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Kate & Anna McGarrigle

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Biography

Kate and Anna McGarrigle are a Canadian folk duo from Saint-Sauveur, Quebec, formed by sisters Anna McGarrigle (b. 1944) and Kate McGarrigle (1946-2010). Raised in a bilingual, musically active family, they learned the piano and developed a taste for folk, vocal harmonies and traditional North American music. In the early 1960s, while studying in Montreal, they began performing in cafés as part of the emerging folk movement, and wrote their first songs. Some of their compositions were soon noticed and performed by artists such as Maria Muldaur and Linda Ronstadt, bringing them international attention even before the release of their first album. In 1975, they signed with Warner Bros. and released their inaugural album, Kate & Anna McGarrigle (1976), hailed by critics for its rich arrangements, vocal harmonies and original writing. The album is still considered a contemporary folk classic. It was followed by Dancer with Bruised Knees (1977), which confirmed their reputation, and Pronto Monto (1978), with its more pop sound. In the 1980s, they continued their career with The French Record (1980), a Francophone album recognized for its Quebec roots, followed by Love Over and Over (1982). After a more discreet period, they returned in 1990 with Heartbeats Accelerating, then made a major comeback to the heart of Quebec folk with Matapedia (1996), one of their best-loved records. The McGarrigle Hour (1998) features their musician children Martha Wainwright and Rufus Wainwright, as well as other members and close friends. They followed this up with La Vache Qui Pleure (2003), a French-language album combining poetry and folklore, then The McGarrigle Christmas Hour (2005). Kate McGarrigle died of cancer on January 18, 2010 at the age of 63. This was followed by two albums of previously unreleased songs, Oddities (2010) and Tell My Sister (Demos & Unreleased Recordings 1971-1974), included alongside the first two albums on the triple CD Tell My Sister (2011).
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