The Rankins Online Website - Articles 2002 (July to December) - The Official unOfficial Website of the Rankins

Jimmy Rankin knows all too well that the more things change, the more things stay the same.

Rankin has played the Stampede several times before as part of the family group The Rankins. This year he's back as a solo act -- supporting his great CD Song Dog -- but instead of playing the Coca-Cola Stage as he's done in the past, he's playing Nashville North tonight.

It seems pigeon-holing the solo Rankin is just as difficult as it is the whole family.

"I'm in that vein of music that's hard to categorize, which makes it difficult to get on the radio. But as long as (the Stampede) puts me someplace, I don't care," says Rankin.

The Stampede isn't the only one having trouble defining him. He recently won an East Coast Music Award for country artist of the year and a Canadian Radio Award for best new AC (adult contemporary) artist.

"With The Rankins we moved back and forth from AC to country music too."

Despite the similarities when it comes to classifying the music, Jimmy Rankin's music is different from his family's sound.

"My new audience is a lot younger. Some tell me quite bluntly they they're not fans of The Rankins, but they like my record.

"I don't really take it as an insult. They don't say it out of malice, they're just honest. The Rankins appealed to a lot of people but maybe they were not everyone's cake ... or cup of tea."

Much of what makes Song Dog such a success is Rankin's ability to tell a story with honesty and clarity.

"I actually had quite a back catalogue of material. The record is a cross-section of older and newer material. I still have a couple of records kicking around on tapes."

So how is Rankin so prolific?

"I write by feel, I have to be in the mood. It's usually a solitary thing -- I just emote.

"Ironically enough, I have, on the top floor, a little studio but I gravitate to the kitchen to write because it's more comfortable," says Rankin.

Although he can be inspired by a great novel -- and he's such a good storyteller -- Rankin hasn't thought of writing his own book.

"I read a lot of fiction and I'm always amazed at how people can write 700 pages -- here I'm writing a three-minute song. On the other hand, I get writers who say: 'How do you condense this story.' "

The Granville Green Welcomes Jimmy Rankin

July 12, 2002 - 101.5 The Hawk

Port Hawkesbury, NS

Jimmy Rankin takes to the stage at Granville Green on Sunday night.

This will be the second performance in the Green's eighth year.

Jimmy's opening act will be Celtic Attack, kicking things off at about 6:45pm

Paula Davis, Coordinator for the Green Concert Series, says the show should be a wonderful highlight for the season.

"Wow, what can I say, Jimmy Rankin, absolutely a wonderful opportunity for the community to come out and hear him perform."

Next week, the Sons of Maxwell will perform.

Their opening act, Bittersweet, will get things started.

The series runs until August 28th and a complete line-up is available on the Green's website at www.granvillegreen.com

Jimmy Rankin concert outdraws them all

July 17, 2002 - Inverness Oran

Jimmy Rankin at Granville Green on Sunday evening. It has been more than three months since Jimmy Rankin was last home to Cape Breton, and a crowd estimated at more than six thousand people turned out to greet his return at Port Hawkesbury's Granville Green.

Since the release of highly successful CD, Song Dog, the Mabou singer-songwriter has been constantly on the move with his band, the Song Dogs, which has already launched three hit singles (Followed Her Around, You and Me, and Midnight Angel), and whose popularity shows no sign of waning.

Rankin's concert was part of the free Granville Green concert series featuring some of the finest acts in Canada, and on Sunday evening the thousands of people who overflowed Granville Street to hear him got a quality performance.

"I hear the crowd on the street stretches all the way back to St. Peter's," Rankin told the crowd during his performance which lasted two hours and featured cuts from Song Dog as well as a wildly welcomed selection of songs from The Rankins including Orangedale Whistle, Movin' On, and an encore performance of You Feel The Same Way Too that brought the crowd to its feet and kept them there until the sun set and the music faded on a fabulous evening with Jimmy Rankin.

Jimmy Rankin's performance, sponsored in part by Lotto 6/49, was the second in the summer series at Granville Green, and the largest draw of fans since the series began in the mid 1990s.

Above Photo: Jimmy Rankin at Granville Green on Sunday evening. Photo by Frank MacDonald

Rankin, MacMaster receive Canadian Country Music Award Nominations

July 23, 2002 - Halifax Herald

By Judy Monchuk / Canadian Press

Calgary - Northern Alberta country-rockers Emerson Drive aren't sleeping on their way to the top of the Canadian Country Music Association nominations.

The neophyte band, riding high on the U.S. charts with the catchy I Should Be Sleeping, captured five nods when nominees were announced Monday.

Emerson Drive, which took its name from a roadway in their hometown of Grande Prairie, Alta., is up for single and video of the year. The band is also nominated for album, group and rising star award.

"Country music is exciting music to play, it's wholesome and you can understand the lyrics," said Doug Young, chairman of Country Music Week, said after announcing the nominees aboard a riverboat in Calgary's historic Heritage Park.

The awards will be handed out Sept. 9 in Calgary and will include guest performances by Kenny Rogers, Diamond Rio and keith urban.

The gala ceremony will cap four days of country industry networking, fan fest and a new celebrity golf tournament.

Fellow Albertans Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Terri Clark and Paul Brandt are each nominated for five awards.

Johnson, of Deadwood, Alta., took home five statues last year on a record 10 nominations, is nominated largely on the strength of 2001's album of the year, Room With A View.

She's nominated for best song, single and video for I Don't Want You To Go, top female and the coveted fans choice.

Clark is defending her top entertainer award. Raised in Medicine Hat, Alta., she's also up for best female artist, single, song and video.

Brandt's Small Towns and Big Dreams is up for top single, song and album. He's also nominated as best male artist and top entertainer.

Jimmy Rankin's Song Dog, dedicated to his brother John Morris who was killed on a Cape Breton highway just months after the Rankin Family announced their split up, is nominated for best album and for roots artist of the year.

