Rufus Wainwright In Mourning For Mother

20 January 2010

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Folk Singer McGarrigle Dies

Martha and Rufus Wainwright's mother, Canadian folk singer-songwriter Kate Mcgarrigle, has died after losing her battle with cancer. She was 63.

McGarrigle passed away on Monday (18Jan10) at her home in Montreal, Canada, surrounded by friends and family, less than a month before her 64th birthday.

She had been battling a rare type of kidney cancer - clear cell sarcoma.

Kate was a remarkable and warm woman, who pursued everything in life with humour and grace

Over the weekend (16-17Jan10), singer Rufus cancelled his Australia and New Zealand tour, which was scheduled to begin next month (Feb10), so hecould spend time with his mother after her condition deteriorated.

The Wainwright matriarch, who was divorced from American singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, was best known as one half of the McGarrigle Sisters, the group she formed with her younger sibling Anna.

The pair released 10 albums throughout its career, recording songs suchas Heart Like a Wheel, Work Song and Cool River, and collaborating with acts including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

The pair's tracks have also been recorded by other artists, including Judy Collins, Marianne Faithfulland Emmylou Harris.

The star was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1993, along with her sister.

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