 1986 she signed a contract with an American record producer in Nashville, Tennessee and received critical acclaim for her 1987 album, Angel with a Lariat. Her career received a huge boost when rock legend Roy Orbison chose her to record a duet of his standard, "Crying." Instead of being overwhelmed by the power of Orbison's three octave voice, the two blended their tremendous vocal ranges into a riveting collaboration. Later that same year she would sing background vocals with Jennifer Warnes and Bonnie Raitt for Orbison's acclaimed television special, Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night .

k.d. lang won a Grammy Award for "Best Country Vocal Performance, Female" for her 1989 album, Absolute Torch and Twang. The single "Full Moon of Love" that stemmed from that album became a modest hit in the United States in the summer of 1989.

In addition to her musical talents, k.d. lang has championed lesbian causes. Her animal rights vegetarian stands including a "Meat Stinks" campaign has created much controversy, particularly in her hometown in the middle of Alberta's cattle ranching industry.

The album, Ingenue, released in 1992, contained her most popular song, "Constant Craving" that brought her multi-million sales and much critical acclaim.

She contributed much of the music towards Gus van Sant's soundtrack of the movie version of Tom Robbins's Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, and also did a cover of Skylark for the movie version of the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. She also performed Surrender for the closing titles of the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, having previously worked with Bond composer David Arnold on his album Shaken Not Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project.

In 1996 she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada.

Discography

• A Truly Western Experience (1984)
• Angel with a Lariat (1987)
• Shadowland (1988)
• Absolute Torch and Twang (1989)
• Ingenue (1992)
• Even Cowgirls Get The Blues [soundtrack] 1993
• All You Can Eat (1995)
• Drag (1997)
• Invincible Summer (2000) inspired by her relationship with Leisha Hailey
• Live by Request (2001)
• Hymns of the 49th Parallel (2004)

Further reading

• Are You Ready for the Country: Elvis, Dylan, Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock, Peter Dogget, Penguin Books, 2001. ISBN 0-140-26108-7
• Dreaming Out Loud: Garth Brooks, Wynonna Judd, Wade Hayes and the changing face of Nashville, Bruce Feiler, Avon Books, 1998. ISBN 0-380-97578-5

See also

• Academy of Country Music
• List of country musicians
• Country Music Association