Fellow Cape Bretoner Natalie MacMaster is also up for roots artist of the year. Lisa Brokop is up for four awards, including female artist, independent female artist and two nods for independent single of the year: I'd Like To See You Try, and Say.

Last year's awards took place the night before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. A benefit concert by country stars stranded in Calgary that raised $75,000 was nominated as country event of the year.

Manitoba indie band Doc Walker scored three nominations: top album, group and rising star.

The list of nominees for the Canadian Country Music Awards:

Fans' Choice Award:, Paul Brandt, Terri Clark, Adam Gregory, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Jason McCoy

Single of the year: Cowboy Hats, Chris Cummings; Empty, Terri Clark; I Don't Want You To Go, Carolyn Dawn Johnson; I Should Be Sleeping, Emerson Drive; Small Towns And Big Dreams, Paul Brandt

Album of the year:Curve, Doc Walker; Emerson Drive, Emerson Drive; Small Towns and Big Dreams, Paul Brandt; Small World, Steve Fox; Song Dog, Jimmy Rankin

SOCAN song of the year: Empty (written by Terri Clark, Gary Burr; recorded by Terri Clark), I Don't Want You To Go (written by Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Tommy Polk; recorded by Carolyn Dawn Johnson), Small Towns and Big Dreams (written by Paul Brandt; recorded by Paul Brandt), Ten Million Teardrops (written by Jason McCoy, Tim Taylor; recorded by Jason McCoy), Young (written by Naoise Sheridan, Steve McEwan, Craig Wiseman; recorded by Kenny Chesney)

CMT video of the year: Cowboy Hats, Chris Cummings; Empty, Terri Clark; I Don't Want You To Go, Carolyn Dawn Johnson; I Should Be Sleeping, Emerson Drive; Shut Up And Kiss Me, Michelle Wright

Top selling album: Drive, Alan Jackson; Pull My Chain, Toby Keith; Road Less Travelled, George Strait; Scarecrow, Garth Brooks; Set This Circus Down, Tim McGraw

Female artist of the year: Lisa Brokop, Terri Clark, Patricia Conroy, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Michelle Wright

Male artist of the year: Paul Brandt, Adam Gregory, Jason McCoy, Duane Steele, Rick Tippe

Group or duo of the year: Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Ennis Sisters, The Good Brothers, Poverty Plainsmen

Roots artist or group of the year: Scotty Campbell, Great Big Sea, Natalie MacMaster, Mike Plume Band, Jimmy Rankin

Rising star award: Doc Walker, Emerson Drive, Ennis Sisters, Aaron Lines, Jake Mathews

Country Music Week runs Sept 6 to 9

Alberta Rocks

July 23, 2002 - Calgary Sun

By Anika Van Wyk

And the winner is … Alberta.

All the top Canadian Country Music Association nominees hail from Alberta.

Albertan’s Paul Brandt, Terri Clark, Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Emerson Drive all tied for the top spot with five nods each when the CCMA nomination were announced July 22.

Jason McCoy of Barrie, Ont., and Manitoba’s Doc Walker were both second, with three nominations each. Doc Walker also earned three more honours in the independent award category.

Edmonton’s Adam Gregory, Michelle Wright of Merlin, Ont., and East Coasters Jimmy Rankin, Chris Cummings and the Ennis Sisters are all double nominees.

"I’m so happy to see so much great talent coming out of Alberta," says Brad Mates, lead singer of Emerson Drive.

"We never expect to win one nomination, nevermind five. We’re pretty excited," says Mates, who points out the honours came a day after his 24th birthday.

Emerson Drive is on the road and got the good news via a wake-up call from Mates’ mother.

"I was sleeping, but that woke me up," laughs the Grand Prairie native.

"I then got up and told all the guys and we were jumping around the bus."

Mates’ bandmates Mike Melancon, Danick Dupelle, Pat Allingham, Jeff Loberg and Chris Hartman were each nominated for the CCMA All-Star Band.

Rising star nominee Jake Mathews — who lives in Calgary, but was raised in Sudbury, Ont. — was on hand July 22 when the nominations were announced on the S.S. Moyie steamwheeler at Heritage Park.

"I can’t believe it. It’s very cool," said Mathews, while relaxing at the bow of the historic ship.

"There’s a lot of great things happening. My album came out in February, I had my first video and now I’m nominated for this award. Hopefully, this will be a springboard to something else."

Mike Plume, of the Mike Plume Band, was also surprised yesterday at the press conference when his name was called for a Roots nomination.

"We’re just a little rock ’n’ roll band that keeps kicking around. But it’s neat to be included in the same breath as our fellow nominees," said Plume.

The awards will be handed out Sept. 9 at the Saddledome as the finale of Country Music Week.

Doug Young, the chairman on Country Music Week, also announced the show, which will air live on CBC, will include U.S. guest stars Kenny Rogers, Diamond Rio and the hot Keith Urban.

"We needed a couple of big-name draws," says Young. Other performers and the show’s hosts have not yet been announced.

Though Country Music Week (Sept. 6-9) is an industry event, Young and his committee have continued the trend of hosting events the public can get involved with.

Back this year is the popular Fan Fest, where fans can listen and meet the stars, as well as a bigger-than-ever Gospel Show.

Young is also looking forward to a new event — a golf tournament. Fans, industry types and stars will get to mingle together at the Redwood Meadows Golf Course.

The mostly predictable nominations aren’t without some surprises.

Last year’s award show hosts, Fans’ Choice nominees and winners of Best Group, The Wilkinsons, did not receive any nominations.

Label disputes have prevented them from releasing any new material, but there are other nominees we’ve also not heard much from lately.

And while both Steve Fox (Small World) and Jimmy Rankin (Song Dog) earned prestigious nods for Best Album, neither made the cut for Male Artist of the Year.

