Sarah Ann McLachlan,
OCThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
,
OBCThe Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
(born 28 January 1968) is a Canadian musician, singer and songwriter. Known for her emotional ballads and
mezzo-sopranoA mezzo-soprano is a type of classical female singing voice whose range lies between the soprano and the contralto singing voices, usually extending from the A below middle C to the A two octaves above...
vocal range, as of 2006, she has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is
SurfacingSurfacing is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. Released on July 15, 1997, it was produced by McLachlan's frequent collaborator, Pierre Marchand. McLachlan set about writing Surfacing in 1996, after two and a half years touring for her previous album, 1994's...
, for which she won two
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s (out of four nominations) and four
Juno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s. In addition to her personal artistic efforts, she founded the
Lilith FairLilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
tour, which showcased female musicians. The Lilith Fair concert tours took place from 1997 to 1999, and resumed in the summer of 2010.
Biography
Sarah Ann McLachlan was born on 28 January 1968, and
adoptedAdoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting for another and, in so doing, permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent or parents...
in
HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
,
Nova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
,
CanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. As a child, she took voice lessons, along with studies in classical piano and guitar. When she was 17-years-old and still a student at
Queen Elizabeth High SchoolQueen Elizabeth High School was established in September 1942, at the corner of Bell Road and Robie Street, on Camp Hill, in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "QEH" was always known for its high academic standards, competitive sports teams and distinguished extra-curricular activities such as the annual Model...
, she fronted a short-lived rock band called The October Game. One of the band's songs, "Grind", credited as a group composition, can be found on the independent Flamingo Records release Out of the Fog and the CD Out of the Fog Too. It has yet to be released elsewhere. Her high school
yearbookA yearbook, also known as an annual, is a book to record, highlight, and commemorate the past year of a school or a book published annually. Virtually all American, Australian and Canadian high schools, most colleges and many elementary and middle schools publish yearbooks...
predicted that she was "destined to become a famous rock star."
Following The October Game's first concert at
Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
opening for
MoevFounded in 1981 by Tom Ferris and Cal Stephenson, Moev is an electronic music group that recorded on Atlantic Records, Nettwerk Records, Go! Records and Cop International...
, McLachlan was offered a recording contract with Vancouver-based independent record label
NettwerkThe Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
by Moev's Mark Jowett. McLachlan's parents insisted she finish high school and complete one year of studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design before moving to Vancouver and embarking on a new life as a recording artist, and McLachlan finally signed to
NettwerkThe Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
two years later before having written a single song.
In 1994 McLachlan became the target of a lawsuit, when she was sued by Uwe Vandrei, an obsessed fan from Ottawa, who alleged that his letters to her had been the basis of the single "Possession." The lawsuit was also challenging for the Canadian legal system—Vandrei was a self-admitted
stalkerStalking is a term commonly used to refer to unwanted and obsessive attention by an individual or group to another person. Stalking behaviors are related to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person and/or monitoring them via the internet...
whose self-acknowledged goal in filing the lawsuit was to be near McLachlan physically. Consequently, special precautions were planned to ensure McLachlan's safety if at any time she had to be in the same location as Vandrei. The lawsuit never came to trial, however, as Vandrei was found dead in an apparent suicide before the trial began. This topic was explored at length in Canadian author
Judith FitzgeraldJudith Ariana Fitzgerald is a Canadian poet and journalist. Born in Toronto, Ontario, she attended York University . The award-winning poet, critic, and cultural commentarian published her first poem October 1970...
's book, Building a Mystery: The Story of Sarah McLachlan & Lilith Fair.
In 1997, Sarah McLachlan married her drummer,
Ashwin SoodAshwin Sood is a Canadian musician. Sood plays drums, percussion, keyboards, and sings.Sood was Sarah McLachlan's drummer, and was also married to McLachlan, although they are now separated....
, in Jamaica. McLachlan lost her mother to cancer in December 2001, while McLachlan herself was pregnant. McLachlan gave birth to a daughter, named India Ann Sushil Sood, on April 6, 2002, in Vancouver. By this time, McLachlan had already completed three-quarters of the production on her next record, Afterglow. On June 22, 2007, she gave birth to her second daughter, named Taja Summer Sood, in Vancouver. McLachlan announced her separation from Ashwin Sood in September 2008.
Touch and Solace
The signing with Nettwerk prompted McLachlan to move to Vancouver,
British ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. There she recorded the first of her albums,
TouchTouch is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan which was released in 1988 and then re-released in 1989.The album was originally released in 1988 by Nettwerk...
, in 1988, which received both critical and commercial success and included the hit song "Vox". During this period she also contributed to an album by Manufacture, and embarked on her first national concert tour as an opening act for
The Grapes of WrathThe Grapes of Wrath are a Canadian folk rock band, who were one of Canada's most successful pop bands in the late 1980s and early 1990s before disbanding in 1992. With the band name tied up in litigation, most of the band continued to record through the 1990s as Ginger. The Grapes of Wrath briefly...
