K.D. Lang

Their mutual admiration and affection is undeniable, and it has arguably been the fuel propelling lang from one remarkable recording to the next.

"You have to respect your audience," lang asserts. "Without them, you're essentially standing alone, singing to yourself. That's not particularly appealing to an artist who craves the communal experience of sharing new ideas and sounds. The ideal scenario is to have an interactive give-and-take with your audience; to build and nurture a bond with them."

The bond k.d. shares with her fans is brilliantly illuminated on live by request, a concert recording captured by the popular A&E television series of the same name. Despite the intense energy long shared between lang and her audience, she confesses that she initially did not intend to ever release a live album.

"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."

"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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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.