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Dr. Spoot · Member Joined: 29 May 2005 Posts: 81 Location: Victoria

Where to begin?

Rita grew up in Big Pond, Cape Breton with three brothers and four sisters. Often chaotic, her youth included the physical and psychological trauma of surgery for a cleft palate, a first love affair that left her with a child and a broken heart, a marriage breakdown and numerous frustrating attempts to kick-start a musical career.

However, Rita, like the Dr. Spoot himself, worked herself out of despondancy and now says life is good again.

The turning point, however, was Expo '86 in Vancouver, where despite her normal misgivings about the gig, "I was on cloud nine when I discovered the first show was sold out, 350 people were in the audience and…the audience stayed…People wanted to listen to the music," she said. Meanwhile, the Vancouver Sun said, "for God's sake, you must hear Rita MacNeil. See her at Expo this month so you can talk knowledgeably when she becomes a star." Later that year, her FLYING ON YOUR OWN album was recorded and then released in 1987. The album soon went gold and helped earn MacNeil her first Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist, at age 42.

Her large voice fills a room with beautiful celtic and folk hymns, reminiscant of her East Coast upbringing. She has recorded numerous albums and has done video specials as well. Her albums include:

Born a Woman
Part Of The Mystery
I'm Not What I Seem
Flying On Your Own
Reason To Believe
Now The Bells Ring
Rita
Home I'll Be
Thinking Of You
Once Upon A Christmas
Volume I - Songs From The Collection
Porch Songs
Joyful Sounds
Music Of A Thousand Nights
Full Circle
A Night At The Orpheum
Mining The Soul
Late December
Common Dream
The Ultimate Collection
Blue Roses

Anyone else out there big Macneil fans?? I actually met her once in Ashcroft BC at a small little restaurant having lunch. It was quite an Honour, i must say.

Mr Film · Member Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 1245

Ineresting.

Chris · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:06 pm Post subject:

To be honest.. I don't know much about Rita. Maybe one day I will listen in... maybe....

Mr Film · Member Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 1245

You're joking right, Mr. Spoot? Right? Hello?