Heather Rankin (singer)

Heather Rankin

Heather Rankin in 2013. Photo by Timothy Richard.
Background information
Birth name Heather Elaine Rankin
Born (1967-10-24) October 24, 1967
Mabou, Nova Scotia
Genres Folk, Country, Singer-Songwriter
Occupation(s) Singer-Songwriter and Actor
Years active 1989-Present
Associated acts The Rankin Family, Jimmy Rankin, Alvvays

Heather Elaine Rankin (born October 24, 1967)[1] is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actor. She is most well known as a member of the multi-platinum selling musical group The Rankin Family.[2]

Between 1989 and 1999, the family band released five full albums, a five song EP and two compilations of their most popular songs. They toured extensively in Canada, the U.S, the U.K, Australia and New Zealand and won six Juno Awards, three Canadian Country Music Awards, an American Country Music Television Award and fifteen East Coast Music Awards. Combined sales of their recordings exceeded 1.5 million copies.

As an actor, Rankin has performed on stages in Toronto and Halifax and has appeared in a number of films. She is also co-owner of The Red Shoe Pub in Mabou, Cape Breton.[3]

Rankin’s first solo record, featuring seven co-written songs, was released April 1, 2016.[4] .

Early life

Heather Rankin was born in Mabou, Nova Scotia, a rural community deeply rooted in its Gaelic tradition.[5] She is the eleventh of twelve children born to Kathleen and Alexander (Buddy) Rankin.[6] She began singing as a child in the St. Mary’s Parish Choir and the Community Children’s Gaelic Choir. Her parents encouraged all their children to perform at community concerts and that is where Rankin began singing and step dancing at the age of five years.[7]

In the 1970s Rankin’s older siblings, Genevieve, Geraldine, David, John Morris and Raylene began singing together at community events in Mabou, licensed dances called Pig and Whistles, and at wedding receptions and concerts. When the eldest siblings, Genevieve, Geraldine and David went on to University or College, younger siblings Jimmy, Cookie and Heather took their places. Heather was the youngest and last member to join the family band.[8]

Rankin’s earliest influences as an actor were touring productions from Mulgrave Road Theatre and Mermaid Theatre, as well as watching The Carol Burnett Show. She performed in a Community Theatre production of A Christmas Carol while in Junior High and in High School was selected for the Highland Youth Theatre Exchange in Scotland. She went on to Major in Theatre at Acadia University, from whence she graduated in 1989. While in University, Rankin performed as a singer and an actor in the The Cape Breton Summertime Revue, which toured to Halifax, Pictou and Sydney.[9]

The Rankin Family (1989-1999)

In 1989 Rankin and four of her siblings, John Morris, Raylene, Jimmy and Cookie, had their music featured in a show called The Mabou Jig.[10] They recorded their debut album, The Rankin Family, the same year at Inception Sound in Toronto, Ontario. The record featured original songs by Jimmy and Raylene and original fiddle tunes by John Morris, as well as traditional folk songs, jigs and reels. The record would be re-released by Capitol Records in 1992 and be certified Platinum by CRIA.

The Rankin Family was first featured on CBC Television in an episode of On The Road Again in 1989. The following year their second album, Fare Thee Well Love was recorded at Inception Sound and released November 7, 1990. Initially, the Rankin siblings distributed both of these records themselves, peddling them to gift shops, grocery stores, record stores, at live performances at music festivals across the country, and out of the trunk of their mother’s car.[11] This record was re-released by Capitol Records in 1992 and is certified 5X Platinum by CRIA. The title song, “Fare Thee Well Love,” along with “Orangedale Whistle” and Gillis Mountain peaked in the top ten on the RPM Country and Adult Contemporary Tracks in 1992. The music video for “Fare Thee Well Love” was on the Top 30 Charts for Much Music[12] for nine weeks in 1993.[13]

In 1990 the CBC produced a documentary television special called Here Come The Rankins!, which followed the band to the Winnipeg Folk Festival and then back home to Cape Breton.

In 1991 The Rankin Family won their first three ECMA Awards for Best Live Act, Best Roots & Traditional Artist and Best Recording Band. They would go on to win twelve more before they disbanded, the last being for Group of the Year in 1999.