.
Her 1991 album,
Solace* In Canada, "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" appeared on Nettwerk's Donovan tribute album, Island of Circles. McLachlan fought hard to not have the song on her album but she eventually let Arista Records include it on the record...
, was her mainstream breakthrough in Canada, spawning the hit singles "
The Path of Thorns (Terms)"The Path of Thorns " is a hit song by singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan from her album, Solace. It was her first Top 40 chart hit in her native Canada, and the 50 millionth song purchased from the iTunes Store...
" and "
Into the FireInto the Fire was the second single from Sarah McLachlan's album Solace. It was written by McLachlan and her producer Pierre Marchand.-Music video:...
". Solace also marked the beginning of her partnership with
Pierre MarchandPierre Marchand is a Canadian songwriter, musician and record producer.Pierre Marchand is known for his ongoing collaboration with Sarah McLachlan, having produced all of her albums since Solace...
. Marchand and McLachlan have been collaborators ever since, with Marchand producing all of McLachlan's albums and occasionally co-writing songs.
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, and Surfacing
1993's
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy-Charts:-Release history:-Personnel:*Sarah McLachlan: Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Piano*Bill Dillon: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Guitorgan, Bass, Piano...
was an immediate hit in Canada. From her
NettwerkThe Nettwerk Music Group is the umbrella company for Nettwerk Management, Nettwerk Records, Nettwerk One Publishing, Nutone Records, and Artwerk. With over 150 employees, the Vancouver-based company has offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Boston, Nashville, and Hamburg...
connection, her piano version of the song "Possession" was included on the first
Due SouthDue South is a Canadian crime drama series with elements of comedy. The series was created by Paul Haggis, produced by Alliance Communications, and stars Paul Gross, David Marciano, and latterly Callum Keith Rennie...
soundtrackDue South: The Original Television Soundtrack was a soundtrack album for the Canadian television series Due South, released in 1996.-Track listing:# Jay Semko, "Due South Theme"# Spirit of the West, "Bone of Contention"...
in 1996. Over the next two years, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy quietly became McLachlan's international breakthrough as well, scaling the charts in a number of countries.
In 1993,
Darryl NeudorfDarryl Neudorf is a Canadian musician, record producer and audio engineer.He was the drummer for 54-40 from 1982–1986. He is best known during this time for co-writing the hit song "I Go Blind", a Canadian hit which was later covered by U.S...
filed a lawsuit against McLachlan and her label, Nettwerk, alleging that he had made a significant and uncredited contribution to the songwriting on Touch, and alleging that he wasn't paid properly for work done on Solace. The judge in this suit eventually ruled in McLachlan's favour on the songs; though Neudorf may have contributed to the songwriting, neither regarded each other as joint authors. The judge ruled in Neudorf's favour on the payment issue.
Following the success from Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, McLachlan returned in 1997 with
SurfacingSurfacing is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. Released on July 15, 1997, it was produced by McLachlan's frequent collaborator, Pierre Marchand. McLachlan set about writing Surfacing in 1996, after two and a half years touring for her previous album, 1994's...
, her best selling album to date. Earning her two
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s and four
Juno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s, the album has since sold over 11 million copies worldwide and brought her much international success. Still in the spotlight from the album, McLachlan launched the highly popular Lilith Fair tour. Her song "
Angel"Angel" is a song by Sarah McLachlan that originally appeared on her 1997 album Surfacing. As McLachlan explained on VH1 Storytellers, the song is about the Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin and died in 1996."Angel" was McLachlan's second top 5 hits...
"—inspired by the fatal overdose of Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboardist
Jonathan MelvoinJonathan Melvoin was an American musician active in the 1980s and 1990s.He was the brother of Susannah and Wendy Melvoin of Prince and the Revolution. He first learned to play drums, and was cited by friends and relatives as one of those people who could play anything...
—made sales skyrocket.
In Spring 1998, the motion picture City of Angels featured "Angel". It became the No. 1 album on the Billboard chart. More than five months after the movie disappeared from the theatres,
City of Angels: Music from the Motion PictureCity of Angels: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album for the film City of Angels, released by Warner Bros. Records on March 31, 1998 .-Release history:...
remained firmly entrenched among Billboards top 40 albums. This soundtrack earned quadruple-platinum status.
Lilith Fair
In 1996 McLachlan became frustrated with concert promoters and radio stations that refused to feature two female musicians in a row. Bucking conventional industry wisdom, she booked a successful tour for herself and
Paula ColePaula Cole is an American singer/songwriter. Her single "Where Have All the Cowboys Gone" reached the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997, and the following year she won a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.-Early life:...
