Sail on, Kenny Rankin . . . .

[SeattleParrotHead]

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/ ... 7669.story
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/art ... le1176564/

Thank you for all your contributions to the soundtrack of my life . . . .

[springparrot]

Sail on Kenny.......

[VanillaGrl]

Sail on...

[aeroparrot]

Sail on.

[luvinlife]

Sail on Kenny

[dnw]

Sail on, Kenny.

[East Texas Parrothead]

I had the honor of interviewing him last August. What a nice guy he was.

Sail on, sweet, talented Mr. Rankin.

Music Memos: Kenny Rankin credits teacher with his love of performing

When his 4th grade teacher, Miss Pringle, chose Kenny Rankin to sing “O, Holy Night” during a Christmas program at school, she changed his life. Who knows what would have happened without Miss Pringle’s influence?

“I grew up in a rough neighborhood in New York City,” Rankin said in a recent telephone interview. “I had a difficult childhood.”

But Rankin still remembers how he felt after he finished singing.

“Miss Pringle put her arms around me,” Rankin says. “I had never felt something like that before. I said, ‘I’m going to get me some more of that.’”

After his fateful performance, “homework became a foreign language. I somehow got through the second year of high school never doing homework. I mean, capital NEVER,” the singer said.

Although Rankin doesn’t get much air play or hit the charts that often, his music is standard issue for anyone who appreciates good songs, well done. He writes a lot of his material, arranges everything he sings, and pays close attention to the lyrics.

“The lyrics are what brings images to the mind’s eye,” he explained. “If I’m moved by a lyric, I try to bring something new to it.”

Rankin cut his first record in 1957 and released his first album, “Mindusters,” 10 years later. Johnny Carson, host of “The Tonight Show” was so impressed with Rankin’s talent that he wrote the liner notes for the album. Carson invited Rankin to perform on the his popular show over 20 times in the next few years.
By his own admission, Rankin, spent a large portion of the early years abusing drugs.

“When I was performing in the 70s, I was a good example of what not to be,” Rankin states. “Those drugs made me a bigger jerk. That’s what they do.”

Rankin’s music suffered, as did his personal life, so, in 1982, he stopped. Cold.
“I never went to rehab,” he says. “I just stopped. I’m grateful that I’m still standing and that I have the same job.”

These days, Rankin spends his free time talking to inner city kids about the dangers of drugs.

“I do whatever I can,” he said. “The children in the inner city are more at risk than ever. I pass along some music and I tell them about the really bad decision I made about substance abuse.”

Not all the decisions Rankin made were bad ones. Somehow, along the way, Rankin managed to raise a son and two daughters.

“The kids grew up and gave me the illusion that I might have done something right,” he says. “Last November, one of my girls gave me a grandchild. Life cannot be better.”

Rankin’s clean and sober life is not without its troubles.

“A lot of sad things have happened lately,” he said. “George Carlin, one of my best friends since 1970, died. He was one of the kindest, most intelligent men. He was generous and kind.”

Rankin and Carlin, the comedian famous for his battles with the network censors, spent 10 years touring together. Rankin called him “my dearest friend.”

Another close friend, Dan Cassidy, was just diagnosed with cancer.

“I’m going up to San Francisco where he lives to do a fundraiser for him,” Rankin said.

When it comes to his music, Rankin is often compared to James Taylor and Michael Franks.

“I get that a lot. We’re all mellow singers,” he said with a laugh. “I like a little more variety, though.”

A sampling of Rankin’s 14 CDs backs up his claim about being a more diversified song stylist. His most popular hit, “Peaceful,” was on the first album. Helen Reddy’s cover of the song went to #12 on the charts in 1973.

He recently teamed up with Monica Mancini for a breezy, carefree cover of “Dreamsville.” Rankin and Mancini’s father, Henry, were pals.

“Henry was a great friend,” Rankin said. “He was gracious, kind and generous to me. I worked with him on several projects and I was honored that Monica asked me to sing with her.”

Rankin’s cover of the Frankie Lyman hit, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” on the “Silver Morning” CD, is a “straight ahead, doo-wop song with a great lyric.”

Rankin used to hang out on the corner of 160th and Broadway at Lil’s, “a little luncheonette with a great hallway for singing. I didn’t meet him, but Frankie Lyman hung out at Lil’s, too, in the early days.”

Through all of his ups and downs, Rankin has remained grateful to his music teacher.

“Miss Pringle set me on the path to music,” he explains. “Music not only gave me a life, it saved my life. The longest relationship I’ve ever had is with my guitar.”

[springparrot]

Nice article, Terry.

[Karacal]

Sail on, Kenny.....

[jayparrot46]

sail on kenny