In 1992 The Rankin Family signed with EMI Canada, were nominated for three Juno Awards, and on July 1 performed on Parliament Hill for Queen Elizabeth II as part of the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation. Their third album, North Country, was released on August 24, 1993. It peaked at number one on the RPM Country Albums chart. It is certified 4X Platinum by CRIA.The title song, with lead vocals by Heather, peaked at number four on the RPM Country Albums Chart. The music video for “North Country” was also on the Top 30 Charts for Much Music for five weeks in 1994.[14]

Later that year The Rankin Family won four Juno Awards. Their limited-edition EP, Grey Dusk of Eve, was released in March, 1995 and is certified Gold by CRIA. Endless Seasons followed on August 29, 1995 and peaked at number six on the RPM Country Albums Chart. It is certified 2X Platinum. Their first Greatest Hits album Collection was released September 24, 1996 and was number one on the RPM Country Albums charts and is certified 2X Platinum. Heather hosted the East Coast Music Awards in 1996 in Charlottetown with Denny Doherty.[15]

Between 1989 and 1998 The Rankin Family toured extensively in Canada, playing such houses as The Jubilee Auditorium in Edmonton and Calgary, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Massey Hall in Toronto, and The Orpheum in Vancouver. They were guests on Rita MacNeil’s variety show Rita and Friends and in the television special Anne Murray in Nova Scotia. They also toured in the United States, playing the MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the Performing Arts Series at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga, California, The Glen Echo Irish Folk Festival in Washington D.C., the Milwaukee Irish Festival in Wisconsin, Bumbershoot 1996[16] in Seattle, and folk festivals in Lowell, Massachusetts, Chattanooga, Tennessee and Columbus, Ohio. They were featured on Garrison Keillor’s radio program Prairie Home Companion,[17] performed at the Bluebird Cafe and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and shared the bill with Alison Krauss for some American dates. In 1995 they performed at The Bottom Line in New York for a televised documentary called The Rankin Family Backstage Pass.[18] In 1996, Heather and her four siblings received Honorary Doctorates in Music from Acadia University in Wolfville.[19] At the same time, The Rankins also played the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow, Scotland and The Royal Albert Hall in London, England and at festivals such as Celtic Connections and the Cambridge Folk Festival. They were also featured on BBC Television’s New Year’s Special Hogmanay Live and in the Scotland Gaelic Television program An Talla Bhalla. In 1997 The Rankin Family won their fifth Juno Award for Country Group or Duo of the Year. They would win their final Juno for Best Country Group in 2000.

Uprooted, The Rankin Family’s fifth studio album, was released on April 28, 1998 and is certified Gold by CRIA. It is the first Rankin Family record to include one of Heather’s original songs: “Cold Winds.” It peaked at Number 12 on the US Billboard Charts. Rankin and her siblings are also featured on The Chieftains’ 1998 record Fire in the Kitchen, singing “An Innis Aigh” (The Happy Isle) and their rendition of “Jimmy Mó Mhíle Stór” appears on The Chieftains’ 1999 record Tears of Stone, which also features performances by Joni Mitchell, Bonnie Raitt and Diana Krall

In September 1999, The Rankin Family announced that they were disbanding to pursue individual creative interests. Heather shifted her focus toward a career as an actor.[20]

Acting career (2001-present)

Before her success with The Rankin Family, Heather had intended to pursue a career as an actor. In April, 2001 she played Mary Magdalene in Neptune Theatre’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar in Halifax. She was then cast in Factory Theatre’s production of Necessary Angel’s The Piper in Toronto the following year.[21] She was nominated for a Robert Merritt Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2012 for her portrayal of Bitsy in Bingo,[22] a Neptune Theatre and Mulgrave Road production, written by Daniel MacIvor.[23] She has also starred on stage in MacIvor’s play Something Small at Chester Playhouse and in Michael Melski’s Hockey Mom, Hockey Dad[24] at Neptune Theatre.[25]

In 2001 Rankin played Phoebe on an episode of Lexx.[26] Her film work includes appearances in The Hanging Garden, Wild Dogs, Marion Bridge, Scotland, PA., Nonsense Revolution and Faith, Fraud & Minimum Wage.

The Rankin Sisters (1997-present)

In November, 1997 Heather and her sisters, Raylene and Cookie, released their Christmas record Do You Hear… It featured a selection of music that the Rankin sisters had sung in their Christmas choir growing up in Mabou. This was the first album to include one of Heather's songs, “The Christmas Star.” Heather, Raylene and Cookie took their Christmas music on tour across the country almost every holiday season between 1997 and 2010, sometimes playing with Canadian Symphonies. They also made two Christmas Television Specials: A Rankin Christmas Cabaret for CBC in 1999 and Home For Christmas for Bravo in 2005.[27]

In 1999 Heather, Cookie and Raylene hosted the documentary Celtic Tides, which featured performances and interviews by Mary Black, John Allan Cameron, Ashley MacIsaac, Natalie McMaster and Loreena McKennitt, among others.[28]

