Losing Our Fancy Touch

Pictures (Halifax Show)

2007-02-16T11:44:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to some of my pictures of the Halifax performance. (Click on the

http://picasaweb.google.com/berniecorbett/RankinFamilyConcertFeb102007HalifaxNS

Note to record company spokesweasles and lawyers...The pictures posted on Picassa are reduced quality and reduced in size.

Overheard on the Web

2007-02-16T08:34:00.000-04:00

Here are some comments on the Rankin tour from various discussion forums.

VANCOUVER

"Lots of foot stomping, lots of tears (at least from me and the lady I sat next to) The tribute in music to those lost was sooo heartwrenching."
"A big kudos to Molly Rankin, who seemed like she's been doing this for years. What a pro! I'm looking forward to hearing her debut album (There has to be one in the works...)"

VICTORIA

"They did a fantastic job of performing and also celebrating lives lost. As they tour across Canada you MUST go. Their new music is great and the energy soars!!!"

VERNON

"It's so surreal -- I didn't think we'd ever get a tour like this again!"

CALGARY

"I'm still on a high from the concert last night, it was a blast!!!"
"Cookie and Raylene had tears in their eyes by the end of the show, so I think they realized how much Calgary appreciated their visit. I was happiest about this because I am sure this gig was tough for them. I hope they enjoyed the show because we all did!"

WINNIPEG

"So this is what I saw tonight. I saw genuine passion! Human frailty; Sincere gratitude; Abundant Love; Ties that bind; Endless gifting; Enduring spirits; And family honor, which extends beyond the quintet, to the wonderful men handling the fine instrumentation for the evening. It was a tight show! Actually...it wasn't a show at all! It was a group of dear friends, with a great deal of love and respect for one another, sharing their love of music with a room full of very thankful, enthusiastic music lovers!"
"Molly Rankin is an exceptionally talented, and lovely lady! Her voice is very attractive and appealing, and the Rankin's really do beam with pride when she sings! And so they should!"

TORONTO

"If you can go see them on this tour, do anything you can to do it!!"
"The band looks great, sounded great and filled that room with the most glorious feeling. I'm still on a high. "
"...those voices and melodies would melt the hearts of anyone. I found the whole experience moving, exhilarating, foot-stomping--so many emotions."
"This was the first time I have ever seen them in concert.....and I was blown away! Not only do they put on a great show but they sound even better live."

HAMILTON

"Every song was played with precision, every note sang was perfect. The sound was amazing & the girls voices were heavenly."

St. John's NFLD

"I got to see the most amazing performance last night in St. John's. The show surpassed any expectations I had (and believe me my expectations were high). It was so great to see Molly perform; it was like she has always been part of the group. A truly memorable night!"

Halifax, NS - Feb 10, 2007 - Halifax Metro Centre

2007-02-11T03:55:00.000-04:00

Rankins Have a Rousing Good Time - By Stephen Cooke - Chronicle Herald

Metro Centre family reunion harmonious and heartfelt.

It’s a little hard to believe it’s been nearly two decades since the music of Mabou’s Rankin Family first began travelling in earnest across the Canso Causeway, and my own career practically begins around the same time theirs did, around the time of the self-titled debut album and a stage show called The Mabou Jig.

While it’s hard to say if the Rankins’ current Reunion CD and tour will carry any further ramifications for the group, or be put to rest when it wraps up in Newfoundland next week, Saturday night’s Halifax Metro Centre show proved that the musical legacy they began in 1989 remains a powerful and beloved one.

Jimmy Rankin and sisters Cookie, Raylene and Heather were in good spirits on Saturday, due in no small part to the vigorous response of the audience. The crowd greeted the group with an instant standing ovation for the opening bars of Jimmy’s Roving Gypsy Boy, while Heather’s lead on North Country set the mood for an evening of Cape Breton melodies and memories.

"We’re so proud to be back here," said Cookie. "In our early days it was so different when we started traveling in England and Scotland, and the only accent we could understand was our own.

"We’d have to decipher requests like, ‘Cuckah, sayng burdahs en tam!’ So that’s what we’re going to do; sing Borders and Time."

The heartache of Cookie’s solo gave way to the gentle nostalgia of Raylene’s Gillis Mountain, given a sparkling treatment with Clarence Deveau on banjo, Bruce Jacobs’ stand-up bass and fiddler Howie MacDonald switching to mandolin. There were plenty of opportunities for MacDonald to shine on his signature instrument, like a solo in a rollicking treatment of David Francey’s Sunday Morning and a pair of lively duets with Molly, daughter of the Rankins’ late brother John Morris. One set had them shift gears from a strathspey to a jig and then finally a reel with the full band blazing away, driven by drummer Brian Talbot (Slainte Mhath).

The memory of both John Morris and older sister Geraldine, who died suddenly at the outset of the tour, was honoured with a performance of Bishop MacDonald by pianist Mac Morin. It was a touching tribute, leading into Raylene’s beautiful Lambs in Spring, sung with Heather and Cookie, full of reminiscences of youth.

Pointing towards the future were Jimmy’s Slipping Away, from the forthcoming solo CD Edge of Day, about a man in self-imposed exile, looking for that inspiration at the end of the road, and Molly’s Sunset, a highlight of the Reunion CD. The younger Rankin’s voice has an aching, willowy quality inspired by modern singer-songwriters like Sarah Harmer and Kathleen Edwards, while her lyrics about a love affair’s dying days seem to carry wisdom beyond her 19 years.

Rankins’ favourites like Orangedale Whistle and Cookie’s impassioned Fare Thee Well Love were each met with jubilant audience approval, while the Irish folk tune Tell My Ma had fans on their feet instantly and dancing in the aisles.

As singers, the sisters showed no sign of being absent from full-time performing for the past eight years, with each handling their solo vocals with aplomb and those familiar sweet harmonies maintaining all their reed-like qualities. Heather generated roars with a spirited Fisherman’s Son, while Raylene’s rendition of Leon Dubinsky’s Rise Again remains an ovation-earning showstopper that can’t help but generate chills.

But the show closer remains Jimmy’s epic Mull River Shuffle, a dramatic recreation of a Saturday night party 50 years ago, with the singer-songwriter seemingly channelling The Doors Jim Morrison doing Weird Scenes Inside the Mabou Coal Mines.

"Let’s tear the roof off this place," Jimmy implored, and the crowd complied, leading to a foot-stomping finale with some virtuoso fiddle work from MacDonald and an infectious feeling of joy filling the arena.

The Rankins’ concert also provided a welcome opportunity for modern British folk artist Seth Lakeman to make his premiere Halifax appearance. Backed by brother Sean on guitar and double bassist Ben Nichols, the Devonshire singer proved multi-talented on tenor guitar and solo fiddle, as well as an expert spinner of tales of the sea and doomed lovers.

His brief set makes one hope for a future appearance on these shores, perhaps at the Stan Rogers Folk Festival or Celtic Colours.

Ottawa, On - Feb. 8, 2007 - Ottawa Civic Centre

2007-02-09T03:44:00.000-04:00

A High-Rankin Performance - By Denis Armstrong - Ottawa Sun

Sun rating: 4 out of 5

The Rankins turned tragedy into triumph with an unexpectedly passionate concert at the Civic Centre last night.

