Rankins to reunite

By STEPHEN COOKE Entertainment Reporter

Some familiar Nova Scotia harmonies will soon be ringing out again
on record and in concert halls.

Sources close to Cape Breton's Rankin family say that Jimmy Rankin
and sisters Raylene, Cookie and Heather Rankin will perform again as
a group for the first time since they initially disbanded in 1999 to
pursue other musical endeavours.

Jimmy and Raylene continued with solo musical careers, while all
three sisters have collaborated on a Christmas album and still
occasionally perform as a trio. Reportedly, the siblings had been
working on new material at home in Mabou, before heading to
Nashville to record songs with Cookie Rankin's husband, noted
producer/engineer George Massenburg (Dixie Chicks, Lyle Lovett). A
new album and concert tour will follow in the near future.

An official announcement of the reunion is expected to be made next
week.

The death of brother John Morris Rankin in 2000 means the original
lineup can never be reassembled, but reportedly his daughter Molly
Rankin will have music featured in this new lineup of the group.

In the Rankins' initial decade-long career, the group racked up a
string of platinum selling albums with their unique blend of Celtic,
pop and country, including 1990's quadruple platinum Fare Thee Well
Love. They also earned numerous awards, including 15 East Coast
Music Awards, six Juno Awards, four SOCAN Awards and three Canadian
Country Music Awards.

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