. At least one of their appearances together – in McLachlan's home town, on September 14, 1996 – went by the name "Lilith Fair" and included performances by McLachlan, Cole,
Lisa LoebLisa Anne Loeb is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She launched her career in 1994 with the song, "Stay ". She was the first artist to have a number one single in the United States while not signed to a recording contract.Loeb's efforts now include music, film, television, voice-over...
and
Michelle McAdoreyMichelle McAdorey is a Canadian singer-songwriter.In the early 1980s, McAdorey lived in the UK, where she was briefly a backup singer for Kirsty MacColl. While there, she joined a new wave band called Corect Spelling...
, formerly of
Crash VegasCrash Vegas was a Canadian folk rock band which formed in 1988, and achieved moderate success in the early 1990s.-Biography:The band was formed by Michelle McAdorey and Greg Keelor of Blue Rodeo in 1988. Jocelyne Lanois joined the band as bassist and shortly after Ambrose Pottie as drummer...
.
The next year, McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour, taking Lilith from the medieval Jewish legend that
LilithLilith is a character in Jewish mythology, found earliest in the Babylonian Talmud, who is generally thought to be related to a class of female demons Līlīṯu in Mesopotamian texts. However, Lowell K. Handy notes, "Very little information has been found relating to the Akkadian and Babylonian view...
was
AdamAdam and Eve were, according to the Genesis creation narratives, the first human couple to inhabit Earth, created by YHWH, the God of the ancient Hebrews...
's first wife.
In 1997, Lilith Fair, featuring McLachlan as one of the headlining acts, garnered a $16 million gross, making it the top-grossing of any touring festival. Among all concert tours for that year, it was the 16th highest grossing.
Lilith FairLilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
tour brought together 2 million people over its three-year history and raised more than $7 million for charities. It was the most successful all-female
music festivalA music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
in history, one of the biggest music festivals of the 1990s, and helped launch the careers of several well-known female artists. Subsequent Lilith Fairs followed in 1998 and 1999 before the tour was discontinued.
Nettwerk CEO and Lilith Fair co-founder Terry McBride announced that the all-female festival would make its return in summer 2010.
Hiatus
In 1998, in addition to performing her own set, she performed a cover of "Sad Lisa" with rock band
PhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
at the annual Bridge School Benefit concert in California, hosted by
Neil YoungNeil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, after which McLachlan began an extended period away from recording or touring. Six years elapsed between the release of Surfacing and that of her next studio album, Afterglow.
However, she did release a live album in 1999, entitled
Mirrorball- Personnel :* Sarah McLachlan - Vocals, Guitars, Piano* Ashwin Sood - Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals* Brian Minato - Bass* David Sinclair - Guitars, Background Vocals* Sean Ashby - Guitars, Background Vocals* Camille Henderson - Background Vocals...
. The album's singles included a new live version of her earlier doubles "I Will Remember You", a studio recording of which had previously been released on
The Brothers McMullenThe Brothers McMullen is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed, written, produced by, and starring Edward Burns. It deals with the lives of the three Irish Catholic McMullen brothers from Long Island, New York, over three months, as they grapple with basic ideas and values — love, sex,...
soundtrack as well as
Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff.
Also that year, McLachlan recorded the
Randy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
song "When She Loved Me" on the
Toy Story 2Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American computer animated film directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Lee Unkrich and Ash Brannon. It is the sequel to the 1995 film Toy Story, released by Walt Disney Pictures and the third film to be produced by Pixar...
soundtrack. This song was nominated for the Academy Award
for Best SongThe Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
in 2000, and McLachlan performed it at the awards ceremony, but the award went to "
You'll Be in My Heart"You'll Be in My Heart" is a song by Phil Collins, from the 1999 Disney animated feature Tarzan. It appeared on Tarzan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack as well as various other Disney compilations...
" from
TarzanTarzan is a 1999 American animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 18, 1999...
, written and recorded by
Phil Collins Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
.
In 1997, McLachlan co-wrote and provided guest vocals on the
DeleriumDelerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly...
song "
Silence"Silence" is a song by the Canadian electronic music group Delerium. It was co-written by Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan, who is featured as the vocalist on the track....
" for their album
Karma. This song achieved a massive amount of US top 40 airplay when released as a single in late 2000 and also featured on the soundtrack for the movie
Brokedown PalaceBrokedown Palace is an American film directed by Jonathan Kaplan, and starring Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale. It deals with two American friends imprisoned in Thailand for drug smuggling. Because it presents a critical view of the Thai legal system, most scenes were filmed in the Philippines;...
. In 2001, McLachlan provided background vocals, guitar, and piano on the closing track "Love Is" from
Stevie NicksStephanie Lynn "Stevie" Nicks is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her work with Fleetwood Mac and an extensive solo career, which collectively have produced over forty Top 50 hits and sold over 140 million albums...
' eighth solo album,
Trouble in Shangri-La-Videos:Two promotional videos were shot for single releases; "Every Day" features Nicks performing in an enchanted forest setting, and "Sorcerer" featured Nicks with Sheryl Crow, both playing guitars in a straight forward performance set in a room where the lyrics to various Nicks songs magically...
