I happen to be in Tanzania at the moment, where Kate's passing, naturally. has not made the news. The Internet is sooooo slow here, that I discourage emails from home...but, about Kate, I've received quite a few.
I realized that I all of her early recorded work on vinyl and all of her recent work on CD...but nothing in the middle. So I sat down and picked up everything on ITunes that I didn't have. I've been listening to nothing else since then, with frequent tears in my eyes.
I've seen the McGarrigles many, many times...and their concerts certainly rate among the most memorable in my lifetime. I know a lot of people who knew Kate directly, though I never actually met her face to face. Even so, being one step removed, and having seen her from the first row at so many concerts, my sense of loss is quite profound. I'm gonna learn one of her songs and give it a permanent place in my repertoire for sure.