Raylene Rankin

[Ginny]

I'm sure some of you may have heard this elsewhere, but Raylene Rankin has just passed away after a battle with cancer.
I had the amazing pleasure of meeting Raylene a year ago. She was performing with a trio, Rankin Church and Crowe, at the music festival where I've worked the past couple of summers. I still fondly remember the conversations I had with her, and feel blessed that I had the opportunity to meet such a remarkable woman. She was truly down to earth and kind, and I thought she was just a sweetheart. I was very sad today to hear of her illness and passing. May her music touch the hearts of everyone for many years to come.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/09/30/ns-rankin-dies.html?cmp=rss

[Joe]

Thank you Ginny for your tribute to Raylene. She must be a great role model for you..

Raylene never let her illness burden her. Even with the tragic loss of her brother John Morris years ago, she let the music in her heart tell her story.

I learned of her passing from Jonathan Ettinger (Aselin's husband). Aselin herself covered one of Raylene's songs "Rise Again". Its lyrics, penned by Leon Dubinsky, call to mind a cycle of life...

That as sure as the sunrise
As sure as the sea
As sure as the wind in the trees
We rise again in the faces of our children
We rise again in the voices of our song
We rise again in the waves out on the ocean
And then we rise again