, in addition to drawing the dragon used for the "S" in Stevie's name on the album cover. In May 2002, her duet with Bryan Adams was released on the
Spirit: Stallion of the CimarronSpirit: Stallion of the Cimarron is a soundtrack album by Bryan Adams and Hans Zimmer to the animated feature of the same name. The album was released on May 4, 2002 and includes the European hit, "Here I Am".-Track listing:...
soundtrack. She sang harmonies and played the piano on the song "Don't Let Go" while Sood did the drum work.
McLachlan also participated in several concerts during her break, such as
Sheryl CrowSheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
's Live from Central Park in 1999, the
Arista RecordsArista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
twenty-fifth anniversary celebration in 2000, as well as the 2002 British Columbia Cancer Foundation Benefit Concert in memory of cancer victim Michele Bourbonnais. She participated along with four other Canadian artists:
Bryan AdamsBryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
,
Jann ArdenJann Arden is a Canadian singer-songwriter.-Life and career:Arden was born and raised near Calgary in Springbank, Alberta and attended Springbank Community High School. Her breakthrough came with her critically acclaimed 1993 debut album Time for Mercy and her first single "I Would Die For You"...
,
Barenaked LadiesBarenaked Ladies is a Canadian alternative rock band. The band is currently composed of Jim Creeggan, Kevin Hearn, Ed Robertson, and Tyler Stewart. Barenaked Ladies formed in 1988 in Scarborough, Ontario, then a suburban municipality outside the City of Toronto...
, and
Chantal KreviazukChantal Jennifer Kreviazuk is a Canadian singer-songwriter of the adult contemporary music genre. She is also a classically trained pianist, and can play the guitar.-Albums:...
.
Afterglow
McLachlan returned to public life and touring with her 2003 album release, Afterglow, which contained the singles "
Fallen"Fallen" is the first single from Sarah McLachlan's 2003 album Afterglow. The song was nominated on the 2004 Grammy Awards on the Best Female Pop Vocal Performance field, losing to "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera...
", "Stupid", and "World On Fire". Rather than shoot a conventional music video for "World On Fire", McLachlan donated all but $15 of the $150,000 budget to various charitable causes around the world and then used the video to explain how it benefited the communities that received the money.
Another live album,
Afterglow LiveAfterglow Live is a 2004 live CD and DVD package by Sarah McLachlan.-DVD track listing:All songs written by Sarah McLachlan, except where noted.#"Fallen" – 4:19#"World on Fire" – 5:07 #"Adia" – 4:01...
, was released in late 2004. The CD consisted of several tracks from a full-length concert, which was included in its entirety on a DVD, as well as the three music videos from Afterglow.
In 2004,
Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels-Video game appearances:*The Warriors - Scopes*Guitar Hero: Aerosmith - Himself- External links :* * * * * http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/12/entertainment/la-et-people-speak12-2009dec12...
, who credits McLachlan and her music for lifting him from a period of depression, invited her to join him on a track from his solo album. Although the album was not released until early 2006, remixes of the song "Just Like Me" were included on a number of compilations in 2005.
In 2007, McLachlan's song "Answer" featured in
The Brave OneThe Brave One is a 2007 crime-drama/psychological thriller film directed by Neil Jordan, produced by Joel Silver, and starring Jodie Foster. It was released in the United States on September 14, 2007...
starring
Jodie FosterAlicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
.
Wintersong
In October 2006, McLachlan released a Christmas album called
WintersongA "sampler" CD exists, featuring similar artwork on a cardboard sleeve, which omits "Happy Xmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Song for a Winter's Night," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."-Singles:...
. The album included 11 new recordings, featuring covers of
Joni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
's "River",
Gordon LightfootGordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
's "
Song for a Winter's Night"Song for a Winter's Night" is the title of a song written by Gordon Lightfoot, and first recorded for his 1967 album, The Way I Feel. Lightfoot actually recorded two versions of the song; the second appears on the 1975 album Gord's Gold, a greatest hits compilation on which other re-recordings...
", and
John LennonJohn Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
's "
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"Happy Xmas " is a song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono and released in 1971 as a single by John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir....
", which she recorded with her outreach children and youth choir, and seasonal favourites: "Christmas Time Is Here", "O Little Town of Bethlehem", "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas", "Silent Night", "The First Noel", and "Greensleeves (What Child Is This?)", among others. The title track is an original work of McLachlan's.
Wintersong debuted at No. 42 on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
album chart the week ending 4 November 2006. It peaked at #7. For the week of 5 December 2006, it was the #1 album on iTunes. Worldwide the album has sold over 1.1 million copies to date. It has been certified Platinum in the U.S. and 2x Platinum in Canada.
