Graciously accepting her Hall of Fame honours from Nova Scotia songbird Anne Murray:
-- “Of course, this one had a huge impact on me,” said lang onstage, gesturing to Murray. “Phys-ed teacher, bare feet — I had the biggest crush on her and I still do."
“I think the fact that I’m standing here receiving this award says more about Canada than it does about me because only in Canada could as big a freak as k.d. lang be receiving this award … It is OK to be you.
It is OK to let your freak flag fly and to embrace the quirkmeister that is in all of us.”
And later backstage she added:
“Not many cultures would
allow people like myself or Stompin’ Tom or Rita MacNeil to become national symbols. The fact that they passed gay marriage eons before a lot of other important countries have, Canada is a progressive, liberal country and it makes me very proud to be a part of it.”
http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2013/04/22/why_kd_langs_speech_stole_the_show_at_juno_awards.htmlRita McNeil, who died last week won her first of three Junos (for most promising artist) in the 80's at the age of 42
Stompin' Tom passed away last month.