Died On This Date (January 18, 2010) Kate McGarrigle / Popular Folk Singer
themusicsover Kate McGarrigle
February 6, 1946 – January 18, 2010
Kate McGarrigle, along with her sister Anna McGarrigle, made up the popular Canadian folk duo, Kate and Anna McGarrigle. They began singing and playing in folk groups during the ’60s, but went off on their own during the early ’70s, releasing their debut album in 1975. Over the course of their career together, they released ten albums, two of which won Juno Awards (Canada’s answer to the Grammys). Their songs have been recorded by the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Billy Bragg, and Emmylou Harris. They have also collaborated with Nick Cave. Having been married once to Loudon Wainwright III, Kate is the mother of popular contemporary singer-songwriters, Martha Wainwright and Rufus Wainwright, with whom she made her final television appearance on a 2008 episode of Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…. Diagnosed with cancer in 2006, Kate McGarrigle died of clear cell sarcoma on January 18, 2010. She was 63.
What You Should Own
Like Fat Possum label mate, 
Cliffie Stone was a country singer, musician and songwriter as well as a producer and A&R man for Capitol Records during the label’s early years. As a bassist, he played in big bands that became popular throughout Southern California thanks to appearances on local radio shows. In 1946, he was hired by Capitol where he signed 
Billy Stewart was an R&B singer who achieved some success during the late ’50s and early ’60s. He started out in gospel before joining the Rainbows, a popular Washington DC area R&B vocal group. In 1956, he was reportedly discovered by 
Patti McCabe was a singer who released a handful of hits during the late ’50s as part of the all-girl trio, the Poni-Tails. Formed in a Cleveland-area high school, the group, made up of McCabe, Toni Cistone and Karen Topinka (who was replaced by LaVerne Novack), were soon signed by ABC/Dunhill Records who began releasing their singles in 1958. Their biggest was “Born Too Late” which reached #7 in the U.S. and #5 in the U.K. By 1960, the girls had released six singles, four of which charted in the U.S. or U.K., but they decided to call it quits and each left the music business. Patti McCabe died of cancer on January 17, 1989.