Wintersong was nominated for both a
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
, in the
Best Traditional Pop Vocal AlbumThe Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album is an award presented to recording artists at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards...
category, as well as for a
Juno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
, for Pop Album of the Year.
Guest appearances
In November 2006, McLachlan performed the song "Ordinary Miracle" for that year's feature film,
Charlotte's WebCharlotte's Web is a 2006 American live-action/computer-animated feature film, based on the popular book of the same name by E. B. White. It is directed by Gary Winick and produced by Paramount Pictures, Walden Media, The K Entertainment Company, and Nickelodeon Movies...
. The song was written by
Glen BallardGlen Ballard is an American songwriter and record producer, best known for co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill , which won Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album", and "Album of the Year" amongst others, and is ranked by the Rolling Stone amongst The 500 Greatest Albums of...
and
David A. StewartDavid Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
of Eurythmics. McLachlan was the subject of rumours of an Oscar nomination for the song, but in the end was not nominated. She helped to promote the song and movie by performing it on
The Oprah Winfrey ShowThe Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
as well as during the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day ParadeThe Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, often shortened to Macy's Day Parade, is an annual parade presented by Macy's. The tradition started in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States along with America's Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, and four years younger than...
. She also performed the song during the
opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter OlympicsThe Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on February 12, 2010 beginning at 6:00 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was the first Olympic opening ceremony to be held indoors...
in her hometown of Vancouver, in front of an estimated 3 billion television viewers worldwide.
In early 2007, she sang on
Dave StewartDavid Allan Stewart , often known as Dave Stewart, is an English musician, songwriter and record producer, best known for his work with Eurythmics. He is usually credited as David A. Stewart, to avoid confusion with other musicians named "Dave Stewart".-Early life:Stewart was born in Sunderland,...
's Go Green, alongside
Nadirah XNadirah X aka Nadz Nadirah X aka Nadz Nadirah X aka Nadz (born Nadirah Sabreen Seid, April 19, is a Jamaican rap/hip-hop singer. She is the last of four children born to Carmen and Melvin Seid.Nadirah is married to Mississippi born rapper and producer Swish, she has a daughter named Summer....
,
Imogen HeapImogen Jennifer Jane Heap is a Grammy Award-winning English singer, composer and songwriter from Havering, Essex. She is known for her work as part of the musical duo Frou Frou and her solo albums, which she writes, produces, and mixes...
,
Natalie ImbrugliaNatalie Jane Imbruglia is an Australian singer-songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, Imbruglia was known to audiences as Beth Brennan in the popular Australian soap Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, Imbruglia launched a singing career with the international hit,...
, and others.
McLachlan also appeared on
Annie LennoxAnnie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...
's album,
Songs of Mass DestructionSongs of Mass Destruction is the title of the fourth studio album by Annie Lennox, released on October 1, 2007 in the UK and October 2, 2007, in the U.S.. The album debuted at number 7 in the UK, and number 9 in the U.S. where it sold 78,000 copies its first week...
. Together with
MadonnaMadonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
,
Céline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
,
PinkAlecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
,
SugababesThe Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
,
Angélique KidjoAngélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, commonly known as Angélique Kidjo is a Grammy Award–winning Beninoise singer-songwriter and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva". The BBC has...
,
k.d. langKathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
,
Faith HillFaith Hill is an American country singer. She is known both for her commercial success and her marriage to fellow country star Tim McGraw. Hill has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and accumulated eight number-one singles and three number-one albums on the U.S...
, Fergie,
Melissa EtheridgeMelissa Lou Etheridge is an American rock singer-songwriter and musician.Etheridge is known for her mixture of confessional lyrics, pop-based folk-rock, and raspy, smoky vocals...
,
Bonnie RaittBonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
,
ShakiraShakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
,
AnastaciaAnastacia is an American singer-songwriter. Anastacia has been highly successful in Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America, but has had only minor success in her native United States...
,
Joss StoneJocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
,
DidoDido Florian Cloud de Bounevialle O'Malley Armstrong , known as Dido, is an English singer-songwriter.Dido shot to worldwide success with her debut album, No Angel...
, and
KT TunstallKate Victoria "KT" Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter and guitarist from St Andrews, Scotland. She broke into the public eye with a 2004 live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
, she performed on the song "
Sing"Sing" is a song by Annie Lennox, released as the second single from her fourth solo studio album, Songs of Mass Destruction . The single was originally released as a digital download only single in late 2007. A limited 3 track edition was made available exclusively from The Body Shop from 10...
".
In 2010, McLachlan appeared as herself on the television series
Life UnexpectedLife Unexpected is an American television series that ran for two seasons, from 2010 to 2011.The show premiered on The CW on Monday, January 18, 2010. The 13-episode first season run ended on April 12, 2010...
and performed. On September 8, 2010, McLachlan performed and sang "Forgiveness" from her 2010 album
Laws of IllusionLaws of Illusion is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released by Arista Records on June 15, 2010...
on a semi-final show of
America's Got TalentAmerica's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
; she did so again on the Tonight Show, two days later.
