k.d. lang To Receive Americana Trailblazer Award

k.d. lang will be the recipient of The Americana Music Association’s 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 Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

lang will also play a headlining show at the Ryman on Sunday, Sept. 16 as part of her “Ingénue Redux” Tour in celebration of that landmark album’s 25th anniversary. The ”Ingénue Redux” show is a separate ticketed event and will go on sale to the general public June 14 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. 

“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.”

Canada native lang has had a distinguished career that has included collaborations with everyone from Tony Bennett and Roy Orbison to 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. 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, and 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. Most recently she collaborated with indie artist Neko Case and singer/songwriter Laura Veirs to write and record the album case/lang/veirs, which was released in June 2016.

• Author
• Recent Posts

Lorie Hollabaugh

Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at lhollabaugh@musicrow.com.

Latest posts by Lorie Hollabaugh (see all)

• Norman’s Rare Guitars Acquired By TNAG Global - January 16, 2026
• Live In The Vineyard Goes Country 2026 Announces First Round Of Performers - January 16, 2026
• Dolly Parton Releases Collab With Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah & Reba McEntire - January 16, 2026