Ten years since calling it quits, the world-famous family of singers from Cape Breton announced last November that they would reunite to tour with a new album titled "The Rankin Family Reunion."

But when older sister Geraldine died suddenly of a brain aneurysm on Jan. 10, there was real concern that the grief-stricken family's remaining members would scrap their plans to perform.

Thankfully the four siblings, Cookie, Raylene, Heather and brother Jimmy decided to carry on as a way of coping, if not altogether burying their collective grief, a grief made worse by the cruel coincidence of the recent anniversary of the death of eldest brother and founding member John Morris, in a car accident in Jan. 2000.

So it was a rare opportunity to see The Rankins, best-known for toe-tapping, almost festive tunes and traditional ballads, share their private and deeply-felt sadness with 4,000 fans as they poured their souls into a poignant two-hour set of three- and four-part harmonizing.

There was little trace of their feelings as they began with rollicking, maritime-flavoured tunes such as "Fare Thee Well Love", "Gillis Mountain" and a singalong on "Fisherman's Son."

It seemed that the foursome was going to brave it out for the night, when middle sister Raylene stepped up to the microphone alone.

"We're mourning the loss of both of them and no words can describe our sorrow," she whispered as their pianist played a stirring solo tribute to the sister who played piano for the band in the 1970s.

You could have heard a pin drop.

But that remarkable moment didn't darken the mood. Far from it, the tightly-knit siblings turned high emotion into a rousing celebration of life and music, performing a cover of David Francey's ode to drink "Sunday Morning" and John Hiatt's "Gone," undoubtedly the happiest sad song this reviewer has ever heard.

Meanwhile Jimmy, who spent much of the first half playing guitar and letting his sisters do all the singing, used his turn at the microphone to plug his new solo album called "Edge of Day" by performing the first single, the gentle rocker "Slipping Away."

The evening's highlight was a soaring rendition of "We Rise Again" with Raylene's stratospherically-high vocals sending the audience into rapture.

But the freshest surprise was the addition of John Morris' daughter Molly.

It turns out that this second-generation Rankin is a triple threat, singing and accompanying herself on guitar on "Sunset," which she wrote for the new disc. Later, she swapped her guitar for a fiddle for a rollicking duet with Howie MacDonald.

The Rankins closed the concert with the traditional reel "Mary's Wedding," "Same Way Too" and the family favourite "The Departing Song".

It was a fitting way to end to an extraordinary concert.

Kitchener, On. - Feb. 7, 2007 - Centre in the Square

2007-02-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

Rankins Haven't Missed a Beat - By Robert Reid - Kitchener-Waterloo Record

It's billed as a Reunion Tour, but seeing the Rankin Family at the Centre in the Square on Monday seemed to defy the passage of time.

Although they disbanded in 1999, Jimmy and sisters Raylene, Cookie and Heather didn't appear much different from when they last performed at the centre in 1998, a few months before brother John Morris died in an auto accident.

If anything, they sound better than ever. Despite Jimmy nailing down the male lead vocals, the sound of the Rankin Family is largely defined by the three sisters.

Raylene, Cookie and Heather still harmonize like Celtic angels, but maturity has softened the strident shrill that could sometimes be heard in their younger voices.

Their vocals now are warmer, fuller, without sacrificing the piercing high notes that still send shivers down spines.

The quartet of Cape Breton musical siblings were backed by an energetic quintet including the abundantly talented Howie MacDonald on fiddle and mandolin and Mac Morin on piano.

They drew material from their whole catalogue, spanning their 1989 self-titled album to their recently released Reunion.

Most of the 20 songs, plus three encores, delivered over two hours enjoyed high audience recognition value.

The Rankins had the large, multi-generational crowd eating out of their hands for Orangedale Whistle, Fisherman's Son, Tell My Ma, Gillis Mountain, North Country, Borders & Time, Bells, You Feel the Same Way Too and Movin' On, among others.

From Reunion they introduced the poignant Departing Song and Gone, in addition to David Francey's Sunday Morning, which they transformed and made their own.

Jimmy also offered the first single, Slipping Away, from his upcoming solo album Edge of Day.

It's difficult to pick highlights. However, Jimmy's Fare Thee Well Love, one of the loveliest songs ever written in this country, produced goosebumps when he was joined by Cookie.

Cookie's (sic) rendition of Leon Dubinsky's Rise Again was similarly effective.

Ditto for Morin, one of Cape Breton's most accomplished pianists, who paid tribute by performing one of John Morris' instrumentals from the debut album.

It's clear that songs of love, loss and hope strike deep chords with the Rankin Family, who lost another sister, Geraldine, days before the tour began.

The Mull River Shuffle was a musically invigorating closer that forced the audience to its collective feet.

A couple of times during the concert they were joined by Molly, John Morris' daughter, who performed her song, Sunset, from Reunion. She also teamed up with MacDonald on a couple of sets of ferocious Celtic fiddle tunes.

Toronto singer-songwriter Dawn Langstroth opened with seven songs over 25 minutes. Most of the material was drawn from her self-titled EP, in addition to her spirited version of Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice.

Langstroth is an impressive songwriter who has a soulful voice as fresh and as crisp as a mountain brook.

Hamilton, ON - Feb. 6, 2007 - Hamilton Place

2007-02-06T20:46:00.000-04:00

Rankin Family - A Whole Bigger Than the Parts - By Jeff Mahoney - The Hamilton Spectator

The Rankin Family brought their Cape Breton charm and, it sometimes seemed, half the island, into Hamilton Place last night, suffusing the hall with their distinctive maritime sounds.

The show was part of the family reunion tour. Raylene, Jimmy, Cookie and Heather mingled the old with the new, the ballads with the jigs and the anthems. And the crowd, almost capacity, mingled their voices with those coming from the stage, sometimes singing along and sometimes just shouting out encouragements and cries of recognition.

The strengths of the show, and they were ample, tended to center around the siblings' beautifully interwoven harmonies and expressive vocal balance, with their different tonalities not only complementing each other but stoking each other, resulting in a whole bigger than the parts.

Picture courtesy of The Hamilton Spectator

The cohesive flow of the singing might not seem so remarkable in a group of individuals who have performed together since they were children. But it does when you consider they haven't shared a stage since they retired from touring and recording in 1999, to spend time with their families and to pursue more personal interest.

They've lost none of the wonderful Rankin intuition around braiding their separate threads, on each song, into a rich and textured shape.

What they have lost a little, I think, is the more frenetic energy and abandon of the earlier days. Their repertoire last night often had an anthemic quality to it, with swelling organs, large chords and gradual builds sometimes reminiscent of Rita McNeil; not so many jigs and reels and boot scuffers. When they did the latter, especially those songs featuring rousing fiddle solos, the crowd lit up.

But what they have sacrificed to the passage of time, they have made up for in depth. And the anthems, the ballads and mid-tempo songs were deftly handled. Songs like Fare Thee Well and Slipping Away, a new one by Jimmy Rankin, were often stirring. But it would have been nice to have heard a few more with a little more zip, after the manner of the Fisherman Song and Tell My Ma.