In 2000 Carly Simon asked Heather, Raylene and Cookie to record background vocals for her album The Bedroom Tapes at her Martha’s Vineyard Studio Space.[29] Heather sang with Simon on The View, Good Morning, America and The Rosie O'Donnell Show,[30] and in a free concert in Bryant Park. At this concert Heather sang backup on Simon’s hit song “You’re So Vain.”[31]

In 2005 Heather, Raylene and Cookie, with their sister Genevieve, purchased the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou. The pub was originally a century-old general store and a place where the Rankins’ great grandmother, Sadie Wright, and her daughter, Margaret, once sold butter, eggs and vegetables from their farm in Mull River. The pub is now seasonally operated, offers a full menu, and live, local music daily from June 1 to mid October each year. It attracts Celtic music lovers and Rankin Family fans from around the world. Artists such as Buddy MacMaster, Glenn Graham and Wendy MacIsaac have played at the pub in recent years. In 2011 The Red Shoe was awarded Restaurant of the Year- Essence of Nova Scotia at the Taste of Nova Scotia Prestige Awards.[32] In 2014, Heather and her sisters were awarded the Arts and Culture Achievement Award by Women in Business in Cape Breton.[33] In 2012 The Red Shoe was nominated for an ECMA Award for Best Performance Venue.

Rankin reunion (2007-present)

Heather’s brother, John Morris Rankin, was killed in a car crash in Cape Breton on January 16, 2000,[34] shortly after the band announced they were going their separate ways. Exactly seven years later Heather, Jimmy, Raylene and Cookie released their sixth studio album with EMI, Reunion, which featured Heather’s original song “Nothing To Believe In.” John Morris’ daughter, Molly, also added a track, “Sunset,” to the album and joined her aunts and uncle on their tour across Canada. A Sandra Faire/CTV television production called The Rankin Family Reunion marked the group’s first television special since the death of John Morris and, with almost one million viewers, was the highest rated entertainment program in its time slot when it aired in December 2008.[35]

These Are The Moments was released on February 3, 2009 by MapleMusic Recordings. It included Heather’s song “Nothing to Believe In” and a newer song called “I Would.” The four siblings toured in 2009 and 2010,[36] but in January, 2012 only Heather, Cookie and Jimmy were able to perform in venues from British Columbia to Thunder Bay while Raylene underwent chemotherapy for a recurrence of cancer. She died on September 30, 2012.[37]

In 2009 The Rankin Family were awarded a Special Director's Award at the ECMAs "in recognition of the Cape Breton group's contribution to the music industry on a national and international level."[38] At the 2013 East Coast Music Awards The Rankin Family received a special 25th Anniversary Music Award.[39]

In 2014 Heather, Jimmy and Cookie sang on the track "Go Tell It On The Mountain" on Johnny Reid's Platinum Edition of his album A Christmas Gift to You. They also appeared, with Natalie MacMaster, in the music video, which was shot in Sydney, Nova Scotia.[40] That New Year’s Eve Heather, Jimmy and Cookie came together again to perform in Summerside for the New Year’s Eve Finale 2014 with Burton Cummings and Doc Walker.[41]

Additional (1995-present)

In 1999 Heather sang "The Water is Wide" with Bruce Guthro and "Seinn o" with Mary Jane Lamond and Alyth McCormack in the CBC Television Special Celtic Electric.[42]

Rankin’s voice has been featured on Will Ackerman's Grammy Award winning record Hearing Voices[43] (2001), Fiona Joy Hawkins' 600 Years In A Moment[44] (2013) and Christmas Joy[45](2011), Franklin McKay's song "Destiny"[46] (2011) and Peter Jennison's song "Remember Me (Sgt. MacKenzie)"[47] (2014).

Rankin's rendition of "Chi Mi Na Marbheanna" is featured in the 1995 film Margaret's Museum.[48]

Solo (2012-present)

In 2012 Rankin began working on writing songs for her first solo record. She formed a writing partnership with David Tyson and her debut solo album, A Fine Line, was released April 1, 2016.

The first single from A Fine Line, a cover of Tears for Fears' 1985 hit "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" featuring Halifax-based rapper Quake Matthews was released January 22, 2016.

