Kenny Rankin
Kenny Rankin (born February 10, 1940 in Manhattan , New York , † June 7, 2009 in Los Angeles ) was an American pop and jazz singer and songwriter .
Live and act
Rankin grew up in the multicultural Washington Heights neighborhood of New York , where he listened to Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and popular music at an early age. His mother, who sang at home for family and friends, piqued his interest in music. An important achievement was the praise of his music teacher after he sang O Holy Night at a school Christmas play .
As early as the late 1950s, he received a recording contract with Decca Records , for which he recorded a few singles . In 1964 he switched to Columbia Records and tried his hand at looking for a career opportunity, including as a pop singer with the German single Mexico Guitar / Zwei Augen voll Sonne (CBS 1701). He also worked as a songwriter and session guitarist, including 1,965 on the album Bringing It All Back Home by Bob Dylan .
One of the first cover versions of his own songs was Cotton Candy Sandman , recorded by the group Harpers Bizarre in 1968. His song Peaceful was interpreted by several artists, including Georgie Fame in 1969 and Helen Reddy , which in 1973 reached number 12 on the US charts .
Rankin discovered his love for jazz early on, especially in the form of Bossa Nova by Antônio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto , but also for Frank Sinatra and Johnny Mathis . He wrote several remarkable songs himself, which were recorded by Mel Tormé , Peggy Lee and Carmen McRae , among others . His main focus, however, was the arrangement of songs by other composers such as The Beatles ( With a Little Help from My Friends , Penny Lane , While My Guitar Gently Weeps ), Young Rascals ( Groovin ' ), Bob Dylan ( Mr. Tambourine Man ) Curtis Mayfield ( People Get Ready ) or Hank Williams ( A House of Gold ).
Paul McCartney asked Rankin to sing Blackbird in 1975 when Lennon and McCartney were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame . He recorded his album Here in My Heart with session musicians like Michael Brecker and Ernie Watts, mainly in Rio de Janeiro.
He released albums continuously throughout the 1970s, three of which made it into the Top 100 on the Billboard Albums Chart . Since the 1980s he has mainly focused on concerts. About his performance he said in the biography of his website: “My interpretation of songs is purely emotional. We've all had disappointments and broken hearts, and that's what I'm trying to express. I've been accused of straying with the melody, but when I sing I feel and don't think ”.
In the 1990s, the singer with the characteristic warm voice and the accompaniment on the classical guitar turned more to his jazz roots and thus reached a loyal fan base. With his accompanying musicians Alan Broadbent , Mike Wofford and Bill Watrous , he developed a live program that ranged from Latin jazz to gentle ballads and up-tempo swing numbers.
He was more than 20 times guest on The Tonight Show by Johnny Carson , who was a great admirer of Rankin and wrote the liner notes for his first album Mind Dusters in 1967 . Shortly before his death, he was working on a new album with producer Phil Ramone .
Kenny Rankin died of lung cancer on June 7, 2009, in his Los Angeles township, at the age of 69. He was divorced from Yvonne Rodriguez-Calderone, leaving behind his son Chris, daughters Gena Rankin-Ray and Chandra Rankin, and a granddaughter.
Discography
Albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChartsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
 US
|
|||
| 1972 | Like a seed |
US184 (8 weeks) US |
First published: August 1972
Producers: Jack Lewis , Monte Kay |
| 1974 | Silver Morning |
US63 (25 weeks) US |
First published: November 1974
Producers: Jack Lewis, Michael Stewart |
| 1975 | Inside |
US81 (15 weeks) US |
First published: December 1975
Producers: Michael Stewart, Yvonne Rankin |
| 1977 | Kenny Rankin album |
US99 (23 weeks) US |
First published: March 1977
Producer: Michael Stewart |
| 1980 | After the roses |
US171 (6 weeks) US |
more albums
- 1967: Mind Dusters
- 1969: Family
- 1988: Hiding in Myself (release: May 17th)
- 1991: Because of You (release: October 28th)
- 1995: Professional Dreamer
- 1997: Here in My Heart (release: June 3rd)
- 1999: The Bottom Line Encore Collection (released February 23)
- 1999: Christmas (release: December 14th)
- 2001: Haven't We Met?
- 2002: A Song for You (release: August 13th)
- 2015: The Bottom Line Archive Kenny Rankin
Compilations
- 1996: Peaceful: The Best of Kenny Rankin
- 2015: Café Après-Midi 15th Anniversary: Kenny Rankin
Singles
- 1957: Saturday After the Game (release: October)
- 1958: My Popular Baby (release: August)
- 1959: Cindy Loo (My Cinderella) (released March)
- 1959: I Cry by Night (release: August)
- 1960: What Do You Want to Make Those Eyes at Me For (release: February)
- 1960: Casey Jones (The Brave Engineer) (July release)
- 1960: Sure as You're Born (release: October)
- 1961: Go Home Little Girl (as Ken Rankin; released November)
- 1963: Baby Goodbye (release: October 1st)
- 1964: Where Did My Little Girl Go (released May 26)
- 1964: Mexico Guitar / Two eyes full of sunshine
- 1965: There'll Be No Other Love (For Me) (released January 4th)
- 1966: Come On and Be My Love (as Kenny and Yvonne, with Yvonne Rankin; release: April 11th)
- 1966: In the Name of Love (release: November 14th)
- 1968: Peaceful (release: January)
- 1973: Comin 'Down (release: January)
- 1973: Sometimes (release: May)
- 1974: Why Do Fools Fall in Love (released January)
- 1975: Penny Lane (released February; Original: The Beatles , 1967)
- 1975: Silver Morning (release: April)
- 1976: Creepin ' (Original: Stevie Wonder , 1974)
- 1976: Sunday Kind of Love (release: March)
- 1977: On and On (released April; Original: Stephen Bishop, 1976)
- 1977: When Sunny Gets Blue (Release: August; Original: Mel Tormé , 1956)
- 1980: Regrets (Original: James Brown , 1980)
- 1983: Polonaise (with Laura Nyro )
- 1988: Keep the Candle Burning
Videos
- 1990: The Jazz Channel Presents Kenny Rankin
- 2001: Haven't We Met? (Release: August 7th)
swell
Web links
- Kenny Rankin website
- Kenny Rankin at Allmusic (English)
- Kenny Rankin at Discogs (English)
- Kenny Rankin in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Obituary in the Los Angeles Times
- Kenny Rankin Obituary , Associated Press
- Kenny Rankin discography
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Rankin, Kenny |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | February 10, 1940 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Manhattan , New York , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | June 7, 2009 |
| Place of death | Los Angeles , California , United States |