Of course, the family is missing a key member. John Morries Rankin died in a car accident in 2000. His daughter Molly Rankin came on stage to sing the lovely Sunset and played some raucous fiddle on several other tunes.

Opening act Dawn Langstroth was a real discovery. Her voice has a resinous fluid beauty and reach that set off her original compositions (strong on their own, both lyrically and melodically) like jewels on velvet.

Her voice and material brought to mind several possible influences from Sheryl Crow to Joni Mitchell. Oh, and a hint, just a hint, in the voice, of Anne Murray, who happens to be Langstroth's mother.

Click Here for a link to a short video of the Rankin Family performing in Hamilton.

Tough Gig...

2007-02-05T20:50:00.000-04:00

Click on map for larger image

I'm a map technician and using the Rankin Family website was able to generate the above map showing the current tour. Keep in mind, this tour is/was 1 month long. Based on the map information, to hit these towns in the order they did would require 11,334 kilometers of bus travel! That is an insane schedule for 1 month.

On the day I posted this (Feb 5, 2007) the band is in the middle of 6 consecutive shows. Toronto (Feb 2 & 3) to Ottawa (Feb 7) with stops in London, Kitchener and Hamilton. They then have 1 day off and head to the Maritimes.

25 shows in 31 days in the middle of a frostbitten Canadian winter! I hope they have some energy left for the hometown shows.

On another note:

To anyone in the Canadian music industry...What you see above is a Cross-Canada-Tour. Vancouver to Montreal or Edmonton to Toronto is not a cross country tour.

(edit) Hmmm, I just noticed the tour skipped PEI & Quebec. My apologies to music spokesweasels across Canada. I guess translating Gaelic into french might cause ones head to explode.

London, ON - February 4, 2007 - John Labatt Centre

2007-02-05T03:03:00.000-04:00

Celtic Fire Still Burns Brightly in Rankin Clan - By James Reaney - The London Free Press

The Rankin Family's reunion tour of 2007 may prove to be a fare-thee-well, a bit like a last glimpse of sunshine on the waves off their Cape Breton home.

That would be a shame, because the best moments at the benumbed gathering at the RBC Theatre at the John Labatt Centre last night showed there is still Celtic fire and more in the four famous siblings and their talented niece.

Jimmy, Raylene, Heather and Cookie Rankin were joined by Molly Rankin before a crowd of about 2,000 fans who thawed out enough to cheer some fine fiddle duets, classics from the glory days, and an extended encore in a two-hour show.

"You've been sitting on ice all night," Jimmy Rankin said in urging the crowd to stand up and "warm up" for the main set finale, a Cape Breton raveup built around Mull River Shuffle. Rankin did ask them to stand up again during the encore. The fans were happy to be asked twice.

The show started with Roving Gypsy Boy and North Country, two blasts from the Rankins' past, and finished with Departing Song from the band's Reunion CD of 2006.

In between, there were Celtic moments, fiddle showdowns, Molly Rankin's lovely song Sunset from the new album, stepdancing from Molly, Heather, Raylene and pianist Mac Morin, amazing Rankin harmonies and more.

The fans loved -- quietly -- the old material, such as Fare Thee Well Love and The Orangedale Whistle, before being roused for the final 30 minutes.

The fans just as quietly resisted John Hiatt's Gone, a great song from Reunion, and proof the Rankins could move in a new direction if the fans want them to. The reunion was suggested by a Calgary promoter who said they would still be in the demand.

We'll see. It is much more likely the Rankin Family will be seen in its parts, with Jimmy as a solo artist, his sisters touring together and Molly, daughter of the late John Morris, emerging as a fiddler/stepdancer/singer/songwriter.

The band broke up in 1999 and it has been nearly a decade since the last album, Uprooted, before Reunion's arrival late in 2006. The Rankins have been through tragic losses in those years. Their brother, John Morris, died in a car crash in 2000 and their sister, Geraldine, died of a brain aneurysm just before the Reunion tour was to start. A traditional piano ballad John Morris had played early in his career paid tribute to both of them.

The family's sense of humour is intact. Being booked on Super Bowl night was obviously a gamble -- and there were hundreds of empty seats flanking the stage to show what that meant.

"They're almost through halftime and no body parts have been exposed," said Heather Rankin partway through the show.

Before walking away from their initial career, the Rankins released a number of platinum-selling albums, including the 1990 quadruple-platinum Fare Thee Well Love. They also won 15 East Coast Music Awards, six Junos, four SOCAN Awards and three Canadian Country Music Awards.

Opening for the Rankin Family was singer-songwriter Dawn Langstroth. Langstroth is touring with the Cape Breton band without making much fanfare about being Anne Murray's daughter. That task is being left to reviewers.

This one is happy to mention it -- and to add that You Don't Want Me, co-written by Langstroth and Ron Sexsmith, is a great, heart-breaking song and her mother should know about it, if she doesn't already.

Toronto, ON - February 2, 2007 - Massey Hall

2007-02-03T22:00:00.000-04:00

Real People and Sheer Joy of Harmony - By Greg Quill - Toronto Star

No choreography, no blitzkrieg lighting, no stage props or pop-up effects, no fancy talk, no smoke and mirrors – just voices raised in the sheer joy of harmony and service to the song, and real people paying honest tribute to the music that has wrapped itself around them all their lives, its humanity transparent.

That was how the Rankin Family came across last night at the first of two scheduled concerts at Toronto's Massey Hall – the second show takes place tonight – as they work their way from the West Coast back home to Cape Breton.

The tour is partly a brief reunion, and largely a celebration of the Scottish- and Irish-based Maritimes folk music they brought to Canada's – and the world's – great stages in the 1980s and '90s.

It's a show that's also touched with sorrow. Over and above the famed siblings' penchant for sentimental balladry, the absence of their brother, founding member, arranger, fiddler and piano virtuoso John Morris – he perished in a car accident in 2000, two years after the band had ended a stellar 15-year run – and the loss of their elder sister Geraldine to a brain aneurysm last month, seemed to weigh on Jimmy, Heather, Cookie and Raylene Rankin.

Through nearly two hours of a performance that ranged from Cape Breton fiddle-and-dance through energetic country-tinged bluegrass and folk, to lush, guitar-driven pop, a palpable sadness lingered.

Even when John Morris's luminously talented daughter, 19-year-old Molly Rankin, came front and centre to sing her own composition – "Sunset," one of the highlights of the band's new album, Reunion, – or to join in fiery fiddle duets with the backing band's top gun, Howie MacDonald, the wistful smiles on her aunts' faces reflected as much pain as pride.

Blending hits from both the family's and Jimmy's solo repertoires – "Fare Thee Well, Love," "The Orangedale Special," "Borders And Time," "Slipping Away," "Fisherman's Son," "Nut Brown Maiden" – and songs from the new album, including David Francey's "Sunday Morning," driven into an old-time dance frenzy, the Rankins satisfied every heart in the jammed concert hall.

