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, Sept. 12 at the Ryman Auditorium. lang will also headline the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville on Sunday, Sept. 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)
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.
"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.)
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.
For more information on the association or to purchase tickets for this year's Americana Honors & Awards and passes to AMERICANAFEST, visit americanamusic.org.
