"Quite frankly, I've never been a big fan of concert albums,"
the singer admits.
"In my experience as a listener, I've never felt like they fully
illustrate the intimacy
or the energy of being in the room as a show unfolds."
But something
special happened the night lang performed on LIVE BY REQUEST,
which eventually proved to be one of the highest-rated shows in the
network's history.
As the tape rolled, magic was captured. Like lightning exploding from
the proverbial
bottle, lang charges through an extraordinary, career-spanning set
of material,
pouring her heart and soul into songs that included her Grammy-winning
"Constant Craving," through country-era gems like "Pullin'
Back The Reins," and more
current fare like the breezy pop treat "Summerfling."
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"About
midway through the evening, I remember thinking that something unique
was happening," lang notes. "This wasn't just another concert.
It was more than that."
Although
the artist says she cannot completely identify the intangible, special
element that sets this performance apart from others, she notes that
it was "incredible good fortune" that it was recorded. "I
listened back to the show, and I was so totally pleased. You truly
can feel the emotion and the electricity in the room. When the label
suggested releasing it as an album, I surprised myself by happily
saying 'yes.' I wanted as many people as possible to share this experience."
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Besides
getting a front-row seat to lang in concert, listeners of live by
request are given the chance to revisit some of the many highpoints
of lang's illustrious musical history. Actually, it was an opportunity
that the artist says she enjoyed taking herself.
"It
certainly has been a long and winding road," she says with a
laugh. "Some periods certainly worked better than others, but
they were all completely honest and real for me. I have no regrets
about anything I've ever done. Going back to those periods of time
is an absolute pleasure because it allows me to relive the utter joy
of discovery and the commitment I made to every song I've ever written
or recorded."
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And what
a phenomenal catalogue of material the Canada native has created.
As founder and frontwoman for her groundbreaking ensemble The Reclines,
and through her own brilliant solo career, k.d. has offered some of
the most memorable music of our time. Along the way, she has garnered
a mountain of awards, including multiple GRAMMYs.
"There
are times when I look back on my career, and I feel like it's someone
else," lang says with a shy smile. "I don't often pause
and recount my achievements or awards. I'm always so grateful for
any recognition or honor, but I prefer to remain humble and focused
on the craft of making music."
This
philosophy has inspired lang to always work harder than most, and
strive toward greater excellence as a performer and songwriter. It's
inspired such glorious, now-classic recordings as Shadowland (1988),
Absolute Torch & Twang (1989), Ingenue (1992), and Invincible
Summer (2000), among others.
Each album has effectively cast k.d. as a tour guide, valiantly guiding
the listener through a myriad of musical adventures. How does she
decide which stylistic road to travel next? "I'm a pretty much
a product of my mood and surroundings," she says. "When
I wrote 'Invincible Summer,' for example, I was listening to the Mamas
& the Papas and Brazilian music a lot, while also enjoying my
then-new home in Southern California. The songs from that album were
the culmination of those elements."
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While
the next road to be traveled remains a secret, k.d. notes that live
by request has reminded her of how much she adores performing country
music. "Going back to 'Trail of Broken Hearts' and 'Pullin' Back
The Reins' was tremendous fun," she says. "There's a wonderful
purity to those songs - and to the country genre, in general. I loved
making country music, and I'm pleased that these songs have held up
well with time. They're like wonderful old friends."
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Those
"old friends" have also been the catalyst for some of k.d.'s
strongest performances. Case in point, her reading of Roy Orbison's
"Crying," which she delivers on live by request with stunning
beauty. "There's something about that song. Each time I sing
it, it's almost as if the song takes control of my body and my voice.
It's always a wildly emotional experience. I don't think I'll ever
tire of singing it."
She insists
that she'll also never tire of donning tunes from her massively successful
Ingenue. "Hey, it has my only really big hit!," she says
with a laugh, referring to the worldwide smash "Constant Craving."
"But, seriously, it also is one of those recordings where it
felt like everything just fell into place. Sometimes, music is unexplainable.
You can try to control it, but it ultimately follows its own pace
and evolution. Ingenue took on a special life of its own."
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Actually,
that's an accurate overall description of lang's career. She agrees
that she hasn't followed a traditional path... and that's just fine
with her. "Every career has its triumphs and disappointments.
I'm a lucky woman. I've been blessed with a wonderfully satisfying
career. It's full of surprises and I love that."
Among
those surprises was the opportunity to share the stage this year with
the legendary Tony Bennett for a tour of the States. "It just
doesn't get much better than that," k.d. says, beaming. "I
can't even begin to say how much it means to me. He's an amazing,
gracious man. I keep wondering to myself, where does one go from here?"
If you're
k.d. lang, you conquer yet another creative mountain, adding one more
element to a career filled with achievements.
8/24/01
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