Rankin Sisters 2005 Christmas TV Special

November 16, 2005

Jimmy to tour Ontario this December

November 2, 2005

Greetings everyone!  We wanted to let you know that Jimmy has added some dates to his Ontario tour and will be hitting the road with his band this December.

It’s been a while since we’ve written, but this summer and fall has been busy.  On August 4^th, Jimmy and Mia brought their first baby, James Beckett Nishi Rankin into the world.  James is a great kid – very healthy and happy.   Jimmy’s also been spending time in Nashville, writing and recording.  Stay tuned for the release of a new CD in early 2006 - featuring some really fantastic new material.

We hope to see you out in full force in December! And as an added bonus, you’ll see two of his southern Ontario dates will feature a guest appearance by friend and fellow Cape Bretoner, Gordie Sampson.

And don’t forget that concert tickets make a great Christmas gift for your friends and families!!

These are the dates:

December 2 – St. Catharines, ON, Sean O’Sullivan Theatre, Brock University (with special guest Gordie Sampson)
December 3 – Hamilton, ON, Hamilton Place, Studio Theatre
December 4 – Cambridge, ON, Lil Big Horn
December 8 – Oakville, ON, Oakville Centre for the Arts (with special guest Gordie Sampson)
December 11 – Geraldton, ON, Geraldton Overture Concert Series
December 12 – Thunder Bay, ON, Community Auditorium
December 13 – Dryden, ON, Dryden Cultural Center
December 14 – Fort Frances, ON, Townshend Theatre

For full ticket information, please visit www.jimmyrankin.com

---

Rita MacNeil filming TV Special in Cape Breton featuring Jimmy Rankin

June 6, 2005

Leopard Productions Inc. and CTV present the return of Canada's favourite singer-songwriter in an all-new, all-star music special being taped this June. “Rita MacNeil’s Cape Breton,” starring Rita MacNeil, spotlights the culture, music, and history of Cape Breton.

This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will see Rita welcoming diverse guests such as Jimmy Rankin, Aselin Debison, Ashley MacIsaac, Men of the Deeps, Gary Beals (from Canadian Idol), and renowned gospel singer Mavis Staples to the beautiful Island of Cape Breton on Canada's East Coast, featuring such scenic highlights as Iona, Mabou, Arichat, Big Pond, The Cabot Trail, Neil's Harbour, Keltic Lodge, and Glace Bay's Savoy Theatre.

Please refer to the schedule below for taping information. Admission is FREE, but please note that reserving a spot in the audience DOES NOT guarantee admission. We will be admitting audience members into the tapings on a first come, first served basis, but you must have a ticket reservation placed in order to secure a spot in line. You should consider lining up at least thirty minutes prior to showtime. You may book tickets for more than one taping session, but you may not book more than four tickets at a time. Once at the taping, please understand that there will likely be some stops and starts throughout the night, but we request that the audience stay for the entire duration of the taping.

When booking your tickets, remember to state your full name, contact information (telephone and/or e-mail), and the number of tickets you would like (up to 4) for each taping that you would like to attend.

Guests will vary from night to night, and will appear only on the specific dates listed below. Please keep this in mind if you would like to attend a taping featuring a particular guest. (This schedule is subject to change without notice. Taping lengths are approximate.)

THURSDAY, JUNE 9
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Savoy Theatre (Glace Bay)

The concert portion of our special will be shot in front of over 600 lucky fans at the Savoy Theatre in Glace Bay, starring Rita MacNeil and featuring Men of the Deeps, Aselin Debison, and more.

FRIDAY, JUNE 10
1:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Neil's Harbour

Watch us tape an exciting segment with special guest Ashley MacIsaac and his band in the open air, surrounded by the beautiful environment of Neil's Harbour. Over 300 people will be able to watch this exciting outdoor concert segment. (We will not provide seating for this event, although the audience is welcome to sit along the docks.)

TUESDAY, JUNE 14
8:30 pm - 11:00 pm, Red Shoe Pub (Mabou)

Stand ringside as Jimmy Rankin and his band perform with Rita MacNeil in a nighttime taping outside Mabou's Red Shoe Pub. Only 400 fans will get to stand around the stage, which we are erecting outside the pub on Route 19 especially for this event! (There will be no seating available.)

THURSDAY, JUNE 16
6:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Our Lady of Assumption Church (Arichat, Isle Madame)

Over 400 fans will be admitted to watch Rita and her very special guests, gospel singer Mavis Staples and Canadian Idol favourite Gary Beals, perform a spiritual concert segment, all backed by a gospel choir.

For your FREE tickets, contact the Savoy Theatre at 902-842-1577
or via e-mail at boxoffice@savoytheatre.com,

OR call our office in Toronto at 416-214-9900 x231 or e-mail audience@sfaproductions.com

MAKE SURE TO SPECIFY WHICH TAPING YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND AND INCLUDE ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION!

SPACE IS LIMITED, SO PLACE YOUR TICKET RESERVATION TODAY!

For more information, contact Audience Coordinator Mark Selby at Leopard Productions Inc., 416-214-9900, Ext. 231

---

Vote for Jimmy Rankin for ECMA Entertainer of the Year

January 26, 2005

Starting Thursday, January 27th, Jimmy Rankin fans can start voting for this year’s ECMA Cape Breton Post Entertainer of the Year award. This award is the only East Coast Music Award that is decided by the public.

This year’s nominees for ECMA Cape Breton Post Entertainer of the Year are:

Crush
George Canyon
Jimmy Rankin
Natalie MacMaster
The Trews

Three Ways to Vote:

This year, there are three ways to vote for Jimmy for ECMA Cape Breton Post Entertainer of the Year nominee. Fans can cast their vote by phone, by text messaging, or online.

By phone - Call 1-900-870-ECMA (3262). A touch–tone phone is required and each call costs .99 cents.

Online - Go to www.cbc.ca/ecma and make your choice. Only one vote per computer is tabulated.

Text Messaging - New this year, fans can vote via text messaging. To register your vote, text the word "VOTE" to the number assigned to your favourite Entertainer of the Year nominee below.

To vote for Jimmy Rankin, text ALIANT03 (25426803)

Each vote costs .99 cents. Text message voting available to Aliant Mobility customers exclusively.

The deadline for voting is Wednesday, February 16, 2005. The East Coast Music Awards and Conference takes place in Sydney, Cape Breton from February 17th to 20th and culminates with the ECMA Gala Awards Show, broadcast live on CBC Television, Sunday, February 20th starting at 8pm in all time zones (8:30NT). The Cape Breton Post Entertainer of the Year will be announced during the broadcast.

ECMA Gala Awards Show and Showcase tickets are now available at the Centre 200 box office or by calling (902) 564-6668.

---

Jimmy Rankin performing on ECMA Awards Show

January 26, 2005

CBC Television and the East Coast Music Association have assembled a stellar lineup of artists to perform on this year’s Gala Awards Ceremony, broadcast live from Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Sunday, February 20th AT 8 P.M. (8:30 P.M. NL)

Country singer George Canyon will host the two-hour extravaganza that boasts performances by The Trews, MIR, The Joel Plaskett Emergency, Gordie Sampson, Susan Crowe, Barry Canning, The Cottars, Beòlach, Vishten, Dave Gunning, and Nathan Wiley. Also on the program - an all-star tribute to the much-loved Rita MacNeil, including performances by audience-pleasers Shaye, Jimmy Rankin, and 2005 Maple Blues Awards Entertainer of the Year, Matt Minglewood.