Fans whistled and hollered their approval with every new tune, and called out their thanks to band members by name at the end of every solo spot. They sang along on the songs they knew, clapped along on those they'd not heard before.

It was a long overdue reunion, the sadness of the circumstances healed in the end by the hearty and uncluttered simplicity of the Rankins' delivery, and their open and honest, down-home connection with their fans.

A special addition to the program was Anne Murray's daughter Dawn Langstroth performing a very short set of her own material. Her voice is spectacular, her songs more than promising.

Like Molly Rankin, she's a rare talent, another champ in the making.

Toronto, ON - February 2, 2007 - Massey Hall

2007-02-03T12:06:00.000-04:00

Rankins Rise Again - By Jim Slotek - Toronto Sun

Sun Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Massey Hall crowd couldn't get enough of Cape Breton's favourite family

A 'standing-O' at the end of last night's barn-burning Rankin Family Reunion show was to be expected. But a standing-hello?

Indeed, many of the full-house at Massey Hall last night were in the mood to get on their feet from the moment Cape Breton's favourite sons and daughters took the stage for the first of a two-nighter, with Jimmy Rankin giving a muscular country take to Roving Gypsy Boy.

They were on their feet en masse when Raylene Rankin hit that glass-shattering high note to end the empowerment anthem We Rise Again. And they were on their feet and stomping them when Jimmy became seemingly possessed of the Devil himself as he launched into the Ceilidh-on-fire Mull River Shuffle to end the pre-encore set.

LOVE AFFAIR

How could the love affair between a much-loved Celtic-country band that hasn't toured in eight years and its fans possibly get more torrid? Well, you'd have had to have been in the basement lounge of Massey after the show as the Rankins showed up to get mobbed, sign autographs and hawk CDs. This, my friends, is Canadian showbiz at its richest and most down-to-earth, with sweet-voiced fortysomething sisters dressed like they shop at the same mall you do, and ready to show the kids how they stepdance back home.

Tempering the love-in, of course, is the tragedy that has underlined the Rankins' hiatus -- the death of key member John Morris in a car crash seven years ago and the recent death of original Rankin singer Geraldine of a brain aneurysm.

The lost siblings were paid touching tribute mid-set with a few words by Raylene, following which she walked off with Jimmy and sisters Cookie and Heather, and a solo piano performance of Memories Of Bishop MacDonald was performed.

And then, as if in a passing of the torch, John Morris' daughter Molly was brought onstage to play one of her own alt.country songs. She then picked up a fiddle and made a case for heredity, dueting with band-fiddler Howie MacDonald on two numbers, including a scorching Cape Breton hoedown. In a giddily emotional moment, she also step-danced with aunts Heather and Raylene in the encore Mairi's Wedding.

(The torch-passing didn't begin and end with Molly. Opener Dawn Langstroth, who played a couple of her own tunes, is the daughter of Anne Murray, though she wasn't introduced that way. Nonetheless, her look and, at times, her voice betrayed the bloodlines.)

NEW ALBUM

Though they have a new album out for the occasion (and Jimmy has an EP of solo numbers), it was the oldies from the long-ago '90s that had the Rankins audience screaming. Among them: Orangedale Whistle, the country rocker Movin' On, Fisherman's Song (for which Heather had the crowd sing the chorus a cappella), North Country, and their biggest hit Fare Thee Well Love.

To be at a concert this energized and emotional is to be reminded what live performance should be about. Losing the Rankins was a loss to our musical identity. Rediscovering them is a revelation.

Toronto, ON - February 2, 2007 - Massey Hall

2007-02-03T01:39:00.000-04:00

Family roots run deep for Rankins - By Greg Quill - Toronto Star

Cape Breton's pioneering Celtic band The Rankin Family, on tour for the first time since the death of founding member and musical mentor John Morris Rankin in a car accident seven years ago, pulled out all the stops last night at the first of two scheduled Toronto shows at Massey Hall.

They perform again tonight, with opening act Dawn Langstroth – the daughter of Canadian songbird Anne Murray and ex-husband, music and TV producer Bill Langstroth – making a quiet but impressive debut on the national concert circuit.

She's not the only progeny of famous musical stock taking bows for the first time on the Rankin Family tour. John Morris' 19-year-old daughter Molly, a songwriter, fiddler and singer who has clearly benefited from the family's musical gifts, is also featured in the show.

What was supposed to have been a last-time-around family reunion album and tour, the brainchild of Calgary concert promoter Jeff Parry, got off to a sad start in early January, days before the opening date in Vancouver. Rankin sister and one-time band member Geraldine died of a brain aneurysm at 50 in her Calgary home, her siblings delaying some dates in order to sing at her funeral.

"It was a blow, unbelievable," Raylene Rankin told the Star in a phone interview from Winnipeg. "It's hard sitting around hotel rooms and concert halls while it weighs on your mind.

"It's better when we hit the stage ... The music is therapy for us."

The Rankins – Jimmy, Raylene, Cookie, Heather and special guest Molly – perform in London, Kitchener and Hamilton tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday, promoting what will likely be their final recording together, the album Reunion. It includes several new songs by family members, as well as previously unheard instrumental material recorded in 1997 by John Morris and recently unearthed in CBC Radio's Halifax studios.

With Jimmy pursuing a solo career, Heather and Raylene concentrating on their families and managing their new acquisition, The Red Shoe pub, in their hometown, Mabou, and Cookie in Nashville with her husband, music producer George Massenburg, it's unlikely the Rankins will find the time to record and tour again together.

"We've had all sorts of offers since we called it quits in 1998, but it's very difficult to co-ordinate four different schedules," Cookie explained.

"I love singing, but I'm not crazy about travelling. When you're on the road in a band you race from one venue to the next ... you see nothing, eat too much. It's all hurry up and wait. The most rewarding part of touring for me is meeting people at shows, but even then, there's never enough time."

Winnipeg, MB - January 30, 2007 - Centennial Concert Hall

2007-01-30T23:01:00.000-04:00

Rankin Family Reunion Tour Feels Like a Coronation - By Holly Harris - Whats On Winnipeg

Four stars out of five
Attendance: 2,002

It may have been billed as a reunion tour to promote The Rankin Family's new CD Reunion, but in many ways it also felt like a coronation.

The popular contemporary Celtic band — which includes siblings Heather, Jimmy, Raylene and Cookie Rankin — also included young Molly Rankin, daughter of older brother John, who died tragically seven years ago. The 19-year-old stole the show whenever she came onstage in what seemed like an inter-generational passing of the crown, proving her father's musical legacy is being kept alive and very well.

The band is currently on a 22-stop Canadian tour — their first since 1999 — bringing the remaining four siblings together again for their first Manitoba show in more than 15 years.

The 100-minute set included their greatest hits and songs from their new album.

The wildly gifted Molly — introduced as the "pride of Mabou (Cape Breton)" — seemed to do it all, from singing, songwriting, fiddling, guitar-strumming to some terrific high-step jigging. Her doting aunts couldn't seem to take their eyes off her as she performed. Her original song Sunset was a lovely highlight of the show.

