Heather Rankin

Singer / Rankin Family

Heather Rankin is the youngest member of the award-winning singing group, the Rankin Family. Heather has a BA from Acadia University, with a major in Theatre. In addition to her singing career, she has taken roles in both theatre and film productions.

In 1991, Heather along with the Rankin Family, were signed to Capitol/EMI Music. A year later, the label re-released the song “Fare Thee Well Love” which went on to become a multi-platinum seller. The song topped the charts at #1 with the title track soon finding its way to the Disney Movie Into the West, and put the Rankin Family securely into the hearts and souls of Canadians from coast to coast. Their album North Country followed in 1993, another #1 multi-platinum success, containing the popular title track in addition to “Borders and Time”. “Grey Dusk of Eve” and “Endless Seasons” were both released in 1995 and 1998 saw the release of their final album together, aptly title Uprooted.

In 1999, the group decided to go their separate ways, each pursuing their own interests and musical projects. Then, in 2000 on an icy winter morning, tragedy struck when their brother John Morris, died in a single car accident on a slippery stretch of coastal road. They considered John the musical heart of the group. But 8 years later, the 4 remaining members came together to record "Reunion" and tour coast to coast, this time with niece Molly Rankin (the daughter of the late John Morris) completing the lineup. The overwhelmingly positive response led them to return to the studio last year to record their current release, “These are the Moments”.

Every year, Heather and her sisters Cookie and Raylene, tour with a Christmas show in support of their perennial best selling CD, Do You Hear. Along with one other sister, the girls own the Red Shoe Pub in Mabou, Cape Breton, which features traditional music throughout the season. Heather has recorded with Will Ackerman, guitarist and founder of Windham Hill Records, and along with her sisters, has sung back-up vocals for Carly Simon. Heather is also a songwriter, and has contributed two original songs to the family’s latest CD, These are the Moments.

The Rankin Family has been honoured with 15 East Coast Music Awards, 6 Juno Awards, 4 SOCAN Awards and 3 Canadian Country Music Awards.