1968 -

Canadian singer

McLachlan was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to a woman named Judy James (or Kaines; sources differ) and adopted soon afterwards by an American couple living in Canada, Jack and Dorice McLachlan, who have two other adopted children.

From the age of four McLachlan was a singer and played the ukulele, and studied music later at the Nova Scotia Royal Conservatory. She joined a band called October Game then she was 17 but did not become a full-time musician until after completing her education at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.

It was during her time at NSCAD in 1986 that one source claims a friend remarked on her resemblance to another friend of hers, who turned out to be her birth mother. They now have a continuing friendly relationship.

She has released a number of albums, including Touch (1989), Solace (1991), Fumbling towards Ecstasy (1993), The Freedom Sessions (1995), Rarities, B-Sides and Other Stuff (1996), Surfacing (1997), and Mirrorball (1999). McLachlan was the founder of the group Lilith Fair, which has also included Bif Naked and Liz Phair among its performers.
[Last updated: 21 JUN 2004]

References

Wood, Robert. “Sarah McLachlan: Breathtaking,” The Michigan Revue, 22 April 1998. Available at: http://www.umich.edu/~mrev/archives/1998/4-22-98/pg14.htm [Last visited: 21 June 2004]
king_arthur. “Sarah McLachlan.” Available at: http://www.angelfire.com/mi/wojtkiewicz/mclachlan.html [Last visited: 21 June 2004]

© Roger Ridley Fenton