Given the hard times this family has faced over the years — including the sudden death of elder sister Geraldine this month — they may be forgiven for a relatively subdued set. However, the Rankins — backed by a five-piece band — showed they can still rock the house on their new single Sunday Morning and a hard-driving Movin' On.

The stirring anthem Rise Again — with Raylene belting out the lyrics "we rise again in the voices of our song" — may very well be the perfect theme song for a unique family that keeps reinventing itself.

Gaelic love song Ho Ro Mo Nighean Donn Bhoidheach (Nut Brown Maiden), performed as a dark a cappella number by the trio of sisters, sent chills down the spine.

No Celtic show worth its salt would be complete without some old-time Cape Breton fiddling, and on Tuesday night Molly showed off her chops on a frenzied twin fiddling reel performed with band member Howie MacDonald.

The most poignant moment of the evening came with the piano solo Bishop, dedicated to the memory of John and Geraldine. MacMorran’s sensitive playing got to the heart of the piece without overstating its intention.

Singer-songwriter Dawn Langstroth, daughter of Anne Murray, warmed up the audience with folksy charm, performing a short set of cover tunes as well as her own original material with guitarist Jeremy Kelly.

The party was just heating up when it was time to leave. But three encores, including some killer step-dancing and a quieter, appropriately titled Departing Song helped ease the crowd back into the cold prairie night.

Saskatoon, SK - January 29, 2007 - TCU Place

2007-01-29T13:51:00.000-04:00

Rankin Reunion Hits Right Note - By Jeanette Stewart - Saskatoon Star-Phoenix

TCU Place

While "some things stay and some things go" the Rankin Family proved Saturday they still possess the timeless talent that brought them success more than a decade ago.

As the siblings sang the lyrics to Jimmy Rankin's Orangedale Whistle, the audience was reminded of just how much has changed for the family.

In their first tour in eight years, the recurring themes of longing and loss written into their songs seem more relevant now than ever before.

Fans of the group are well aware of the death of brother John Morris in 2000. Sister Geraldine passed away suddenly earlier this month before the first scheduled tour stops in Nanaimo. Those shows were cancelled and the siblings picked up in Victoria.

The Rankin Family's stop in Saskatoon was greeted by a packed house and enthusiastic fans, but it took a few songs before they provided evidence of their former Celtic fire.

Mid-show, Raylene Rankin took the stage and spoke about their departed siblings. "There are no words to describe this sorrow," she said and left pianist Mac Morin to play a pretty ballad composed by John Morris.

After this sadness was addressed, it was time to have fun.

With her aunts watching proudly, Molly Rankin, the 19-year-old daughter of John Morris, came onstage to sing Sunsets, her contribution to the new Rankin Family album. Molly also displayed her talent on the fiddle alongside long-time band member Howie MacDonald.

The best moments happened when the old songs came out. Crisp and tight, the energy they brought to the stage made the live performance stronger than any recording of the group.

Each sibling took turns leading with vocals. Though both Cookie and Raylene's voices lapsed at times, their overall performance was magical.

It was Heather's voice, with its childish, innocent quality intact, that lifted the sisters' ethereal three-part harmonies.

The band really shone in the encore. Molly joined Heather and Raylene in an Irish step dance and proved that while the Irish dance craze has long faded, it still brings a crowd to its feet.

The four siblings possess a gift that should be shared with audiences. They are at their best together, and proved their skill as professional musicians that can bring an audience through perfectly timed emotional highs and lows.

Opening act Dawn Langstroth was a good fit for the show. The daughter of Canadian sweetheart Anne Murray, and a self-proclaimed "Maritimer at heart," Langstroth provided a mix of covers and new material that showcased her powerful folk-pop voice.

Edmonton, AB - January 25, 2007, Jubilee Auditorium

2007-01-25T22:48:00.000-04:00

Rankins Rise Again - By Jenny Feniak - Edmonton Sun

The Rankins proved not only passionate but true professionals during a performance in Edmonton Thursday night.

Heavy, red velvet curtains framed the Jubilee Auditorium stage where Jimmy, Cookie, Raylene and Heather Rankin reunited in song - after almost a decade.

The Rankins' reunion performance was not only warm and wonderful, but an emotional occasion as the family banded together with the music that's defined their Maritime life, while mourning the loss of two siblings.

Nothing of this was mentioned immediately and The Rankins appeared positive, each offering a classic and familiar song to a crowd who knows and loves them.

Absent from the reunited group was their eldest brother and fiddler John Morris Rankin, who died in a car crash only a few months after the family called it quits in 1999.

Eventually, the other siblings left Raylene at the microphone to acknowledge the death of their sister Geraldine just days before the reunion tour kicked off.

"We're mourning the loss of both of them and no words can describe our sorrow,'' she said before leaving the stage as the lights dimmed.

With a five-piece band on stage, a beautiful piano instrumental picked up, paying homage to Geraldine's musical role in the Rankin Family's first incarnation in the '70s.

The siblings joined each other back on stage for another sombre number before renewing their upbeat spirit with the introduction of their newest member - Molly Rankin.

The 19-year-old appeared with a guitar and did Sunsets, her original contribution to the new album. The musical gene didn't miss her and as the new voice soared, her aunts and uncle beamed proudly from the shadows.

After her moment in the spotlight, Molly swapped her guitar for a fiddle, a talent handed down to her by her late father John Morris.

Raylene, Heather and Jimmy each sang songs from the Rankins' most successful album, Fare Thee Well Love, while Cookie introduced the crowd to their new album, Rankin Family Reunion, singing David Francey's rousing Sunday Morning.

Jimmy let the crowd know the album was not only being sold after the show, but they would be there to greet fans and sign autographs. With a bit of a chuckle, he continued with shameless self-promotion for his own solo album, Edge of Days, and played a very un-Celtic track called Slipping Away.

Even with the unquestionable grief the family was feeling, they have been professional musicians all their lives and showed it. The rest of the concert was full of life as Raylene jigged and the crowd clapped along.

They had an exceptional encore ready to go for the adoring crowd, which included Raylene's "companion song" and the unofficial Cape Breton anthem Rise Again.

The Rankins closed out with The Departing Song, an unrecorded number from the group's past that Jimmy reworked for all the voices and a perfect close.

The Rankins' stage presence and etiquette are absolutely polished and together they possess something magical none could produce alone.

Red Deer, AB - January 24, 2007, ENMAX Centrium

2007-01-24T12:01:00.000-04:00

RANKINS MAKE GRAND RETURN - By Penny Caster - Red Deer Advocate

The keening harmonies, the sometimes fairly rockin' Celtic tunes and the fabulous fiddle segments were all there, at The Rankin Family concert Wednesday night.

The Cape Breton family, touring together for the first time since disbanding eight years ago, packed at least 2,500 enthusiastic fans into Red Deer's Enmax Centrium for the show.

Jimmy Rankin led off the group's set with Roving Gypsy Boy, one of his own tunes.

Then Cookie Rankin sang lead vocals on Borders and Time, and that was followed by Raylene singing her own song, Gillis Mountain.

And so went the evening.

The talented family took turns in the spotlight and the three sisters, Cookie, Raylene and Heather, demonstrated the harmonizing they do so very well.

