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k.d. lang to receive the Americana Music Association's 2018 Trailblazer Award

k.d. lang
k.d. langJeri Heiden

by Luke Taylor

June 07, 2018

The Americana Music Association announced Thursday that Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang will be the recipient of its 2018 Trailblazer Award.

Born in Edmonton, Alberta, lang is a four-time Grammy Award winner, a five-time Juno Award winner and a two-time GLAAD Media Award winner. Notable among those many accolades is a 1993 Grammy for Best Female Vocal Pop Performance ("Constant Craving"), a 1993 Juno for Best Album (Ingénue) and a 2009 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist. In addition to her seven solo albums and six collaborative releases, lang's music has been incorporated into soundtracks for such films as Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1997) and Happy Feet (2006).

Lang's many collaborations include her work with Roy Orbison (with whom she shared a Grammy Award in 1989 for "Crying"), Tony Bennett, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John and Loretta Lynn. More recently, lang collaborated with Neko Case and Laura Veirs on 2016's case/lang/veirs album, which included the hit song "Best Kept Secret."

Beyond music, lang has used her profile to help others through her advocacy of LGBTQ rights as well as being a champion for animal rights. Lang has even received the Order of Canada, Canada's highest civilian honor.

The Americana Music Association's 2018 Americana Trailblazer Award will be presented to k.d. lang at the Americana Awards & Honors in Nashville on Sept. 12, 2018.

k.d. lang - official site

Americana Music Association - official site

The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville
The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville hosts the Americana Music Association's Honors & Awards show.
courtesy Ryman Auditorium