As a solo artist Rankin has performed her own songs in Bruce Guthro’s Songwriter’s Circle, at the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts’ KitchenFest!, in Bruce Guthro’s concert Songs From the Heart at Casino Nova Scotia.[49] and in The Cape Breton Summertime Revue: The Next Generation[50]

References

  1. ↑ "Heather Rankin". IMDb. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "CANOE -- JAM! Music - Pop Encyclopedia - Rankin Family, The". canoe.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "The Red Shoe Pub - History". redshoepub.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  4. ↑ https://twitter.com/HeatherRankinMe
  5. ↑ "Mabou". Mabou. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: User Home Page Genealogy Report: Descendants of Angus Cameron". genealogy.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "John Morris Rankin Crash Site -- Fuller Up". elvispelvis.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "RootsWeb: NS-CAPE-BRETON-L [NS-CB] Cape Breton Deaths January 13, 2007 Saturday". ancestry.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  9. ↑ "Heather Rankin: Fearless and funny in ‘Bingo!’". capebretonpost.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "Talented artist loved family, music". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  11. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/19/arts/john-morris-rankin-40-dies-a-master-cape-breton-fiddler.html
  12. ↑ http://hitsofalldecades.com/chart_hits/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=1354
  13. ↑ Jeff Bateman. "The Rankins". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  14. ↑ Carolyn Hope. "Barry's Hits of All Decades Pop rock n roll Music Chart Hits". hitsofalldecades.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  15. ↑ "Google Groups". google.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  16. ↑ "Bumbershoot 1996". Songkick. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  17. ↑ American Public Media. "APHC: Performers, music sources and credits". publicradio.org. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  18. ↑ "Performances - TH Entertainment Group". TH Entertainment Group. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  19. ↑ Randy Owen. "Dr. Rankin". country1073.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  20. ↑ "The Rankin Family: 11 things you should know". Yahoo. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  21. ↑ "Factory Theatre - The Piper". interlog.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  22. ↑ http://actramaritimes.ca/wp-content/uploads/Merritt-Awards-20121.pdf
  23. ↑ "Play a ‘blessing’ to grieving Rankin". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  24. ↑ "How to find love in the stands". The Chronicle Herald. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  25. ↑ "Halifamous Square Off For Eastern Front Theatre". twisitheatreblog.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  26. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0710254/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
  27. ↑ "Festival Place - Show Details". festivalplace.ab.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  28. ↑ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1189435/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast
  29. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Carly-Simon-The-Bedroom-Tapes/release/3934669
  30. ↑ http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=21421
  31. ↑ "Carly Simon "You're So Vain" LIVE in Bryant Park 2000". YouTube. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  32. ↑ http://tasteofnovascotia.com/members/the-red-shoe-pub/
  33. ↑ "Business Cape Breton - 2014 WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARD NOMINEES & WINNERS!". businesscapebreton.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  34. ↑ "John Morris Rankin killed in truck crash". cbc.ca. 11 November 2000. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  35. ↑ http://www.maplemusic.com/artists/rnk/bio.asp
  36. ↑ "Rankin Family returning to Swift Current in January during Stars For Saskatchewan series". swbooster.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  37. ↑ "Singer Raylene Rankin dies of cancer". cbc.ca. 30 September 2012. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  38. ↑ "Rankin Family gets East Coast Music Association award". cbc.ca. 30 November 2009. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  39. ↑ "Eight Cape Bretoners presented with ECMA anniversary awards". capebretonpost.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  40. ↑ http://www.capebretonpost.com/Living/2014-11-11/article-3936611/Singer-songwriter-Johnny-Reid-shoots-music-video-in-Sydney/1
  41. ↑ "New Year’s Eve Finale to feature Burton Cummings, The Rankin Family and Doc Walker in Summerside". pei2014.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  42. ↑ http://www.whatsgoinon.ca/editorial-march-1998-an-alternative-interpretation-of-life-as-we-know-it/#.VPx5X4F4qZs
  43. ↑ http://www.discogs.com/Will-Ackerman-Hearing-Voices/release/1908121
  44. ↑ "Fiona Joy Hawkins - 600 Years in a Moment - CD Baby Music Store". cdbaby.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  45. ↑ "Christmas Joy: Fiona Joy Hawkins: Amazon.ca: Music". amazon.ca. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  46. ↑ "Amazon.com: Destiny (feat. Heather Rankin): Franklin Mckay: MP3 Downloads". amazon.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  47. ↑ "Amazon.com: Peter Jennison: Coming Home: Music". amazon.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  48. ↑ "Margaret's Museum (1995)". IMDb. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  49. ↑ "[ Bruce Guthro :: on stage ]". bruceguthro.com. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  50. ↑ http://www.invernessoran.ca/entertainment/283-heather-rankin-excited
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, May 01, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.