The choice of tunes featured mostly old favourites with some from the new album and they were well-paced — the mood would get sombre with one song only to be lifted to the rafters by the next one.

The Rankin family was rocked seven years ago, shortly after the group broke up, when its anchor, John Morris Rankin, was killed in an auto accident.

Then, just before this reunion tour set out, an older sister, not a current group member, died suddenly.

Tribute was paid to the pair during the show when Raylene explained “no words can describe our sorrow,” and the family left the stage while pianist Mac Morin played a piece.

Other songs performed during the evening included The Fisherman’s Song, during which Raylene coaxed the more-than-willing audience to sing along to the “la la la la” part, Fare Thee Well, a rousing version of the traditional song, Tell My Ma, Rise Again, Mull River Shuffle, Orangedale Whistle, and Gone, a song from the new album.

There was a sense of the continuum of the musical heritage of Atlantic Canada with the appearance of two members of the up-and-coming generation.

One was Molly Rankin, John Morris’s daughter, who both sang and played the fiddle, and the other was Dawn Langstroth, who opened the show.

Langstroth plays guitar and sings a folk-pop blend of music and has a clear, strong and expressive voice.

Though raised in Ontario, she has serious Nova Scotia connections, she is Anne Murray’s daughter.

The Rankin Family were backed up by a talented band that included Cape Breton fiddler Howie MacDonald.

He and Molly Rankin paired up for a couple of demonstrations of fiddle virtuosity that had the crowd well revved up.

The Rankin Family set ended with a dazzling display of step dancing which was led off by Morin, who comes from a long line of step dancers and it shows.

This was an entertaining, well-paced show that obviously delighted the audience.

It was good to see the Rankin Family together again, though sadly without John Morris.

Let’s hope they don’t wait too long before returning.

Calgary, AB - Jan 23, 2007 - Pengrowth Saddledome

2007-01-24T01:13:00.000-04:00

Rankin Family Reunion in Calgary - Sowrey.org

Last night, we attended what I can only describe as a typical Maritime house/kitchen party. Except without the screech or incomprehensible accents.

Back in the early 1990s, Canada had a brief flirtation with popular Maritime music. While the Maritimes loved the music to begin with, the rest of us uncultured folk had to wait for the CanCon rules to bring it into the public eye.

Along with Leahy (who hit the big scene a couple of years earlier) and Great Big Sea (who rolled in with the tide a couple of years later), The Rankin Family made up a significant portion of the Maritime component of the Canadian airwaves.

I’d heard one or two of their tunes before. Nice, but I didn’t go out of my way to buy an album.

Alex, however, is a big fan of theirs, and has been for ages. In fact, she’d been at a Rankin concert the night before she had a horrific car accident that destroyed her just-purchased Rankin Family t-shirt. While laid up in hospital, a friend of family who knew the manager of the band got them to sign a new one. She’s never worn it.

The band broke up in 1999 as they’d wanted to pursue their own projects. A few short months later, John Morris Rankin was killed in an accident and the band’s future was questionable. Raylene battled breast cancer, and only a couple of weeks ago, Geraldine (one of the founding members) died from a brain aneurysm, which devastated the family yet again.

So when I saw a Ticketmaster alert for The Rankin Family, my first thought was “cover band”. But a bit of digging had me realize that this was actually the The Rankin Family (surviving members, of course). And they were touring, having recorded a new album. Conveniently, Christmas was just around the corner…

Due to an inability to walk the three blocks just prior to the Christmas break, I had to give Alex a printout of the ticket purchase rather than the tickets themselves. But, tickets in hand, we went to the show last night.

I will freely admit that I knew the tune of one Rankins song before going into the concert last night. One. “North Country.” Actually, to be fair, I knew the tune of the chorus. After that, I’m more than a tad rusty.

The opening act was one woman. I honestly don’t remember her name now. But it was just her and her “band” — another guitarist. She started off with a cover of Sheryl Crow’s “A Change Would Do You Good”, skipping from one song to the next without much fanfare or chit-chat.

After a 30-odd minute intermission, The Rankins took stage. My first thought when I saw Jimmy was “he hasn’t changed much”. Cookie and Raylene … well, I hate to say it, but they reminded me of school teachers (which Alex later echoed). And believe me, this is not meant to be in any way derogatory. It is a fact, however, that you do not need to vamp it up like so many of the pop stars — true talent does not depend on the way one looks. And Raylene’s voice can still shake a stadium.

Tuesday, January 23rd was a special day for Calgary because one of our favourite bands from the East Coast....yes, the Rankin Family....swept in on the Chinook wind for their first concert in almost ten years.

The Rankins were the group I adored and listened to all the time when I was an impressionable age, so naturally this concert was just a little bit exciting. Their song "Mairi's Wedding" was the first I heard of the music that I later learned was called "Celtic". I enjoy the whole genre now - with a special preference for the Cape Breton styles - but it all started with the Rankins' sound and style. They sounded at once contemporary and "cool" but with a warm family vibe that hinted at deep traditions and tunes played and passed on with love.

They performed at the Pengrowth Saddledome - where the Calgary Flames play - and it was their biggest venue in the city yet. Most of the floor and lower rise seats were taken, and many of the ones on the upper level too. Clearly they have lots of fans in this city who will still come out and see them! All ages were represented, including many young families. Myself and my good friend Kim S. (whom I met through the Rankins online fan club) were sitting just up in the risers. (I avoid the floor because of the loudness.) Security was pretty tight, and after a close analysis of the field of action, we weren't sure we would be allowed to get up and dance. I assured Kim that the right moment would come - it was a Rankin Family concert after all!

The stage was filled at one point with 12 people playing and singing. The Rankins travel in a troupe that includes a pianist, fiddler/keyboardist, drummer, bassist and guitar/banjoist. And they travel also with a new member of the performing Rankins: John Morris’ daughter, Molly.

Molly doesn’t feature too much in the show, and while she gets centre stage a couple of times (she sings a song, assumedly that she wrote; plays fiddle a couple of times; and stomps a mean clog), she doesn’t factor in very heavily into the show. I think the elder Rankins should include her more, personally. She would be a grand (permanent) addition.

One song stood out for me, but not for the music. “The Orangedale Whistle” is about the Orangedale station in Cape Breton. This stood out for me because I’ve been to the Orangedale Station (see Riding VIA Rail’s Bras D’or, Halifax to Sydney(Riding VIA Rail’s Bras D’or, Halifax to Sydney), and the song is about how the trains ended and the building stands alone and empty. Which is true — the trains are gone (VIA no longer runs its Bras D’or train) and I shudder to think how few people visit the museum anymore.

The last couple of songs (before the encore) had everyone standing — everyone. I swear most of the audience was from the Maritimes, with a significant number seeming to be from Cape Breton. It was … loud. But in a good way.

I was actually sad the concert was over (Alex particularly so, since they didn’t play her favourite song: “Fare Thee Well Love”), as it was great music to listen to. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the killer acts, like David Bowie (see David Bowie Plays the Calgary Saddledome, but the small, comfortable bands are worth every penny.

