Re: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice)
-Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: passenger side [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Friday, February 05, 1999 7:27 AM Subject: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice) ...k.d. lang who does have a superior voice and who did put out a really good album "Absolute Torch Twang" and who saw Nashville abandon her due to her non cover-girl looks and the rumors that she was gay. Lang gave up, left her brand of western swing/country and donned a "pop" hat with "Constant Craving" and admitted that she was gay.(snip) Well, you probably said a number of things that folks will be interested in, Tera g, but I am curious about the above, mainly because I honestly don't know or can't remember; did Nashville actually abandon Lang? I mean, was she dropped, was her budget slashed, did radio or the club promoters turn against her? I don't know, and would really like to know why she moved away and into pop if it was for some reason other than just personal preference. thanks, Dan Bentele Many factors led up to her "decision" to try other music. k.d. received a lot of pressure from the press and from inside the Nashville community to discuss her androgenous image. It became quite a focal point and it was rumored and discussed that she may be gay. Ever hear of the old game whereby when "they" don't like you, they'll use anything which comes down the pike to discredit you? k.d. made a few "mistakes" by voicing her opinions on several subjects. I've read some of the comments made here by other posters and no one is incorrect. On the subject of her appearance she said (from memory) that it shouldn't matter what a person looks like and that her "androgenous" style was something she chose to do. When asked if she had a "boyfriend" she said that she was involved with someone but that she didn't think her personal life should be in question. Nebulous answers (and you know how the media reacts to that) which only created more controversy. Further, she promoted not eating beef and also stated that her dog was a vegetarian. She commented on not wanting to wear leather anymore. So, all of these things combined gave k.d. some very bad press and she was snubbed by some in Nashville. No, she did not get dropped by her record label (Sire) and went on to record "Ingenue" which was her foray into "adult contemporary" music where she believed she would be more accepted while publicly stating that she wished to "try" other music until she openly admitted in a gay forum magazine that she was gay. It was just too difficult to have her image constantly discussed and her lifestyle "pryed" into and the fact that country radio was not willing to play and promote her music. Owen Bradley thought she had an incredible voice and talent and he worked with her on "Shadowland" which also showcased a nice medley with Loretta, Kitty and Brenda Lee. It does not matter what anyone says, k.d.'s "gayness" led to her oh-so-subtle Nashville blacklisting. You know, when was the last time you heard a country artist proclaim their "gayness"? It's still not accepted - although it may be lightening up a bit as I'm wondering who thought to have Melissa Etheridge contribute to the Tammy Wynette Tribute cd...or for that matter, Elton John? Anyway, it really shouldn't matter. What should matter is an artists sensitivity, sincerity and ability to successfully transfer ideas/emotions with songs. Maybe k.d. will record another country album again. I hope so. Lang has a spectacular voice and possesses an incredible ability to interpret a song. k.d. has won three grammy awards by the way: "BestCountry Vocal Collaboration 1989; Best Country Vocal Performance 1990; Best Pop Vocal Performance- 1992. Tera
Re: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice)
On Fri, 5 Feb 1999 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: did Nashville actually abandon Lang? I mean, was she dropped, was her budget slashed, did radio or the club promoters turn against her? I don't know, and would really like to know why she moved away and into pop if it was for some reason other than just personal preference. Sorry to chime in late here, but I recall an interview around the time of "Ingenue" in which she simply claimed that "I lost my passion for country." The Patsy Cline fixation was over. Maybe because of all of the hullaballoo over eatings cows, but she sure brought that one on herself. Will Miner Denver, CO
Re: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice)
Will Miner wrote: Sorry to chime in late here, but I recall an interview around the time of "Ingenue" in which she simply claimed that "I lost my passion for country." The Patsy Cline fixation was over. Maybe because of all of the hullaballoo over eatings cows, but she sure brought that one on herself. ya know, I think k.d. just ran into basically the same wall that a lot of us have run into in one form or another over the years. She made it deeper into alien territory than most, but so did yoakum and Ely and several of them in those days and it just didn't pan out as well as we all hoped. There was no way she was gonna make those kind of records just to get into the charts. -- Joe Gracey President-For-Life, Jackalope Records http://www.kimmierhodes.com
Re: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice)
Dan Bentele writes: Well, you probably said a number of things that folks will be interested in, Tera g, but I am curious about the above, mainly because I honestly don't know or can't remember; did Nashville actually abandon Lang? I mean, was she dropped, was her budget slashed, did radio or the club promoters turn against her? I don't know, and would really like to know why she moved away and into pop if it was for some reason other than just personal preference. As I remember it, there had been some rumors about her sexuality here and there before she came out, but I don't think that was what caused Nashville to turn its back on her. I really don't recall the fact that she was a lesbian as being a huge surprise to anyone. More than anything else, it was her fight with western cattle ranchers that did in her country career, which happened shortly before she came out. Country radio stations out west refused to play her records until she apologized, she refused to do so, and she became a tough sell at radio after that since there was a big chunk of the nation in which her records wouldn't be played. Goodbye country, hello new career. I remember seeing her in New Hampshire on the "Shadowlands" tour and it was the weirdest audience I've ever seen. The audience was pretty equally distributed between Silent Majority-type country fans, yuppies, and the butchest lesbians I've ever seen in my life. --Jon Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Wollaston, Massachusetts
RE: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice)
New Hampshire Jon says: As I remember it, there had been some rumors about her sexuality here and there before she came out, but I don't think that was what caused Nashville to turn its back on her. I really don't recall the fact that she was a lesbian as being a huge surprise to anyone. More than anything else, it was her fight with western cattle ranchers that did in her country career, which happened shortly before she came out. That accords with my recollection and with the account in the Encyclopedia of Country Music, which points out that Lang never did do well on country radio (though she did win a country Grammy in 1989) during the 3 years between her Sire debut and her 1990 coming out as a vegetarian, which was actually several years before her other coming out. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
Re: k.d. lang (was Re: Heather Myles Injustice)
Jon Weisberger wrote: New Hampshire Jon says: As I remember it, there had been some rumors about her sexuality here and there before she came out, but I don't think that was what caused Nashville to turn its back on her. I really don't recall the fact that she was a lesbian as being a huge surprise to anyone. More than anything else, it was her fight with western cattle ranchers that did in her country career, which happened shortly before she came out. That accords with my recollection a. Mine too. I lived in Topeka Kansas then and there were several outraged columns in the newspaper and the local stations of course banned her. Kansas of course is the state when you enter you see a large billboard of a steak, with the simple command "Eat Beef!" This slogan is apparantly also required to be displayed on all pick up trucks in the state. I've seen lesbians at Kansas rodeos, but never an "out" vegetarian. Some things are just beyond the pale. Stuart steak sounds good for dinner