On November 22, 2010, McLachlan again performed and sang "Forgiveness" this time on the Regis and Kelly show.
On September 10, 2011, she performed I Will Remember You and Angel at a ceremony in
Stonycreek, PennsylvaniaStonycreek Township is a township in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,221 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, commemorating the passengers and crew of hijacked
United Airlines Flight 93United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the...
who fought the hijackers and brought down their airplane on September 11, 2001. The event marked the dedication of the
Flight 93 National MemorialThe Flight 93 National Memorial is located at the site of the crash of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked in the September 11 attacks, in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania, about north of Shanksville, and southeast of Pittsburgh. The memorial was made to honor the passengers of Flight...
and was attended by
President BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and
First Lady BushLaura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
, President Clinton,
Vice President BidenJoseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
and
Speaker BoehnerJohn Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
.
Rereleases, Rarities Vol 2, and Greatest Hits
On October 3, 2006, the live album
Mirrorball- Personnel :* Sarah McLachlan - Vocals, Guitars, Piano* Ashwin Sood - Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals* Brian Minato - Bass* David Sinclair - Guitars, Background Vocals* Sean Ashby - Guitars, Background Vocals* Camille Henderson - Background Vocals...
was re-released as Mirrorball: The Complete Concert. This release contains 2 discs that were compiled from 2 concerts performed on consecutive nights in April 1998 at the Rose Garden arena in Portland, Oregon.
April 29, 2008 saw the release of
Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff Volume 2. The tracklist includes McLachlan's recent covers of
Joni MitchellJoni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
's "River" and Dave Stewart's "Ordinary Miracle", as well as collaborations throughout her career with
The PerishersThe Perishers was a British comic strip about a group of urban children and a dog. It began in the Daily Mirror on 19th October 1959 and was written for most of its life by Maurice Dodd . It was drawn by Dennis Collins until his retirement in 1983, after which it was drawn by Dodd and later by Bill...
,
Cyndi LauperCynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
and
Bryan AdamsBryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
, among others.
August 5, 2008 saw the release of the 15th anniversary 3-disc edition of
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy-Charts:-Release history:-Personnel:*Sarah McLachlan: Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Piano*Bill Dillon: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Guitorgan, Bass, Piano...
. The set includes the original re-mastered album,
The Freedom SessionsThe Freedom Sessions is an album by Sarah McLachlan which was released in December 1994 by Nettwerk Records in Canada. It was held over for American release by Arista Records until March 28, 1995. The album consisted primarily of previously unreleased alternative versions and remixes of McLachlan...
and a DVD that includes live performances, music videos and more. The album was released by
Legacy RecordingsLegacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
.
McLachlan released a
greatest hitsA greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album,
Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlanCloser: The Best of Sarah McLachlan is a greatest hits album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, and also contains two new tracks. It was released on 7 October 2008. The album was released in Germany on October 17...
, on October 7, 2008. On August 12, 2008, she released a new song from the album, "
U want me 2"U Want Me 2" is a song by Sarah McLachlan and is the lead original single from her 2008 greatest hits album, Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan. It is also included on her 2010 album Laws of Illusion. The song is produced by her longtime collaborator Pierre Marchand...
", a mid-tempo contemplative love song, as a digital single on
iTunesThe iTunes Store is a software-based online digital media store operated by Apple. Opening as the iTunes Music Store on April 28, 2003, with over 200,000 items to purchase, it is, as of April 2008, the number-one music vendor in the United States...
; also accompanied with a video performance. McLachlan also admitted the song was inspired by the dissolution of her marriage, which she announced in September 2008, during initial promotion. Being quietly released as a single on 3 February 2009 the other new song found on the album, "Don't Give Up on Us", signalled a wrap.
2010 Winter Olympics, Laws of Illusion and Lilith Fair 2010
A new single, "One Dream," was released on September 29, 2009 and was a rumoured contender for the official theme song of the
2010 Winter OlympicsThe 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
in Vancouver. McLachlan's first studio album of original material in seven years,
Laws of IllusionLaws of Illusion is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released by Arista Records on June 15, 2010...
, was released on June 15, 2010. New York Times music critic John Pareles says about Laws of Illusion - "It’s a kindly, enveloping sound that Ms. McLachlan has long used to conjure passion and empathy laced with melancholy. But now it encompasses a new anguish, deeper and sharper than what she hinted at with Afterglow in 2003." It features 10 new songs in addition to the previously released tracks "U Want Me 2" and "Don't Give Up on Us," as well as various bonus tracks. Previews of the tracks and bonus materials were made available on iTunes and Amazon.com for listening and viewing on May 26, 2010.