Rankin did get nominated as Roots Artist, but if his album is good enough to be honoured, it could be expected the man responsible for it should also get recognized.

Also missing from the Male Artist category is Best Single and Video nominee Chris Cummings.

Film pokes fun at seriousness of tar ponds

Sydney natives making movie

July 30, 2002 - Halifax Herald

By Matt Hunt Gardner

Sydney - As the Joint Action Group tries to decide how to spend $63 million to clean up the tar ponds and coke ovens sites, two filmmakers are working with much less.

Sydney natives K.C. Coombs and Kevin O'Keefe have come home to make a movie tentatively titled The Tar Ponds Golf and Country Club.

The film, set in the early 1990s, asks the question: What's the most ridiculous thing that could happen if the premier offered up the tar ponds for a loonie to the person who could find the most interesting way to use it?

The two are old friends who met while working for Vision Television in Toronto. Mr. O'Keefe, who has won awards for films on gay adoptions and native residential schools, came up with the idea three months ago.

"I thought it was brilliant at the time," he said. "I could get out a similar message of social justice and humanitarianism through comedy."

Local actor Kelly Edwards, one of the film's stars, plays Mary-Ann Bell, owner of a salon called Isle of Beauty. It seems she wants to turn the tar ponds into a European-style spa, offering a unique mud-bath experience.

The ponds contain tonnes of toxic sludge and are considered the worst environmental disaster in Canada.

Heather Rankin, Todd Hiscock, Marguerite MacDougall, along with Mr. O'Keefe and Ms. Coombs, also appear in the film.

It's loosely based on a script the two filmmakers wrote while they were students in Toronto.

"They tell us where each scene starts and where the action has to get to, but everything in-between is up to us and our understanding of our characters," Ms. Edwards said.

The idea that the movie's premier agrees to is to turn the tar ponds into a golf and country club.

A golf course is an option JAG has outlined, but the filmmakers say it's a coincidence.

There has been some gossip that the group is trying to shut down the project, but JAG president Dan Fraser said he doesn't know of any such action.

Germaine LeMoine of JAG has met with someone from the film, but Mr. Fraser wouldn't comment on that meeting.

At least one local - a caller to a radio phone-in show - supports the film.

"Sometimes people don't think certain things are funny, but if you can enlighten people while entertaining them, you are that much further ahead," he said.

But Ms. Edwards said the movie "doesn't even make fun of the cleanup process."

"The characters are only just finding out that the ponds might be toxic."

The film, being financed by Mr. O'Keefe and Ms. Coombs, "is not a low-budget film, it's a no-budget film," she said.

The actors and director Romey Gaulem (The Drive) are volunteering their services, while the crew was donated by Vision.

"We could have only done the film here," Ms. Coombs said. "Everybody is willing to work for free because they know how important it is to raise awareness about the tar ponds."

The film continues shooting this week and then goes into post production.

"We have to take it back to Toronto," Ms. Coombs said. "Then we will decide if we have enough footage to make the film. We might have to reshoot in Toronto and Halifax."

The filmmakers hope for a debut at the Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax but acknowledge that might take a year or two.

Home-grown sweep

Alberta talent dominates CCMA awards

September 10, 2002 - Calgary Herald

By Heath McCoy and Nick Lewis

The Canadian Country Music Awards were held Monday at the Saddledome.

Attendance about 6,500.

If there was ever any doubt that Alberta is the heartland of Canadian country music, those doubts were swept away Monday at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

And what a housecleaning it was.

Alberta artists quite literally mopped up the floor with the competition at the Canadian Country Music Awards, taking home eight of 12 major awards at the event.

Medicine Hat's Terri Clark continued her annual winning streak, being presented with the prestigious Fans' Choice award for the third time in her career -- and for the second year in a row.

Emerson Drive from Grand Prairie came on like gangbusters for newcomers, winning not only the Rising Star Award, but also the award for best group. They kicked off the show with distinct boy band zeal (in other words, pretty faces, big bright smiles, and bigger, brighter pop harmonies) looking much like The Moffatts might have looked today, had The Moffatts stuck to country.

Calgary's Paul Brandt confirmed his status as the comeback kid, bringing home the bacon with a pair of wins for best album for Small Towns and Big Dreams, and top male artist -- after being shut out on the trophy front last year, for the first time in his career.

Brandt also stole a big piece of the spotlight as host of the internationally televised awards gala.

He hit the nail on the head however, when he joked about his shortcomings as a host. "I'm not a comedian," he said. True enough, Brandt's delivery was a little too milquetoast throughout the evening. Rather then being edgy or clever, he projected the "golly gee" enthusiasm of a star-struck fan, as when he introduced U.S. band Diamond Rio and was literally gushing: "I can't believe they're on the stage."

Still, Brandt had his moments. Although changing the lyrics to his hit song Canadian Man to fit the CCMA's was corny and predictable (he did the same thing earlier this year when Canada's hockey team beat the U.S. for Olympic gold), it was charming in a cutesy way. "Keith Urban's awesome/So is my pal, Carolyn Dawn Johnson," he sang. He also rhymed Diamond Rio with feel ("feeo?"), and pleaded: "Being host is tough/So can I feel the love?"

The night's big winner was last year's belle of the ball, Deadwood, Alta.'s Carolyn Dawn Johnson who scored three wins, including top female artist, and best video and single for the song I Don't Want You To Go. The point was not lost on Brandt who quipped: "After last year's sweep they considered changing the name of the show to the Carolyn Dawn Johnson Awards."

Other prominent award winners for the evening included Jason McCoy, who won SOCAN song of the year for Ten Million Teardrops, and Jimmy Rankin, who was crowned roots artist of the year.

Meanwhile, if Alberta is the heartland, the awards show also proved that Calgary is Nashville North. Industry awards included radio station of the year for Calgary's CKRY-FM; country club of the year, for Calgary's 30-year-old institution, Ranchman's; and country event of the year for the Sept. 11 Benefit Concert, held Sept. 12 at the Jubilee Auditorium.

