2010 Tour Dates & Media Appearances

All Dates Confirmed - Subject to Change

New Songs, New Voices is a must-see two-night showcase of Canadian music. These artists have different styles, diverse backgrounds and they hail from all points — East to West to Far North. But together they prove a point: this big country is bursting with talented people.  Nova Scotia’s Christina Martin, who sings vulnerable lyrics in a strong voice, took home a 2009 East Coast Music Award for pop recording of the year. Gordie Tentrees writes gutsy Yukon music: country-driven folk and rock songs full of stories and people you can believe in. The winner of three grand prizes at the 2009 Calgary Folk Fest Songwriting Competition, John Wort Hannam delivers roots music straight from Alberta’s southern prairies. And Cape Breton’s Jimmy Rankin, from the much-loved music-making family, has established himself as one of Canada’s best songwriters on three critically acclaimed solo albums. - 8pm - Ticketed event, ticket info TBA - Website

Reworking their new and time-honored hits, Raylene, Jimmy, Cookie, and Heather will get up close and personal, mesmerizing audiences with their haunting melodies and poignant lyrics that resonate with the soul. Pairing back the instrumentation and uncovering the vocal complexities of each song, the Rankin Family’s signature harmonies will take centre stage. The Acoustic Tour will allow audiences to experience the sheer, raw talent of the Rankin Family that has captivated fans worldwide. Celebrate the timeless sound and talent of the Rankin Family. "Fare Thee Well Love", "Orangedale Whistle", "You Feel The Same Way To" "Rise Again" and more. Joining the tour is the undeniably talented up-and-coming artist, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald.

Fresh off the first Rankin family reunion tour in January and February 2007, the sweet, angelic, Celtic-influenced voices of Raylene, Heather and Cookie Rankin are back together and looking forward to another Maritime Christmas tour.

The Rankin Sisters kick off the Christmas holidays with a soiree of yuletide cheer. Filled with the sisters’ trademark Celtic-influenced vocals, this concert tour draws from their delightful Christmas album, Do You Hear. Recorded during a Rankin Family band hiatus in 1997, the sisters seized the opportunity to create an 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.

This Christmas tour reunites the sisters as they set out to celebrate the dearest of their family’s holiday memories. In fact, the myriad of songs hand-picked for Do You Hear, are like the pages of a family scrapbook, each conjuring its own set of memories. Angels We Have Heard on High with its luscious harmonies and Oh Night of Joy and Gladness, sung a cappella, are both tunes which the sisters performed in Mabou’s local church choir as children. Raylene, whose angelic voice succinctly captures the song’s blend of passion and solemnity, faithfully performs the traditional prayer Ave Maria. The Coventry Carol is beautifully rendered with Heather’s lead vocal finesse and emotional honesty. In concert, it is often an audience favourite. Cookie’s up-tempo treatment of I Wonder as I Wander and the sisters’ playful rendition of Let it Snow, showcase the more festive aspects of the holiday season.

Joining Raylene, Heather and Cookie on this Christmas tour are some of the Maritime’s most talented musicians and their long time friends. The Rankin Family’s drummer and percussionist Scott Ferguson re-joins the sisters, along with pianist Michael Creber, guitarist Clarence Deveau, bassist Bruce Jacobs and cousin Mairi Rankin on the fiddle.