Lilith FairLilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
kicked off in Calgary, AB on June 27, 2010. In anticipation of the soon-to-be released album and this summer's tour, McLachlan appeared on the WNYC-produced radio show Soundcheck. During the wide-ranging interview, McLachlan discussed the last eleven years of her life and how she has changed — especially as working mother of two — over that time with Soundcheck host John Schaefer. She also played solo two songs from the new album.
Guitars and equipment
For years, Sarah McLachlan's main stage guitar has been a late-'70s Larrivée C-10 with rosewood back and sides, a spruce top, and a Florentine cutaway. The guitar is amplified with a Fishman Rare Earth Blend (which combines a magnetic pickup and an internal mic), running through a Radial JDV Mk3 active DI. She has also performed with Canadian-made Morgan guitars, and at the time of the interview, she was trying out Taylor models with Expression System electronics.
McLachlan strings her guitars with phosphor-bronze or vintage bronze Dean Markleys. She uses medium-lights (.012–.054) for her guitars in E A D G A D and D A D G A D tunings. Sometimes she uses lights (.011–.046) and raises E A D G A D a whole step so her capo positions can be two frets lower. For instance, in the past she played "Building a Mystery" in E A D G A D with a capo at the seventh fret, but now she tunes to F# B E A B E and capoes at the fifth fret. McLachlan's capo of choice is a Dunlop C-Four.
Awards and achievements
McLachlan has been nominated for twenty-one
Juno AwardThe Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
s and awarded eight. In 1992, her video for "Into the Fire" was selected as best music video. In 1998, she won Female Vocalist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year (along with Pierre Marchand), Single of the Year for "Building a Mystery", and Album of the Year for Surfacing. In 2000, she won an International Achievement award and in 2004, won Pop Album of the Year for Afterglow and again shared the Songwriter of the Year award with Pierre Marchand for the singles "Fallen", "World on Fire", and "Stupid."
She has also won three
Grammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s. She was awarded
Best Female Pop Vocal PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance is the latest in a series of awards recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. The award goes to the artist...
in 1997 for "Building a Mystery" and again in 1999 for the live version of "I Will Remember You." She also scored
Best Pop Instrumental PerformanceThe Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance was awarded between 1969 and 2011.*In 1969 it was awarded as Best Contemporary-Pop Performance, Instrumental*From 1970 to 1971 it was awarded as Best Contemporary Instrumental Performance...
in 1997 for "Last Dance." Among these, she is credited for various nominations.
Her song "Building A Mystery" came in at 91 on
VH1VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s.
McLachlan has been extensively profiled by media including cover stories for Rolling Stone, Time magazine,
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
and
FlareFlare is a Canadian fashion magazine. It is owned by Rogers Communications.Flare magazine was created in 1979, as a rebranding of Miss Chatelaine magazine. Flare promotes itself as "Canada's Fashion magazine"...
, a Canadian fashion magazine.
Through her career, she has also received many awards, primarily in recognition of her efforts in launching Lilith Fair. She was awarded the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Visionary Award in 1998 for advancing the careers of women in music. In 1999, she was appointed as an Officer of the
Order of CanadaThe Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
by then-
Governor GeneralThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Adrienne ClarksonAdrienne Louise Clarkson is a Canadian journalist and stateswoman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 26th since Canadian Confederation....
in recognition of her successful recording career, her role in Lilith Fair, and the charitable donations she made to women's shelters across Canada. In 2001, she was inducted to the
Order of British ColumbiaThe Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
.
On February 12, 2010, McLachlan performed her song "Ordinary Miracle" at the
opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter OlympicsThe Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held on February 12, 2010 beginning at 6:00 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This was the first Olympic opening ceremony to be held indoors...
in Vancouver.
On June 15, 2011, she was recognized with an honorary degree from
Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
.
Philanthropy
McLachlan contributed the track "Hold On" to the 1993 AIDS-Benefit Album
No Alternative-Home video track listing:# Matthew Sweet "Superdeformed"#*directed by Kevin Kerslake# Neneh Cherry "Athens, Georgia 1993"#*directed by Jim McKay & Michael Stipe# Urge Overkill "Take a Walk"#*directed by Matt Mahurin...
produced by the
Red Hot OrganizationRed Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
. She also performed at the
Leonard PeltierLeonard Peltier is a Native American activist and member of the American Indian Movement . In 1977 he was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for first degree murder in the shooting of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents during a 1975 conflict on the Pine...
Defense Fund Benefit Concert on February 12, 1997 and went on to release a haunting cover version of
Unchained Melody"Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. It has become one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages....
created as part of her support for Peltier and later included on the album
Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff Volume 2.