That event, the first of its kind organized after last year's terrorist attacks on the U.S., consisted of country stars that were in Calgary following last year's CCMA's (such as Brandt and Johnson). It raised $65,000 for the Canadian Red Cross, money that went to U.S. relief efforts.

A duet with Kenny Rogers and Rebecca Lynn Howard was also a crowd favourite. Roger's weathered pipes a little gruff, a little less versatile, the duo still pulled of a good version of Islands In The Stream, with Howard complementing the Dolly Parton verses nicely.

Rogers then presented Anne Murray with the Hall of Fame award, and Timmins, Ont., superstar Shania Twain sent a recorded message of congratulations.

Huddled in a media conference afterwards, Murray joked, "It's all over now. No future at all," she joked. She also wished Gordon Lightfoot a speedy recovery.

By the end of the CCMA's most of most of the winners had stressed their great appreciation of the fans -- the ones who have kept the Canadian country music industry alive, whether its thriving or struggling.

Terri Clark summed up her gratitude best: "It's like being in a marriage and still being appreciated this year as much as you were last year," she said after the show.

"It's like I'm still gettin' some."

Rankin, MacMaster win country music awards

September 10, 2002 - Halifax Daily News

By the Canadian Press

CALGARY (CP) - The Song Dog had plenty to howl about last night.

Jimmy Rankin was named top roots performer for his first solo album, Song Dog, at the Canadian Country Music Awards last night. The Mabou singer’s album was dedicated to his brother John Morris, who died on a Cape Breton highway just months after the Rankin Family announced their split up.

Fellow Cape Bretoner Natalie MacMaster took the award for best country music program or special for My Roots are Showing.

Last night’s awards ceremony also featured a tribute to legendary Springhill singer Anne Murray, inducting her into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

But Nova Scotia content aside, it was a night dominted by Alberta artists.

The host province took home eight of the major awards handed out last night. Leading the pack was Carolyn Dawn Johnson, who continued last year’s musical domination by winning three awards largely on the strength of 2001’s album of the year, Room With a View.

Johnson, of Deadwood, Alta., took home top female artist, best video and single for I Don’t Want You to Go.

Calgary native Paul Brandt, who hosted the gala awards at the Pengrowth Saddledome, won top male artist and best album for Small Towns and Big Dreams.

Alberta country rockers Emerson Drive, whose first single, I Should Be Sleeping, was a Top 5 hit in the U.S., was named best group and rising star.

“Everyone is from Alberta,” marvelled Brad Mates, lead singer for Emerson Drive, which took its name from a road just outside Grande Prairie.

“Carolyn was born only an hour from our home town,” he said. “To have so many people from the same area doing so well is a great boost for Alberta and Canadian country music.”

An impromptu concert to honour the victims of Sept. 11 was named event of the year. Many of Canada’s top country acts had been in Calgary for last year’s Country Music Awards, and were stranded after the terrorist attacks grounded commercial air traffic.

Their magical moment of song, held on Sept. 12, was the first of many musical tributes across North America.

Johnson, Brandt top country music awards

MacMaster, Rankin pick up honours; Murray inducted into hall of fame

September 10, 2002 - Halifax Herald

By Judy Monchuk / The Canadian Press

Calgary - If it's Alberta, it must be country.

Alberta artists dominated the Canadian Country Music Awards, taking home eight of the major awards handed out Monday night.

Leading the pack was Carolyn Dawn Johnson, who continued last year's musical domination by winning three awards largely on the strength of 2001's album of the year, Room With a View.

Johnson, of Deadwood, Alta., took home top female artist, best video and single for I Don't Want You to Go.

Calgary native Paul Brandt, who hosted the gala awards at the Pengrowth Saddledome, won top male artist and best album for Small Towns and Big Dreams.

Northern Alberta country rockers Emerson Drive, whose first single, I Should Be Sleeping, was a Top 5 hit in the United States, was named best group and rising star.

"Everyone is from Alberta," marvelled Brad Mates, lead singer for Emerson Drive, which took its name from a road just outside Grande Prairie.

"Carolyn was born only an hour from our home town," he said. "To have so many people from the same area doing so well is a great boost for Alberta and Canadian country music."

Medicine Hat's Terri Clark won the fan's choice award as entertainer of the year for the second year in a row.

An impromptu concert to honour the victims of Sept. 11 was named event of the year. Many of Canada's top country acts had been in Calgary for last year's Country Music Awards and were stranded after the terrorist attacks grounded commercial air traffic.

Their magical moment of song, held on Sept. 12, was the first of many musical tributes across North America.

Jason McCoy, last year's male artist of the year, won best song for Ten Million Teardrops.

Jimmy Rankin was named top roots performer for his first solo album, Song Dog. The disc was dedicated to his brother John Morris, who died on a Cape Breton highway just months after the Rankin Family announced their split up.

Monday's awards ceremony also featured a tribute to legendary singer Anne Murray, inducting her into the Country Music Hall of Fame. A video montage highlighting her career also included a special message from current country diva Shania Twain.

Murray, who shot to international stardom in 1969, led a tribute honouring singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot at last year's ceremony. On Monday, Lightfoot remained in hospital after emergency abdominal surgery.

Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Alberta artists dominate country music awards

September 10, 2002 - Cape Breton Post

By Judy Monchuk / The Canadian Press

CALGARY (CP) - Alberta's country roots were showing Monday at the Canadian Country Music Awards. Alberta artists dominated the show, taking home eight of the major awards handed out. Leading the Alberta pack was Carolyn Dawn Johnson, who continued last year's musical domination by winning three awards largely on the strength of 2001's album of the year, Room With a View.

