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k.d. lang to Receive Americana Trailblazer Award
Outspoken icon to be honored at the 17th Americana Honors & Awards on September 12 in Nashville, Tennessee
Legendary artist to play Ryman Auditorium during AMERICANAFEST®
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 7, 2018) – The Americana Music Association® has named k.d. lang as the recipient of the 2018 Americana Trailblazer Award. The honor will be presented to lang at the 17th annual Americana Honors & Awards, which will be held on Wednesday, September 12 at the historic Ryman Auditorium. lang will also headline the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Sunday, September 16 as part of her "Ingénue Redux" Tour, celebrating that landmark album’s 25th anniversary.
The Ryman Auditorium ”Ingénue Redux” show is a separate ticketed event that will go on sale to the general public Thursday, June 14 at 10 a.m. (CDT) with tickets available for purchase here. AMERICANAFEST® Conference Registrants and members of the Americana Music Association® will receive a special pre-sale opportunity via email that will begin on Wednesday, June 13 at 10 a.m. (CDT)
Since her 1984 indie debut, this four-time GRAMMY® Award-winner has taken the world by storm with her incomparable voice, show-stopping charisma and unapologetic authenticity. Referred to as “the best singer of her generation” by friend and duet partner Tony Bennett, Canadian-born k.d. lang has had a distinguished career. In addition to the fruitful collaboration with Bennett, she has performed alongside musical luminaries including Roy Orbison, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, and Loretta Lynn. She sang at the closing ceremonies of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary and at the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. lang has contributed music to the soundtracks of several films, including "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues,"
"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," and "Happy Feet." In addition to her music career, lang has also appeared in a number of films, including "Salmonberries," "The Black Dahlia," and "Eye of the Beholder." In 1996, lang received Canada’s highest civilian honor, the Order of Canada. Her pioneering career serves as a touchstone for any artist who aspires to pave his or her own lane while challenging the one-size-fits-all norm in the music industry.
"We are beyond excited to honor k.d. lang at our hallmark event of the year," said Jed Hilly, Executive Director of the Americana Music Association®. "Her unwavering artistry has set a new standard for any musician of this current generation, and we are humbled to honor that legacy."
On tour, in addition to performing songs from "Ingénue," lang marks the 150th anniversary of Canada as an independent nation by singing music from her 2004 Nonesuch album, "Hymns of the 49th Parallel," which features lang singing the songs that define her country, by fellow Canadians including Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, Jane Siberry, Ron Sexsmith, and Bruce Cockburn. (lang is a Canada 150 Ambassador.)
"Sing it Loud" was lang’s most recent solo studio album, released by Nonesuch in 2011. In 2010, the label released the eight-time Juno winner’s first career retrospective, "Recollection," which features 22 of lang’s most beloved recordings including an all-new interpretation of the Leonard Cohen classic “Hallelujah.” Previously, Nonesuch released lang’s "Watershed" (2008), which debuted in Billboard’s top ten upon its release.
Branching out into uncharted territory isn’t foreign to lang. In 2014, she guest-starred in the hit TV show "Portlandia." In 2015, the Alberta Ballet staged an original performance piece called "Balletlujah!", based lang's life and music. More recently, she collaborated with indie icon Neko Case and respected singer/songwriter Laura Veirs to write and record the album "case/lang/veirs," which was released in June 2016.
lang has also continued to utilize her star-powered platform to benefit others as a fearless advocate of LGBTQ and animal rights throughout the years.
k.d. lang will be presented with this year's Americana Trailblazer Award during the Americana Music Association's® 17th annual Americana Honors & Awards, which includes six member-voted annual awards as well as several top Lifetime Achievement honors. This announcement follows the unveiling of Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist honoree Buddy Guy and this year’s nominees, including Artist of the Year contenders Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Margo Price and John Prine - click here for a full list of this year’s nominations. The prestigious ceremony celebrates legendary mainstays and pioneering newcomers as the hallmark of AMERICANAFEST® week, taking place September 11-16 in Nashville, TN.
Since its inception in 1999, the mission of the Americana Music Association® has been to advocate for the authentic voice of American roots music around the world. In recent years, the association's steadfast dedication to artist advocacy has been evidenced by several milestones, including the addition of the Best Americana Album GRAMMY® category by the Recording Academy and Billboard’s Americana/Folk Albums Chart, as well as the inclusion of the musical term, Amer·i·ca·na, to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
For more information on the association or to purchase tickets for this year's Americana Honors & Awards and passes to AMERICANAFEST®, please visit www.americanamusic.org.
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