Calgary, AB - Jan 23, 2007 - Pengrowth Saddledome

2007-01-23T11:48:00.000-04:00

The Rankins Return - Elizabeth Bishop - Triona Trog's Blog

Tuesday, January 23rd was a special day for Calgary because one of our favourite bands from the East Coast....yes, the Rankin Family....swept in on the Chinook wind for their first concert in almost ten years.

The Rankins were the group I adored and listened to all the time when I was an impressionable age, so naturally this concert was just a little bit exciting. Their song "Mairi's Wedding" was the first I heard of the music that I later learned was called "Celtic". I enjoy the whole genre now - with a special preference for the Cape Breton styles - but it all started with the Rankins' sound and style. They sounded at once contemporary and "cool" but with a warm family vibe that hinted at deep traditions and tunes played and passed on with love.

They performed at the Pengrowth Saddledome - where the Calgary Flames play - and it was their biggest venue in the city yet. Most of the floor and lower rise seats were taken, and many of the ones on the upper level too. Clearly they have lots of fans in this city who will still come out and see them! All ages were represented, including many young families. Myself and my good friend Kim S. (whom I met through the Rankins online fan club) were sitting just up in the risers. (I avoid the floor because of the loudness.) Security was pretty tight, and after a close analysis of the field of action, we weren't sure we would be allowed to get up and dance. I assured Kim that the right moment would come - it was a Rankin Family concert after all!

Dawn Langstroth opened the concert. She has a warm rich voice and has written and chosen some excellent songs. Then she turned the spotlight over to the family we were all waiting for. The set opened with each Rankin taking the lead on a signature song - "Roving Gypsy Boy" (Jimmy), "Borders and Time (Cookie - apparently recovered from her flu), "Gillis Mountain" (Raylene) and "Bells" (Heather). These were all received with enthusiasm. Next they launched into one of the new songs, "Sunday Morning." The fiddle solos had many in the audience cheering hopefully, but the girls did not dance - evidently they were saving it for later. (As if it's possible to ever have too much stepdancing!)

Heather aimed to get the audience participating in "Fisherman's Son." We gave our best effort to the chorus. This was one of many songs the family performed that I have never heard in concert before, so it was a treat. After we were warmed up and smiling, Raylene briefly noted the Rankins' loss of John Morris and recently their sister Geraldine, who lived in Calgary with her family. "No words can express our sorrow," she said simply, and left the stage to Mac Morin, who played a short piano solo.

The tune Mac played was "Memories of Bishop MacDonald", which John Morris Rankin recorded in "Piano Medley" on the Rankins' debut album. A favourite of John Morris's, the lament was composed by legendary Mabou Mines fiddler Donald "John the Taylor" Beaton for another notable native of Mabou, Bishop MacDonald. MacDonald travelled the world, eventually becoming bishop of Victoria, British Columbia, but always longed to return home. Eventually he did, and is buried in St. Mary's, along with the composer and John Morris Rankin. Mac is a beautiful piano player and his set was appropriate to the occasion.*

After subdued applause, the sisters bounded on stage again and gave it all to "Tell My Ma." Every tune - especially the lively ones - was met by a good deal of enthusiastic stomping and yelling. Our risers were shaking pretty hard at times!

Raylene then described how their nieces Kathleen and Frances had come backstage before the show to help them with their hair and makeup. "They brought a special hairspray called Big Sexy Hair," Raylene offered. A fellow in the audience yelled "RAYLENE - SEXY!", at which she doffed her jacket and the sisters did an impromptu rendition of "I'm Too Sexy".

After we all recovered, Raylene said that the next song was going out to Kathleen and Frances. It was "Ho Ro Mo Nighean Donn Bhoidheach" (Ho Ro my Nut Brown Maiden) and the sisters' harmonies were the most soaring and melodic of the whole evening. It made my heart ache for Geraldine's two daughters.

Molly Rankin performed her song "Sunset" that also appears on the new CD, and had the enthusiastic support of everyone. (And she had a wicked pair of shiny black boots on....) Then Howie and Jimmy came to the front and she joined them with her fiddle. "How would you to hear a set of Cape Breton fiddle tunes?" Jimmy asked, and the energy level in the stadium went up a notch, palpably. The Moment was coming.

With plenty of vocal support from the audience, they launched into the strathspeys. When they swept into the reels, I noticed a group jump into the aisle below us, hand in hand, doing what looked suspiciously like a square set. In the next breath Kim and I tore off our sweaters, jumped to our feet, and were down the risers. In a lucky coincidence, the security people had stamped our hands with the floor pass before the show. Nobody on the risers was supposed to get one, but we had walked toward the floor as if our seats were there, and gotten the stamps. So we got through without any argument. Next thing we had joined the dancers, and we knew we weren't going back once that started.

We finished the dance on the side, and then the Rankins got back together for "Movin On." We made a run for the front of the stage. We were close enough to see all the family's faces now, and they were as much into it as we were. Several people in the front row got up, including two waving big Cape Breton flags. Kim and I helped them wave them, despite only being Cape Bretoners at heart. Kim actually appropriated one of the flags and ended up with it wrapped around her. I could barely hear my feet that close to the amps, and it all added to a strange, marvelous feeling of dancing on pure air (which had the drawback of making it rather hard to find the beat for stepdancing, but I figured it out eventually).

The energy stayed up, but the tempo went down, for the almost-closing rendition of "Rise Again." The dancing crowd went and crouched on the side for this one. Raylene's voice made the Flames banners hanging from the ceiling shiver. Her final note had barely died away when everyone was screaming for more. It had been almost ten years, after all. We had energy to burn.

The lights went down then and Jimmy came to the front to lead into "Mull River Shuffle." We and the other dancers were all giggles and anticipating each line before Jimmy said it. I'm sure everybody in the stadium was doing the same. When he hissed out "shuffle...." we were up and off to the front like a pistol shot. There was a brief moment of confusion when a security guard jumped in front, and the person in front of me made an unexpected about face, causing me to trip and almost fall over a railing by the side of the stage. However, while the guards were tangled up with us, a few other people called out "No - keep going!" and made a rush to the stage. Whether the Rankins signaled to them to bring it on, or they took advantage of the confusion, I am not sure; but either way we broke through and soon followed them to the front. There was no trouble, and one of the guards rather resignedly curled up at the front to, I don't know, pull any demented fans off the stage if necessary. He really looked rather nice and watched my stepdancing attentively, not being in a position to watch anything else.

Jimmy invited all the audience to get to their feet and Calgary was in a mood to comply. They finished Mull River Shuffle and made a perfunctory exit before returning for the encore.

And then....

They sang Mairi's Wedding!

Yes, the song that opened the door to the whole world of music on the East Coast of my country, Canada. What a great journey of discovery it has been! How many wonderful people I have met and become friends with as a result! Thank you Rankins!

I danced all the way though it.

Dawn rejoined the family for a rendition of "You Feel the Same Way Too". Everyone was ready for a lovefest. She shared a mike with Cookie, and Heather shared one with Molly, their arms around each other. Each vocalist had a chance to shine one more time. The audience shared the good vibes by keeping up the dancing and cheering.