"It feels wonderful to be home," said Johnson, the pride of Deadwood, Alta., who brought her total to eight CCMAs in the last two years. Now based in Nashville, Johnson took home top female artist, best video and single for I Don't Want You to Go.

Please see below for a list of winners

Emerson Drive, who take their name from a road near Grande Prairie in northern Alberta, won best group and rising star for their self-titled debut album. They joked about the "Alberta factor" at the awards.

"There's something in the water - and we all eat a lot of beef growing up here," said lead singer Brad Mates.

The country rockers kicked off the awards show with a driving rendition of their first single, I Should Be Sleeping, which was a Top 5 hit in the United States.

Calgary native Paul Brandt, who was host of the ceremonies at the Pengrowth Saddledome, was named top male artist.

"This is the heart of Canadian country," said Brandt, who also won best album for Small Towns and Big Dreams.

"Thank you for making my big dreams come true."

Medicine Hat's Terri Clark won the fan's choice award as entertainer of the year for the second year in a row.

"I feel like I just got employee of the month," joked Clark, who referred to her fans as "the boss."

Their magical moment of song, held on Sept. 12, was the first of many musical tributes across North America.

Jason McCoy, last year's male artist of the year, won best song for Ten Million Teardrops.

Jimmy Rankin was named top roots performer for his first solo album, Song Dog. The disc was dedicated to his brother John Morris, who died on a Nova Scotia highway just months after the award-winning Rankin Family announced their split up.

"With the family, if an album fell flat I could hide behind (my siblings)," said Rankin. "With this I had to take the crap - thankfully it's doing very well."

The year's top-selling album was U.S. singer Garth Brooks's Scarecrow.

Monday's awards ceremony also featured a tribute to legendary singer Anne Murray, inducting her into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

A video montage highlighting her career also included a special message from current country diva Shania Twain.

"I would never have thought as a 15-year-old singing French and Italian arias that I would end up here, but here I am," said a beaming Murray, who has sold more than 40 million records in her 33-year career.

Murray shot to international stardom in 1969 with song Snowbird. Her hits, including Could I Have This Dance, You Needed Me, A Little Good News and Annie's Song, have been mainstays on country radio.

During last year's ceremonies, Murray led a tribute honouring singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot and it was clear Monday her thoughts were with him as he recovered in hospital after emergency abdominal surgery.

"I'm sure I speak for everyone when I wish Gordon a speedy recovery," she said.

About 6,000 fans attended the ceremonies.

Winners at the Canadian Country Music Awards on Monday night in Calgary:

Female artist: Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

Male artist: Paul Brandt.

Group or duo: Emerson Drive.

Album: Small Towns and Big Dreams, Paul Brandt.

Single: I Don't Want You to Go, Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

SOCAN song of the year: Ten Million Teardrops, Jason McCoy.

CMT video of the year: I Don't Want You to Go, Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

Roots artist or group: Jimmy Rankin.

Top selling album: Scarecrow, Garth Brooks.

Fans' choice award: Terri Clark.

Rising star award: Emerson Drive.

Country music program or special of the year: My Roots Are Showing, Natalie MacMaster.

Country event of the year: Sept. 11 benefit concert, Calgary.

Memorable Moments

Country legends join rising stars for stylish show

September 10, 2002 - Calgary Sun

By Lisa Wilton / Calgary Sun

Canada's country music stars shone bright at the 2002 Canadian Country Music Awards.

But it was two foreigners -- an American country legend and a guitar-slinging Aussie heartthrob -- who stole the spotlight.

Kenny Rogers and keith urban both made memorable appearances at last night's ceremony at the Saddledome.

Rogers received the first ovation of the evening after his truncated version of Islands in the Stream which he sang with up-and-comer Rebecca Lynn Howard.

Urban -- the hunky Australian, if you are confused -- tore up the stage and added a little dose of rock to the proceedings.

Hot newcomers Emerson Drive kicked off the show in style, and I do mean style. Their snazzy threads looked more Big Apple than small town.

The group from Grande Prairie performed its CCMA-winning single I Should Be Sleeping. Singer Brad Mates strutted, sauntered and shimmied his way across the stage to the thrilled shrieks of young and not-so-young women in the audience.

Calgary's own Paul Brandt hosted the affair, which was attended by about 6,500 country music fans and industry types. He exhibited a natural flair as host due in part to his goofy charm and comfort in front of a hometown crowd.

Brandt's confidence seemed to increase with every win -- the singer took home awards for best album and best male vocalist -- and with every overwhelming round of applause.

Another guy with overwhelming support was 17-year-old Edmonton singer Adam Gregory, who performed The World Could Use A Cowboy from his latest CD Workin' On It.

Other performance highlights included the torch and twang of Terri Clark's I Just Want To Be Mad For Awhile and Jimmy Rankin's Celtic act.

Rankin's rootsier sound was a nice change of pace from the Nashville slickness of Clark, Gregory and Emerson Drive.

Industry favourite Jason McCoy treated the crowd to the heartbreaking honky-tonk of Ten Million Teardrops for which he won the SOCAN song of the year award.

The most heartfelt moment of the evening -- besides the teary acceptance speeches of Carolyn Dawn Johnson -- came when Canada's classic country queen Anne Murray was inducted into the Hall of Fame by her good friend Rogers. Shania Twain also sent her best wishes to Murray in a taped video message.

In her acceptance speech, Murray encouraged the audience to pray for music icon Gordon Lightfoot's speedy recovery.

Lightfoot was hospitalized on Sunday with severe stomach pains.

In between commercial breaks, stars could be seen congratulating each other while fans bellowed their undying love for their favourite artists.

At one point, Brandt, who had been placed in the middle of fans on the first tier, was signing autographs only seconds before he was to go on air.

The show was surprisingly smooth with only one or two technical glitches or presenter fumbles. Steve Fox was particularly entertaining with his squinty-eyed reading of the teleprompter while presenting an award alongside Patricia Conroy.

