The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #73430   Message #1863613
Posted By: GUEST,Old Folkie
19-Oct-06 - 05:23 PM
Thread Name: Whatever happened to Raun MacKinnon?
Subject: RE: Whatever happened to Raun MacKinnon?
Great question. I just had occasion to listen last night to a 1962 LP by Ms. MacKinnon on the (Chubby Checker/ Bobby Rydell) Parkway/Cameo label. I'm sure they did not afford her the promotion they gave their other rock/pop artists. Apparently she was to be their Philly-area Joan Baez. The cover of this (rare) album features a two-color portrait of the singer, who seems to have been quite lovely. The liner notes indicate she grew up in a Philadelphia suburb and was popular at a Philadelphia folk venue. Her voice is quite good, and it sounds like she was influenced by Ms. Baez, in terms of trying to acheive a pure soprano quality. Some of the songs are quite well sung, including a good performance of Leather Wing Bat. There's also a nice ballad in traditional folk style which she composed. I also happened to catch a set she performed which was broadcast circa 1967 on a NY FM station, which I taped at the time (as a folk-manic kid). She had by then moved to a very different style, much more blues oriented, and perhaps was a bit uncomfortable sounding in that style, but certainly effective; she sounds a bit like that other ultra-rare folksinger, Judy Roderick. An interesting and rich era for music! And congratulations on a fine album, Raun, wherever you are.