Jan. 28: Canadian singer, songwriter Sarah McLachlan - "Angel," "I Will Remember You" - is 43 today.

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Did you know?

Sarah McLachlan 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 Canada (OC) 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 Columbia (OBC.)

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Sarah Ann McLachlan, OC, OBC, who specializes in emotional ballads has sold over 40 million albums worldwide.

McLachlan's best-selling album to date is Surfacing, for which she won four Grammy nominations - winning two - and four Juno Awards. Sarah founded the Lilith Fair tour, which showcases female musicians. Concerts took place from 1997 to 1999, and resumed in 2010.

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Sarah McLachlan was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As a child, she took voice lessons, along with studies in classical piano and guitar. When she was 17 years old and in high school, she fronted a rock band called The October Game. Her high school yearbook predicted that she was "destined to become a famous rock star."

Following The October Game's first concert at Dalhousie University, McLachlan was offered a recording contract with Vancouver-based independent record label Nettwerk. Her parents insisted she finish high school and complete one year of studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Two years later, McLachlan signed with Nettwerk.

After signing the recording contract, McLachlan moved to Vancouver, British Columbia and recorded the album, Touch in 1988, which included the hit song "Vox."

Her 1991 album, Solace, was her mainstream breakthrough in Canada, spawning the hit singles "The Path of Thorns (Terms)" and "Into the Fire." Solace also marked the beginning of her partnership with Pierre Marchand. Marchand and McLachlan have been collaborators ever since, with Marchand producing all of McLachlan's albums and occasionally co-writing songs.

In 1993 she released Fumbling Towards Ecstasy which was an immediate hit in Canada. Over the next two years, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy quietly became McLachlan's international breakthrough as well, charting in many countries.

Following the success of Fumbling ..., McLachlan returned in 1997 with Surfacing, her best selling album to date. Earning her two Grammy Awards and four Juno Awards, the album has since sold over 11 million copies worldwide and brought her much international success.

Her song "Angel"—inspired by the fatal overdose of Smashing Pumpkins touring keyboardist Jonathan Melvoin—made sales skyrocket. In Spring 1998, the motion picture City of Angels featured "Angel." It became the No. 1 album on the Billboard chart.

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 Cole. 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 Loeb and Michelle McAdorey, formerly of Crash Vegas.

The next year, McLachlan founded the Lilith Fair tour, taking Lilith from the medieval Jewish legend that Lilith was Adam's first wife.

 

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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.

Lilith Fair 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 festival in history and helped launch the careers of several well-known female artists.

In 1998 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.

McLachlan returned to public life and touring with her 2003 album release, Afterglow, which contained the singles "Fallen," "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.

Since then, Sarah has appeared, recorded and collaborated with many leading recording artists. She has also

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McLachlan has been nominated for twenty-one Juno Awards and awarded eight. 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 Awards. She was awarded Best Female Pop Vocal Performance 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 Performance in 1997 for "Last Dance." Among these, she is credited for various nominations.

Sarah is an avid supporter of the ASPCA and animal welfare. 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.

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