Many of the artists at the 2002 CCMAs are award show veterans, but their presence at the Saddledome made all the difference to those fans who were able to share something special with them.

Guthro plays host to Songwriter's Circle

September 11, 2002 - Halifax Daily News

By The Daily News Staff

Nova Scotia singer/songwriter Bruce Guthro hosts Songwriter’s Circle — a rare and intimate view of some of Canada’s best songwriters in performance and conversation — Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, 11:30pm-12:30am on CBC-TV.

Each night, Guthro and other award-winning songwriters including Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, Colin James, Russell DeCarle of Prairie Oyster, Rita MacNeil, and others trade stories about their favourite songs while performing them in a stripped-down, up close and personal fashion. The program remains lighthearted while revealing the creative challenges that come with the writing process.

The line-up with Guthro is

- Rita MacNeil and Ron Sexsmith on Sept. 30;

- Jane Siberry and Russell DeCarle on Oct. 1;

- Jimmy Rankin and Dan Hill on Oct. 2;

- Susan Aglukark and Jeff Healey on Oct. 3;

- Jim Cuddy and Colin James on Oct. 4.

Rankin names Bourgeois as new artist manager

September 18, 2002 - Halifax Herald

One of Nova Scotia's best known singer-songwriters is joining forces with a top name in Atlantic Canadian artist management.

On Tuesday, Jimmy Rankin announced his recording and touring career will be managed by Andr� Bourgeois and ABC Entertainment Inc.

Currently manager for Newfoundland's Ennis Sisters and Toronto Latin guitarist Robert Michaels, Bourgeois also guided the career of Cape Breton fiddler Natalie MacMaster, until she switched to new manager (and future brother-in-law) Mark Enright in August.

"I am pleased to say that our organizational needs have grown to the point where we need to expand our staff and Andr� is a very welcome addition to the team," said Rankin in a news release Tuesday. "(My wife) Mia will continue to work with us as my business manager."

Rankin has had a good year, touring the country and performing songs off his acclaimed solo debut Song Dog. He also picked up prizes at both the East Coast Music Awards and the Canadian Country Music Awards. Meanwhile, Bourgeois was named manager of the year at the 2002 ECMA Industry Awards.

"I am very excited about working with such a talented musician and songwriter as Jimmy," added Bourgeois in the release. "My company and I look forward to helping him take his music and talent to the world."

Rankin wins another SOCAN honour

November 14, 2002 - Halifax Herald

Monday, singer-songwriter Jimmy Rankin travels to Toronto with wife Mia and manager Andre Bourgeois to accept a SOCAN Award for Followed Her Around. The award honours the huge amount of radio play the single achieved on Canadian radio in 2001.

Rankin is also getting ready for a series of concert dates as the opening act on country star Keith Urban's Canadian tour dates in February. The two met at the Canadian Country Music Awards in September, where Rankin learned that Urban was a big fan of his rootsy songs.

Songwriters Mitchell, Rankin honoured

April Wine frontman gets achievement award

November 19, 2002 - Halifax Herald

By Angela Pacienza / The Canadian Press

Toronto - Renowned songstress Joni Mitchell and pop princess Nelly Furtado were among the honourees at the 2002 Socan awards.

Presented by the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada, the awards recognize the Canadian songwriters whose work received the most domestic radio, film and TV airplay in 2001.

Nova Scotia singer-songwriter Jimmy Rankin won an award for his hit song Followed Her Around (performed by Rankin and co-written with Gordie Sampson). In September Rankin picked up a Canadian Country Music Award for roots artist of the year and Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia honours as songwriter of the year.

Country star Paul Brandt was the host for Monday night's gala ceremony at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Mitchell was given the Wm. Harold Moon Award for her contribution in bringing international recognition to Canada through her music. Hailed as one of the most influential singer-songwriters of her generation, Mitchell, 59, wrote and performed songs such as Big Yellow Taxi, Help Me, The Circle Game and Both Sides Now.

In the pop category singer Nelly Furtado's songs I'm Like a Bird and Turn Off the Light were honoured for achieving the greatest number of performances on domestic radio.

Alt-rockers Nickelback, country singer Carolyn Dawn Johnson, hip-hop artist Kardinal Offishall and Celtic band Leahy also won awards.

Myles Goodwyn, frontman of rock band April Wine, received the National Achievement Award. Formed in Halifax in 1969, April Wine had a successful career putting out 13 albums, which included the hit songs Fast Train, You Could Have Been A Lady and Just Between You and Me.

James Leroy, Terry Jacks and Ken Tobias were each awarded with Socan Classics Awards for songs that reached the 100,000 airplay mark on Canadian radio in 2001.

Rankin Sisters bring emotional show to the Savoy

December 1, 2002 - What's Goin On Magazine

By Wanda Earhart

November 27, 2002 – Savoy Theatre

On Wednesday night they came from near and far, despite the season’s first measurable snowstorm, to witness one of the most beautiful shows in any time of year at the Savoy Theatre. The Rankin Sisters - Cookie, Raylene, and Heather - brought their annual Christmas tour home to Cape Breton, for the one of the warmest of receptions on record!

Following the show, I mentioned to others how very emotional it was for me, having enjoyed the music of the Rankin Family for as long as they have been on the scene, to see these women together again. Many people thanked me for my comments, as it let them know that they were not alone in the wave of sentiment that overpowered their emotions, from the moment the first song was sung. During the intimate autograph session afterwards, several people were brought to tears by simply saying hello to these most respected performers.

But please don’t imagine that the night was all tears and tissue! Once the audience overcame the initial awe of having the Rankin women onstage, it was a magical time, of Yuletide selections, most from their Do You Hear CD, which was released in 1997, and stories of growing up in a family of twelve kids in Mabou.