At the end of the song, Cookie and Raylene were surreptitiously wiping away tears. "My mascara is running," Raylene said gently. I believe they felt how much we were supporting them, and it made me happy to see that. Calgary must have been a hard gig to do, after losing their sister shortly before. I wanted more than anything for the Rankins to have a good show here, and feel as much at home as I did the first time I went to Nova Scotia.

The last number featured the sisters' harmonies and Jimmy's timeless songwriting on "Departing Song." It was a lovely way to say goodbye, and we shared in the pleasant melancholy. I never thought I'd see the day when this particular band reunited, but they still have something special going. I'm glad they came out and gave the fans of East Coast music in this city a chance to get together, stomp their feet, sing along, dance with strangers, and share in the laughter and tears.

*Thank you to Alex MacDonald for the background on the tune "Memories of Bishop MacDonald"

Prince George, BC - Jan 21, 2007 - CN Centre

2007-01-21T23:01:00.000-04:00

Maritimers Make Magic - By Teresa Mallam - Prince George Free Press

The Rankins also known (again) as The Rankin Family, rank right up there. I have always thought so but it wasn't until I saw them perform live at the CN Centre Sunday, that their Maritime magic truly rubbed off on me. Count me now in the ranks of Rankins' fans.

It's been awhile, eight years, since they came this way, but 2,300 Prince George fans greeted the family from Inverness County, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia with wide open arms, hoots and hollers. The band's songster sisters Cookie, Heather and Raylene, their guitarist/singer/songwriter brother Jimmy and five talented musicians were a big hit. Before this leg of their reunion tour was over, they had people dancing on the floor, jumping to their feet in the stands, clapping and singing along.

It was wonderful.

The stage was set with heavy, formal, ruby-tone draperies so when you walked in, it felt like you were in Carnegie Hall waiting for the maestro to appear. So when The Rankins walked on stage and Jimmy said casually into the microphone, "We're the Rankins" and just started playing, the mood was set.

I think the crowd would agree they got much more than their money’s worth. I lost count of how many songs they did. Cookie called some oldies, “blasts from the past,” reaching back into their repertoire to when it all began in the late 1980s and then fast forwarding to some tracks from their new album, The Rankin Family Reunion.

Jimmy, who changed guitars it seemed with every song, delighted fans with Slipping Away from his new solo CD, Edge of Day, to be released this spring.

Sifting through Rankin family originals and covers, they came up with tunes like Roving Gypsy Boy, Movin’ On, Followed Her Around, You Feel the Same Way Too, Maybe You’re Right and Let it Go and they made sure they got in Orangedale Whistle. They aced them all. In between songs, there was sibling ribbing and lots of humour. As in any concert, there were undeniable highlights. Howie MacDonald gave a rollicking, fun fiddling performance that won him wild applause even before he was joined on stage by young Molly Rankin who raised the tempo and kicked the applause-o-meter up another notch.

For me, Raylene’s soulful, signature song Rise Again (she ended with the playful remark, “I’m not sure I’m happy with that last note, maybe I should do it again”) was absolutely breathtaking. So was Heather’s singing of Fare Thee Well Love. Gillis Mountain was sensational. During the show, the Rankin sisters sang solo or in harmony but a Gaelic song, performed in harmony with solo spots, left the audience spellbound. All three sisters (from a family of 12 children) have beautiful voices with the kind of range that allows them to criss-cross into many musical genres to come up with their special brew of Celtic with traditional and contemporary folk and pop.

More than all that, The Rankins gave the crowd energy. They sent ripples of excitement into the audience until everyone was standing on their feet, clapping and singing along. The group’s unique music and soulful ballads have won them a place performing for royalty and heads of state but I got the impression the Rankins give it their all, no matter who is in the audience. Over the years, The Rankins have been racking up music awards like bowling pins, selling records and garnering fans worldwide. Sunday’s performance gave a glimpse as to why.

There was a moving tribute to one of the non-performing Rankins, who died recently.

“We lost our brother John Morris [in a car accident in 2000] and now we are grieving for our sister, Geraldine. There are no words to describe our sorrow,” said Cookie who briefly left the stage with her sisters, leaving musicians to showcase their talents with an instrumental number and piano solo. Later, in their encore performance, Cookie, Heather and Molly showed off some fancy footwork, performing a lively step dance as the crowd clapped in appreciation. When they left the stage and waved to the audience, it was as if The Rankins were saying goodbye to long lost friends.

And maybe they were.

Victoria, BC - January 16, 2007, Royal Theatre

2007-01-16T11:29:00.000-04:00

Rankin Family Live in Victoria - By Colin Newell - CoffeeCrew Blog

A Short Concert Review

Ok. I love the Rankin Family. From the moment I saw them on stage in Victoria in the mid-nineties, I knew that the Rankin Family were the real deal.

I bought all the albums. Still play them.

It was with much rejoicing that I had the chance to see them on the first leg of their reunion tour.
Apparently I was not the first in line to buy tickets. I think I waited a week. As a result, our seats were up in the ceiling somewhere. No problem. The Royal Theatre in Victoria is designed in such a way that there are no bad seats. It is true. There are none.

This concert was to be stop 3 for the Rankins – Nanaimo was the first. I think they had two gigs up there. Because of the loss of a sister in Calgary, they attended the funeral and cancelled the first 2 of the concert dates. Victoria B.C. was stop one for the Rankin’s 22-city tour.

Tragedy struck their family a week ago when one of the Rankins died in Calgary. The Rankins are a large family – Raylene, John Morris, Jimmy, Cookie and Heather, began touring together professionally in 1989. But they are 4 of 12 kids. On September 17, 1999, the band officially broke up to pursue their separate careers and lives. One of the anchors of the band, John Morris Rankin, died in a car accident on January 16, 2000.

Anyway – back to the show. With our luck (of 1500 seats in the Royal Theatre) we were seated directly in front of a row of young, ex-Pat Cape Breton trailer trash – they were pumped, half-drunk and ready to party. Now, do not get me wrong. I like to party. Really. At concerts, I get crazy.
But correct me if I am wrong, but I think you have to sing and scream when the band is actually playing. I did turn around and glare a couple of times at Trailer Park Boy behind me after he yelled: “I lav youa Jammmy!” one too many times. These are the worse kinds of concert goers.

Anyway. The Rankins kicked ass. After a slow start (they seemed road weary or grief weary and this was stop #1!) they wound the audience and themselves into a Celtic-Breton frenzy.

They played the new stuff. They played the old stuff. They trotted out some new Rankin talent; John Morris Rankins surviving teenage daughter – a crack step dance and fiddle player. She sang once. It was rough, but the Rankin magic is in her voice and blood. Ah. Just like old times.

Welcome back Rankins!

Rise Again

2007-01-09T21:09:00.000-04:00

Greetings...It finally happened. The Rankin Family reunion! Including a new CD and a cross Canada tour. And, yes, this is a true Cross-Canada tour. Not Vancouver to Montreal! The tour kicks off in Nanaimo (2 nights) and concludes in St. John's, NFLD. (Not the end of the world but you can see it from there)

My goal for this blog is to monitor and report on concert reviews and upcoming appearances.