Rita MacNeil
A native of Big Pond, Cape Breton County, MacNeil first performed on stage in 1971, and recorded her first album, Born a Woman, in 1975. She performed at folk festivals throughout the 1970s and 1980s, culminating in her major label debut and pop breakthrough in 1987.
Her Flying on Your Own album was recorded and 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 biggest hit, "Flying On Your Own", was a crossover Top 40 hit and was covered by Anne Murray the following year.
In 1990, she sold more records in Canada than Garth Brooks. In 1991 she was invited to play at Royal Albert Hall in England. She is also the only female singer ever to have three separate albums chart in the same year in Australia.
In 1992, she was inducted into the Order of Canada. Her television appearances broke records - her 1993 CBC TV Christmas special, One Upon A Christmas, drew 2 million viewers and her musical variety show Rita & Friends (winner of the 1996 Gemini Award) attracted 1 million viewers a week over three seasons. There were two more Junos, four Canadian Country Music Awards and seven East Coast Music Awards in the '90s. She also runs a tearoom in her hometown of Big Pond, which has become one of Cape Breton Island's most popular tourist attractions.
Over the course of her career, Rita has recorded and performed a number of Gospel songs. Her album, Common Dream, includes "Peace in the Valley", "Higher Power", "When We Overcome", among others.
- Purchase your tickets at:
Purchase by phone: 1-877-700-3130
Our Sponsors