I refuse to even try and name any song as a stand-out, as each and every number, individually, or in harmony, was breathtaking. From “Holly and the Ivy” to “Silent Night”, and several Gaelic Hymns, all examples of some of the reasons why the Rankins remain in the hearts of fans everywhere, but especially in Cape Breton. Of course you can’t have Rankins onstage without a little step dancing thrown in for good measure!

Along with the outstanding vocals, and first class back up band, Heather Rankin kept the mood light and lively with her sharp wit and ability to put everyone at ease, supplying most of the comic relief throughout the evening. Each person, including the band, was given the opportunity to recall a Christmas memory, as well, the women would come up with impromptu family stories that, for the most part, sent the audience into fits of laughter.

It was a positively perfect evening. This was the first time for the Rankin Sisters to bring their Christmas tour to the Savoy and, judging by the reaction of those present, it will be one show to watch for in the years to come.

Above Photo: By Wanda Earhart - The Rankin Sisters (Cookie, Raylene, Heather) bring their Christmas tour to the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay.

Rankin sisters find a happy balance

December 5, 2002 - Halifax Daily News

By Southam News

The road has always led home for the Rankin family.

Time and tragedy have reduced Cape Breton’s most famous musical group to three from five these days.

The three Rankin sisters — Raylene, Cookie and Heather — remain together as a unit, and even they tour only occasionally. Jimmy Rankin released a solo album, Song Dog, to wide acclaim in 2001, and John Morris Rankin died in a motor vehicle accident in January 2000.

The Rankin sisters have settled into a happy balance between brief tours and a more ordered home life. Their career paths are also diverging — Raylene has embarked on a solo career and Heather is pursuing acting.

Cookie Rankin, 37, is happy to be a homemaker most of the time.

“I think we’ve all got used to the idea of having a home life,” she said during a stop in Kingston, Ont., earlier this week.

“We had 10 years of pretty intense touring. There was no permanence or stability in our lives. I think we’re all enjoying being happy homemakers.”

The Rankin Sisters — including Raylene, who returned to the group in 2000 after about a year’s maternity leave — are doing a brief tour of Ontario and the Maritimes with a Christmas show. Based on their bestselling Do You Hear album of 1997, the show is very much a travelling family Christmas celebration.

Between 1989 and 1999 the group sold more than two million albums, toured the world, and were among Cape Breton’s most famous musical ambassadors.

There were 12 Rankin children in all at home base — Mabou. In 1989, using money they borrowed from an older sister, the Rankins recorded their self-titled debut.

The following year, they released Fare Thee Well Love, the album and the single, which attracted the attention of EMI Canada in Toronto. Fare Thee Well Love was re-released and became an international hit with the help of its inclusion in the Gabriel Byrne Disney movie, Into The West.

In 1999, after releasing seven albums as The Rankins, as well as the sisters’ Christmas album, the group called it quits.

Four months later, John Morris Rankin was killed after his truck hit a pile of road salt and skidded into the icy Gulf of St. Lawrence. His son, Michael, and two other children survived the crash.

“We had already done our re-evaluation as a group before that happened,” said Cookie.

“But, it’s ironic, you know. We had finally decided to stop touring and take other paths individually. And John Morris was looking forward to being a father to his two beautiful children.

“He was so into doing family things and taking his son to hockey games. And then this happens while he was being a father.”

All of the Rankins took stock of their lives and careers at that point.

“After the shock, something like that becomes more profound in terms of the lesson it teaches you.

“At the end of the day it’s not about success and it’s not about money. It’s about experiences and memories and people.”

"Country" Rankin gets back to his roots

Jimmy explores his music with ESO

December 6, 2002 - Edmonton Sun

By Fish Griwkowsky - Edmonton Sun Freelance

Because his name has "rank" in it, we had Jimmy Rankin "rank'' his favourite things to do on the weekend. Then, we dipped his CD Song Dog in the Oilers' big sack of "rank" sweat socks.

OK, none of that really happened, nor would it in 10,000 years. But we did ask Jimmy about being artist of the year at the East Coast Music Awards this year in the country category. Especially because he's not really a country artist, eh.

"Well, the nice thing about Canada is that, for me, my music is hard to classify. I'm just kind of glad they found a place for me at all," the singer says on the phone from home, advancing his shows with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra at the Winspear Centre tonight and tomorrow.

But wait. A brief history of the band once known as the Rankin Family might be in order. After changing their name to the Rankins, the five Cape Breton siblings ultimately decided they'd made their point, and split off from each other in 1999. Then, shortly after, Jimmy's older brother, John Morris Rankin, died in a car crash in early 2000.

The accident blew Jimmy away, understandably, but some of the emotional weight did show up in the award-winning, and actually quite excellent, Song Dog. He also picked up roots artist of the year at the Canadian Country Music Awards to complicate things with some level of needed accuracy. He is a roots artist, no doubt about that one.

But Rankin is happy to first talk about the exploits of his siblings, who have since put together a new act ... sort of.

"They do shows together under the name the Rankin Sisters. Obviously, I can't join that group. They haven't made a record or anything. During the Rankin days they used to sing as a trio - they've been playing together for decades, so it's no big deal. I have a feeling from talking to them they're going to end up doing something, album-wise. And I know Raylene wants to do a solo album in the Rankin style."

Jimmy, meanwhile, realizes the machine needs feeding.

"I'm basically culminating material for another record. Next thing I do, I'm going out and doing these shows with Keith Urban and Carolyn Dawn Johnson (in Edmonton Feb. 23, Jubilee Auditorium). I met Keith at the CCMAs in Calgary. He was a fan, so he came up for a chat and a bunch of us ended up going to the hotel where we had a big jam session. About 150 people showed up to watch and I heard a lot of critics said it was the highlight of the CCMAs. I left there about 3 a.m., but I heard it went on till 5 or 6.

"It was really cool. I don't do enough of it. Just a bunch of guys sitting around, talking about their songs."