In early 2005, McLachlan took part in a star-studded tsunami disaster relief
telethon on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. On 29 January McLachlan was a headliner for a
benefit concertA benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
in Vancouver along with other Canadian superstars such as
Avril LavigneAvril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
and
Bryan AdamsBryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
. The show also featured a performance by the Sarah McLachlan Musical Outreach Choir & Percussion Ensemble, a children's choir and percussion band from the aforementioned Vancouver outreach program. In addition to her own headliner show she also joined
DeleriumDelerium is a band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed in 1987, originally as a side project of the influential industrial music act, Front Line Assembly...
live on stage for their first-ever performance of 'Silence'. The concert was titled One World: The Concert for Tsunami Relief, and raised approximately $3.6 million for several Canadian aid agencies working in south and southeast Asia. The show was the brainchild of McLachlan's manager, Terry McBride, CEO of Nettwerk. It ran for four hours and aired live on
CTVCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
across Canada.
She is an avid supporter of the ASPCA and
animal welfareAnimal welfare is the physical and psychological well-being of animals.The term animal welfare can also mean human concern for animal welfare or a position in a debate on animal ethics and animal rights...
. She filmed a two-minute advertisement for the organization which featured her song "
Angel"Angel" is a song by Sarah McLachlan that originally appeared on her 1997 album Surfacing. As McLachlan explained on VH1 Storytellers, the song is about the Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboard player Jonathan Melvoin, who overdosed on heroin and died in 1996."Angel" was McLachlan's second top 5 hits...
". The advertisement's imagery of shelter animals mixed with the soundtrack and McLachlan's simple appeal for donations has raised $30 million for the ASPCA since it began to air in 2006, which allowed the organization to air appeals in higher profile prime-time cable ad slots; subsequently the organization produced a new ad for the 2008 holiday season featuring McLachlan appealing for the ASPCA over her Wintersong performance of "
Silent Night"Silent Night" is a popular Christmas carol. The original lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" were written in Oberndorf bei Salzburg, Austria, by the priest Father Joseph Mohr and the melody was composed by the Austrian headmaster Franz Xaver Gruber...
", and a new ad with her was released in January 2009 featuring the song "Answer".
On July 2, 2005, McLachlan participated in the Philadelphia installment of the Live 8 concerts, where she performed her hit "Angel" with Josh Groban. These concerts, which were held simultaneously in nine major cities around the world, were intended to coincide with the G8 summit to put pressure on the leaders of the world's richest nations to fight poverty in Africa by cancelling debt.
McLachlan also funds an outreach program in Vancouver that provides music education for inner city children. In 2007, the provincial government announced $500,000 in funding for the outreach program.
For raising millions of dollars for causes including women's charities, AIDS sufferers and inner-city kids, Simon Fraser University conferred Sarah McLachlan the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa on June 13, 2011.
Discography
- 1988: Touch
Touch is the debut album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan which was released in 1988 and then re-released in 1989.The album was originally released in 1988 by Nettwerk...
- 1991: Solace
* In Canada, "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" appeared on Nettwerk's Donovan tribute album, Island of Circles. McLachlan fought hard to not have the song on her album but she eventually let Arista Records include it on the record...
- 1992: Sarah McLachlan Live EP
Live is a 1992 live recording by Sarah McLachlan, not to be confused with the 2004 Live Acoustic EP. It documents a concert that McLachlan performed in September of that year in Harbourfront, Toronto, and was released on CD in October. All of the songs originally appeared on McLachlan's 1991 album...
- 1993: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy
-Charts:-Release history:-Personnel:*Sarah McLachlan: Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Piano*Bill Dillon: Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Guitorgan, Bass, Piano...
- 1995: The Freedom Sessions
The Freedom Sessions is an album by Sarah McLachlan which was released in December 1994 by Nettwerk Records in Canada. It was held over for American release by Arista Records until March 28, 1995. The album consisted primarily of previously unreleased alternative versions and remixes of McLachlan...
- 1996: Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff
- 1997: Surfacing
Surfacing is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. Released on July 15, 1997, it was produced by McLachlan's frequent collaborator, Pierre Marchand. McLachlan set about writing Surfacing in 1996, after two and a half years touring for her previous album, 1994's...
- 1999: Mirrorball
- Personnel :* Sarah McLachlan - Vocals, Guitars, Piano* Ashwin Sood - Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals* Brian Minato - Bass* David Sinclair - Guitars, Background Vocals* Sean Ashby - Guitars, Background Vocals* Camille Henderson - Background Vocals...
- 2001: Remixed
- 2003: Afterglow
- 2005: Bloom: Remix Album
Bloom: Remix Album is a Sarah McLachlan album that features ten remixed McLachlan songs. The album was released on 6 September 2005 in North America.-Track listing:#"World on Fire" #"Ice"...
- 2006: Wintersong
A "sampler" CD exists, featuring similar artwork on a cardboard sleeve, which omits "Happy Xmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "Song for a Winter's Night," and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."-Singles:...
- 2008: Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff Volume 2
- 2008: Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan
Closer: The Best of Sarah McLachlan is a greatest hits album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, and also contains two new tracks. It was released on 7 October 2008. The album was released in Germany on October 17...
- 2010: Laws of Illusion
Laws of Illusion is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. It was released by Arista Records on June 15, 2010...
External links