Alberta native kd (Kathryn Dawn) lang got a lesson in Canadian music history from American Tony Bennett. While working on the Grammy award winning "A Wonderful World" Bennett would talk about American music and the American Songbook. The conversation prompted lang to think that Canadians should have a songbook as well. "Canadian songwriters are connected to nature, the four seasons, and the geography," said lang. Thus "Hymns of the 49th Parallel" was born. The album is a tribute to the singer-songwriters lang grew up with. "Jane Siberry and Joni Mitchell are my favourite songwriters. Joni is god for most female singers my age. These are songs I've loved all my life. They are my musical DNA," said lang on the album. Lang also sings song from Neil Young, Bruce Cockburn, Ron Sexsmith, and Leonard Cohen on "Hymns of the 49th Parallel".