You may be able to see some of that tonight at the Winspear. It may, um, "rank" highly on your list of favourite shows. OK, enough.

Leahy's high energy captures sellout crowd; Jimmy Rankin audience too quiet for Maritime songster

December 9, 2002 - Edmonton Journal

By Roger Levesque - Special to the Journal / Freelance

Jimmy Rankin with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
When: Friday night
Where: Winspear Centre
- - -
Leahy with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
When: Sunday night
Where: Winspear Centre
Continues: tonight at 8
Tickets: Winspear box office (428-1414)
- - -

There were some notable contrasts when the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra met up with members of two of Canada's most popular roots-music families over the weekend. Between four shows (which conclude tonight) ticket sales have been brisk from 1,500 to near sellout, reflecting the continuing draw of acts who rose to popularity on the Celtic wave of the '90s.

Sunday night, Ontario's Leahy family kicked up a storm as part of the ESO's On The Edge series, though only a 16-piece string section was there to represent the orchestra, adding to the intimacy of the event. Even so, the high energy combination of fiddlers and stepdancers got the audience involved immediately in an opening set that was nicely paced between solo features, duets, numbers with just the eight Leahys, and tunes with the ESO strings.

Leahy involved two electric keyboard players, three fiddles, guitar, bass and drums, with several sisters doubling on the dancing and singing, and it seemed as if there was always someone with charisma bowing or stepping up front, dipping into the Canadian Celtic tradition of reels, jigs and strathspeyes and trading off solos. On Czardas, a gypsy melody from just one fiddle and keyboard started a race to ever-faster tempos as everyone on stage gradually jumped in.

The only slow pieces included the tragic, heartfelt ballad Borrowed Time inspired by a victim of cancer, and a beautifully spare feature for the ESO strings on What Child Is This, with three of the Leahy women bringing gorgeous harmonies to the words. Another solo fiddle feature paid tribute to French Canadian fiddle styles with great aplomb. Unfortunately, deadlines and a later-than-usual start didn't allow me to stay for the rest but the audience was enthralled.

Friday night was a quieter affair, though Cape Breton-born, Halifax-based Jimmy Rankin put a lot into his first-ever performance with a symphony as a solo artist. The singer-songwriter-guitarist commented on the relative silence of the Winspear after the applause but the mostly-older pops-series audience didn't lighten up much, at least not during the opening set of the show.

A four-piece band at stage front set the pace and took over entirely for a few numbers, but Rankin kept the focus, as he mixed pop numbers and some folk-oriented songs from his solo disc Song Dog, with a few older pieces from his years with The Rankin Family. Movin' On and Captain Harmony were bona fide rockers while You and Me and the tragic ballad Your Boat's Lost At Sea really got the singer wailing.

David Hoyt led the symphony in a couple of lively overture-style works with maritime themes to start each set, but the rest of the tunes were all Rankin's, with arrangements by Peter Coulman that essentially turned the role of the ESO into extra-sonic-oomphh, cueing swells of sound at all the right places. Given the hard 4/4 pulse of Rankin's band much more would have felt inappropriate.

At Mount Forest's Old Roxy Theatre Rankins celebrate Christmas

December 17, 2002 - Mt. Forest Confederate
By Lynne Pinnegar - Confederate Staff

The Rankin Sisters -- Cookie, Raylene and Heather -- brought a Maritime Christmas to Mount Forest’s Old Roxy Wednesday evening.

Traditional and contemporary Christmas carols, hymns learned from the nuns when they were part of the church choir as youngsters in Mabou, Cape Breton, Celtic and Gaelic tunes, reminiscences of Christmas past and even some sprightly step dancing -- the concert had it all.

For a decade, the three women anchored the wildly-popular Celtic-influenced The Rankin Family band (with brothers Jimmy and the late John Morris). They sold more than two million records, won five Juno awards, over a dozen East Coast Music Awards and two Canadian Country Music Awards.

Much of the music presented Wednesday was from their delightful Christmas album, Do You Hear, recording by the three sisters during a Rankin Family band hiatus in 1997. They recorded the album “to express their love of the holiday season.”

“Some of the album’s tunes come from our past, some tunes come from personal experiences of Christmas, some are more religious, some aren’t. They are vignettes of different aspects of Christmas,” explains Raylene Rankin.

The three get together each Christmas to take their Maritime Christmas on the road.

“It gives me a great chance to get together with these two hooligans,” Raylene joked, indicating her two sisters, Wednesday evening.

The myriad of songs included Do You Hear What I Hear, Angels We Have Heard on High, Oh Night of Joy and Gladness, the upbeat I Wonder As I Wander and Let It Snow.

Raylene offered Jesus Christ and the Apple Tree, a carol with roots in pre-Christian times when the Celts associated the apple tree with the tree of life. Gaelic carols Taladh Chriosda (The Christ Child’s Lullaby) and A Challuinn (The New Year) and the Latin Dona Nobis Pacem (Grant Us Peace) were beautifully done.
Particularly moving were Raylene's rendition of Ave Maria and The Coventry Carol with Heather’s lead vocals.

The sisters were backed by a full band, some of the Maritime’s most talented musicians and long time friends, pianist Michael Creber, guitarist Clarence Deveau, bassist Bruce Jacobs and first cousin Mairi Rankin on fiddle.

The sisters, reminiscing about Christmas as they were growing up in a family of 12, and stories from each of the band members about Christmases past was an added bonus.

The sisters remembered their father coming home at Christmas, his truck filled with things not often found in the Rankin pantry -- “olives, nuts, grapes and blue cheese, Baby Duck for the dinner, or Blue Nun, and one year a big box of chicken flavored potato chips. It didn’t take much to please us.” They also joked about bologna being “Cape Breton caviar”.

It may not have taken much to please Cookie, Heather and Raylene Rankin as children but they certainly did please the Old Roxy audience last week with their Maritime Christmas concert.

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