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Kenny Rankin (February 10, 1940 – June 7, 2009) was an American pop singer and songwriter from the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City.

Biography

Rankin was raised in New York, and was introduced to music by his mother, who sang at home and for friends. Early in his career he worked as a singer-songwriter, and developed a considerable following during the 70s with a steady flow of albums, three of which broke into the Top 100 of the Billboard Album Chart. His liking for jazz was evident from an early age, but the times were such that in order to survive his career had to take a more pop-oriented course. By the 90s, however, he was able to angle his repertoire to accommodate his own musical preferences and to please a new audience while still keeping faith with the faithful. Rankin's warm singing style and his soft, nylon-stringed guitar sound might suggest an artist more attuned to the supper club circuit than the jazz arena, but his work contains many touches that appeal to the jazz audience.

Rankin appeared on The Tonight Show more than twenty times. Host Johnny Carson was so impressed by him that he wrote the liner notes to Rankin's 1967 debut album Mind Dusters, which featured the single "Peaceful." Rankin would record the song again for 1972's Like A Seed, while Helen Reddy would reach #2 Adult Contemporary and #12 Pop in 1973 with a cover of the song, released as her follow-up single to "I Am Woman". Georgie Fame also had a hit with this song in 1969, Rankin's only songwriting credit to hit the British charts, reaching #16 and spending nine weeks on the chart.

Rankin's accompanists from time to time included Alan Broadbent, Mike Wofford and Bill Watrous, and on such occasions the mood slipped easily into a jazz groove. His compositions have been performed by artists such as Mel Tormé and Carmen McRae, while Stan Getz said of him that he was "a horn with a heartbeat". Rankin was deeply interested in Brazilian music and his Here In My Heart, on which he used jazz guests including Michael Brecker and Ernie Watts, was recorded mostly in Rio de Janeiro. More contemporary songs were given an airing following his move to Verve Records, including the Beatles' "I've Just Seen a Face" and Leon Russell's "A Song for You."^[2]

Rankin's rendition of the Beatles' "Blackbird", which he recorded for his Silver Morning album, so impressed Paul McCartney that he asked Rankin to perform it when he and John Lennon were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[2] His cover of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was chosen by George Harrison's family for his memorial service.^{[citation needed]}

Rankin befriended comedian George Carlin; both were signed to the Little David label. Rankin was often the opening act or musical guest for Carlin's live performances beginning in 1972. The two flew in Carlin's private jet. Though Rankin had kicked his drug habit at Phoenix House, touring with Carlin brought him back to using cocaine.^[3] Rankin and Carlin toured together off and on for nearly 10 years. Rankin sang at Carlin's memorial service in June 2008.

He can be heard singing the song "Miles from Here" in the first episode of the television series Fame entitled "Metamorphosis", and "Deep in the Dark" in the Stingray episode "Autumn".

Rankin died of lung cancer on June 7, 2009, three weeks after he was diagnosed with the illness. Writing in The Guardian, after Rankin's death, Adam Sweeting quoted Denny Stilwell, President of Mack Avenue Records, as saying: "At the time of his death he had been preparing new material for recording. "His voice was still in its finest form... He sounded absolutely amazing."^[2]

Discography

Studio albums

• 
  Mind-Dusters, (Mercury, 1967)


• 
  Family, (Mercury, 1970)


• 
  Like a Seed, (Little David, 1972)


• 
  Silver Morning, (Little David, 1974)


• 
  Inside, (Little David, 1975)


• 
  The Kenny Rankin Album, (Little David, 1976)


• 
  After the Roses, (Atlantic, 1980)


• 
  Hiding in Myself, (Cypress, 1988)


• 
  Because of You, (Chesky, 1991)


• 
  Professional Dreamer, (Private Music, 1994)


• 
  Here in My Heart, (Private Music, 1997)


• 
  A Christmas Album (1999)


• 
  A Song for You, (Verve, 2002)


• 
  Like a Seed, (Rankin, 2007)


• 
  The Bottom Line Archive Series, (Bottom Line, 2015)

References

External links

• Official Website


• 
  Kenny Rankin on IMDb


• 
  Kenny Rankin at the Internet Broadway Database
  


• LA Times Obituary


• Kenny Rankin on album cover with his daughters


• early and past music covers