Spinner

Folk Singer Kate McGarrigle Dead at 63

Canadian folk singer Kate McGarrigle, best known as the matriarch of the Montreal musical clan that includes sister Anna and children Rufus and Martha Wainwright, has died of cancer at age 63.

Kate and Anna recorded ten albums together as the McGarrigle Sisters, first establishing themselves on the burgeoning Canadian folk music scene in the 1970s and going on to win two Juno Awards well into the 1990s.

By that point, McGarrigle was recognized by a whole new generation as the mother of two rising talents: baroque pop singer Rufus Wainwright and his torch-folkie sister, Martha. (Their father is McGarrigle's former husband, acerbic singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III).


But long before her kids took center-stage, Kate was known for her rootsy melodies and indelible harmonies on characteristically Canadian songs such as the McGarrigle Sisters' version of 'The Log Driver's Waltz,' which was the soundtrack to a popular 1979 short animated film by Canada's National Film Board.

In recent years, McGarrigle continued to be as musically relevant as ever, inspiring many artists of the current era, collaborating not only with Rufus and Martha -- who credited their mother with encouraging and supporting their own music -- but also edgier acts such as Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (singing backing vocals on his 2001 album 'No More Shall We Part').

Beloved in Quebec and internationally for singing in both French and English, McGarrigle managed to cross over in both languages long before many other Canadian artists did the same. Over their 35-year career, the McGarrigle Sisters' songs were covered by a plethora of artists in all genres, including Billy Bragg, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, and many others.

McGarrigle reportedly passed away Monday night in Montreal after a battle with clear-cell carcinoma. Rufus Wainwright had cancelled his Australian tour, scheduled for next month, to be by her side.


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Big Boss Ogg

Where does the time go? It seems just a moment in life ago that I was reading a blurb in Rolling Stone about this great folk duo and their first gigs in the NYC area, now this...
Embrace your life and live it, younglings, don't let it slip away unremarked...

March 28 2010 at 3:26 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
PM

Holding back tears of sorrow for the loss of her. My favorite was "Gentle Annie," but I was (still am) in love with all of their music...and them. I agree with Neil in the above comment - your music is eternal, but Kate, so are you. With love, Paul

January 23 2010 at 1:50 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
john

Maybe when you die, something wonderful happens.

January 22 2010 at 10:23 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Keith

Such a beautiful lady both inside and out. She will be saddly missed but wonderfully remembered.

January 20 2010 at 9:16 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Todd LeBaron

If you aren't aware of who Kate McGarrigle was, simply listen to the title track from Linda Ronstadt's excellent "Heart Like a Wheel" album. Kate and her sister Anna wrote that song. Haunting and moving, yet only a taste of what they were about. Some very wonderful music came from the McGarrigle sisters over the years, and they appeared on Saturday Night Live during the show's early years to perform a couple of their songs. She will be missed very much by folk music lovers everywhere...someone Canada was very proud of.

January 19 2010 at 8:17 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Mark Friedman

As a fan of the McGarrigles for many years, this is a very sad day. Having seen them perform on a number of occasions, I remember once seeing them at NYC's legendary Bottom Line. That night Kate announced that her daughter Martha would be playing at a small club the next evening. Playing a hunch, I ventured out to see Martha that night and sure enough, Kate was in attendence. I got to talk with her and even presented her with some photos I had taken of her and Anna the night before. She thought that was cool. What's more, she couldn't have been nicer, a real down-to-earth soul. I have so many favorite McGarrigle songs (Heart Like A Wheel, Talk To Me Of Mendocino, I Cried For Us, Leave Me Be, I Eat Dinner to name a few) but my favorite is Lullaby For A Doll from a lullaby compilation called 'Til Their Eyes Shine. I used to play this CD every night for my daughter to go to sleep to. In the song, the singer reflects on her childhood and how she played with dolls and made a little doll community only to push them aside as she got older and began experiencing other things. Later, she watches her own daughter begin to grow and observes her playing with the dolls the same way she used to. "And it clicked, and I remember", she sings, because she realizes it all goes so fast, life goes by so fast. This song gets me every time. Today it really got me. Thank you Kate for such wonderful music and wonderful memories of watching my daughter go to sleep.

January 19 2010 at 8:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dwwwj123

wow, what a shocker. She was a genuine,original talent, unassuming and humble and honest. First heard her on WBCN in Boston in 1974, then she was interviewed with Anna by DJ Maxanne. She was sincere and funny. May you rest now, God bless you and your family.

January 19 2010 at 6:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
bless

What a huge loss. Her duet with Anna, "Mendocino" is one of my favorites. May she rest in peace.

January 19 2010 at 6:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dave Dick

Sad that she died so relatively young...many folk musicians go on making music much longer...but the greatest consoloation is that we can listen to so much of her recorded music..

Thanks for that Kate....from just one in the crowd watching....

January 19 2010 at 5:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jess

Was just listening to Love Over and Over album yesterday. A great talent, understated and natural. Sad loss.

January 19 2010 at 5:56 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply