# Jimmy Rankin

James Kevin Rankin (born May 28, 1964) is a Canadian country and folk artist. A member of The Rankin Family, Rankin has also released seven solo albums: Song Dog (2001), Handmade (2003), Edge of Day (2007), Forget About the World (2011), Tinsel Town (2012), Back Road Paradise (2014) and Moving East (2018). Rankin's solo and Rankin Family awards include 5 Junos, 27 East Coast Music Awards, 9 SOCAN top radio play Awards, 7 Canadian Country Music Awards, 2 Music NS Awards, and 2 Canadian Radio Music Awards.

## Early years

Rankin was born in 1964 in Mabou, Nova Scotia. He grew up as part of a musical family that would entertain the neighbors every third weekend as part of the local céilidh. This group became known as The Rankin Family and went on to achieve international success in the 1990s as they brought their well-loved mix of Cape Breton traditional music, roots and pop to the rest of the world.

## Musical career
### 2001–2002: Song Dog

After embarking on a solo career, Rankin released his debut album, Song Dog in August 2001. Three singles were released from the album, "Followed Her Around", "Midnight Angel", and "Wasted". "Followed Her Around" was named the "Single of the Year" award at the SOCAN Awards in 2002. The song also was named "Single of the Year" and "Video of the Year" from the East Coast Music Association. Song Dog was named "Album of the Year" at the Canadian Country Music Awards and at the East Coast Music Awards. In 2003, "Midnight Angel" was named "Single of the Year" and Rankin was named SOCAN Songwriter of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards.

### 2003–2004: Handmade

Handmade was released in September 2003 and produced three singles, "Morning Bound Train", "Butterfly", and "California Dreamer". It was named "Album of the Year" and "Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year" at the East Coast Music Awards in 2003. "Morning Bound Train" was named "Single of the Year" and Rankin was named SOCAN Songwriter of the Year at the ECMA's. "Butterfly" was named "Single of the Year" and "Video of the Year" at the ECMA's in 2005. Rankin also received SOCAN Songwriter of the Year for the song.

### 2006–2007: Edge of Day

After a brief hiatus, Edge of Day was released in May 2007 and produced three singles, "Slipping Away", "Got to Leave Louisiana", and "Still Lovers Now". In 2008, Rankin was named Songwriter of the Year at the Canadian Country Music Awards for the song, "First Time in a Long Time" with Deric Ruttan. At the East Coast Music Awards, Edge of Day was named Country Recording of the Year, FACTOR Recording of the Year and Konica Minolta Male Solo Recording of the Year. He was also awarded SOCAN Songwriter of the Year for the song, "Slipping Away".

### 2011–2012: Forget About the World

Forget About the World was released in April 2011 and has released three singles, "Here in My Heart", "I'm Just Saying" and "The Hurtin' Part". Forget About the World was nominated fore Juno for Country Recording of the Year and a record breaking 8 ECMAs including: Recording of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Song of the Year, Video of the Year, Country Album of the Year, Video of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. In September 2011, Rankin won a CCMA for "Roots Artist of the Year" and in November 2011 he won the Music Nova Scotia "SOCAN Songwriter of the Year" Award as well as a SOCAN top radio play award for his song "Up All Night". The accolades continued in December with Rankin's fans naming him one of CBC Radio's Top 50 Artists of 2011. Rankin's song "Here in My Heart" was named the number one Canadian Country song of 2011 by Top Country. Rankin won "Roots Artist of the Year" for the second year in a row in September 2012.

### 2012–2013: Tinsel Town

The Christmas themed album Tinsel Town was released on November 6, 2012. Rankin embarked on Cross-Canada tours in support of the effort in November and December 2012 and 2013. The album, produced by Bill Bell (Jason Mraz, Tom Cochrane), contains four original songs: "Tinseltown", "December", "Boogie Woogie Christmas" and "Don't Wanna Say Goodbye to Christmas". The CD package has a unique feature that allows it to be sent in the mail as a Christmas card.

### 2014–present: Back Road Paradise and Moving East

Rankin released his sixth full-length album, Back Road Paradise, produced by Bill Bell, on April 1, 2014. Back Road Paradise features 12 brand-new Rankin compositions, including lead-off single "Cool Car" and duets with Grammy winner and bluegrass icon Alison Krauss, as well as Blue Rodeo’s Jim Cuddy. After living and working in Nashville for seven years, Rankin returned to his home province of Nova Scotia. His latest album, Moving East, was produced by Joel Plaskett and was issued in September 2018. It is his first album for True North Records.

## Discography
### Albums

| Title | Details |
| Song Dog | Release date: August 14, 2001 Label: Song Dog Music/Fontana North |
| Handmade | Release date: September 2, 2003 Label: Song Dog Music/Fontana North |
| Edge of Day | Release date: May 8, 2007 Label: Song Dog Music/Fontana North |
| Forget About the World | Release date: April 12, 2011 Label: Song Dog Music/Fontana North |
| Tinsel Town | Release date: November 6, 2012 Label: Song Dog Music/Fontana North |
| Back Road Paradise | Release date: April 1, 2014 Label: Song Dog Music/Fontana North |
| Moving East | Release date: September 28, 2018 Label: True North |
| Harvest Highway | Release date: October 13, 2023 Label: True North |

### Singles

| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
| Year | Single | CAN Country | Album |
| 2001 | "Followed Her Around" | * | Song Dog |
| 2002 | "Midnight Angel" | * | Song Dog |
| 2002 | "Wasted" | * | Song Dog |
| 2003 | "Morning Bound Train" | * | Handmade |
| 2004 | "Butterfly" | — | Handmade |
| 2004 | "California Dreamer" | — | Handmade |
| 2006 | "Slipping Away" | — | Edge of Day |
| 2007 | "Got to Leave Louisiana" | 20 | Edge of Day |
| 2007 | "Still Lovers Now" | — | Edge of Day |
| 2011 | "Here in My Heart" | 14 | Forget About the World |
| 2011 | "I'm Just Saying" | 31 | Forget About the World |
| 2012 | "The Hurtin' Part" | 49 | Forget About the World |
| 2012 | "Tinseltown" | — | Tinsel Town |
| 2014 | "Cool Car" | 33 | Back Road Paradise |
| 2014 | "Whiskey When the Sun Goes Down" | — | Back Road Paradise |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart "*" denotes releases where no chart existed ||||

### Other charted songs

| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
| Year | Single | CAN AC | Album |
| 2014 | "Boogie Woogie Christmas" | 44 | Tinsel Town |

### Music videos

| Year | Video | Director |
| 2001 | "Followed Her Around" | George Dougherty |
| 2002 | "Midnight Angel" | David Hyde |
| 2003 | "Morning Bound Train" | |
| 2004 | "Butterfly" | Margaret Malandruccolo |
| 2004 | "California Dreamer" | Margaret Malandruccolo |
| 2007 | "Slipping Away" | David Hogan |
| 2011 | "Here in My Heart" | Jeth Weinrich |
| 2011 | "I'm Just Saying" | Jeth Weinrich |
| 2012 | "The Hurtin' Part" | Margaret Malandruccolo |
| 2014 | "Cool Car" | Margaret Malandruccolo |
| 2014 | "Whiskey When the Sun Goes Down" | Stephano Barberis |
| 2018 | "Been Away" | |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Result |
| 2002 | Canadian Radio Music Awards | Best New Solo Artist (Adult Contemporary) | Won |
| 2002 | Canadian Radio Music Awards | Best New Solo Artist (Country) | Won |
| 2002 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Album of the Year – Song Dog | Nominated |
| 2002 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Roots Artist/Group of the Year | Won |
| 2002 | East Coast Music Awards | Album of the Year – Song Dog | Won |
| 2002 | East Coast Music Awards | Country Artist/Group of the Year | Won |
| 2002 | East Coast Music Awards | Male Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2002 | East Coast Music Awards | Single of the Year – "Followed Her Around" | Won |
| 2002 | East Coast Music Awards | SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Followed Her Around" (with Gordie Sampson) | Won |
| 2002 | East Coast Music Awards | Video of the Year – "Followed Her Around | Won |
| 2002 | Juno Awards of 2002 | Best Country Artist/Group | Nominated |
| 2002 | Nova Scotia Music Awards | Music Industry Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2002 | Nova Scotia Music Awards | Songwriter of the Year | Won |
| 2002 | SOCAN Awards | Single of the Year – "Followed Her Around" | Won |
| 2003 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Roots Artist/Group of the Year | Nominated |
| 2003 | East Coast Music Awards | Single of the Year – "Midnight Angel" | Won |
| 2003 | East Coast Music Awards | SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Midnight Angel" | Won |
| 2004 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Roots Artist/Group of the Year | Nominated |
| 2004 | East Coast Music Awards | Album of the Year – Handmade | Won |
| 2004 | East Coast Music Awards | Entertainer of the Year | Won |
| 2004 | East Coast Music Awards | Male Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2004 | East Coast Music Awards | Roots/Traditional Solo Recording of the Year – Handmade | Won |
| 2004 | East Coast Music Awards | Single of the Year – "Morning Bound Train" | Won |
| 2004 | East Coast Music Awards | SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Morning Bound Train" | Won |
| 2005 | East Coast Music Awards | Entertainer of the Year | Won |
| 2005 | East Coast Music Awards | Single of the Year – "Butterfly" | Won |
| 2005 | East Coast Music Awards | SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Butterfly" | Won |
| 2005 | East Coast Music Awards | Video of the Year – "Butterfly" | Won |
| 2007 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Roots Artist/Group of the Year | Nominated |
| 2008 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Songwriter of the Year – "First Time in a Long Time" (with Deric Ruttan) | Nominated |
| 2008 | East Coast Music Awards | Country Recording of the Year – Edge of Day | Won |
| 2008 | East Coast Music Awards | FACTOR Recording of the Year – Edge of Day | Won |
| 2008 | East Coast Music Awards | Konica Minolta Male Solo Recording of the Year – Edge of Day | Won |
| 2008 | East Coast Music Awards | SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Slipping Away" | Won |
| 2011 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Roots Artist/Group of the Year | Won |
| 2011 | Nova Scotia Music Awards | SOCAN Songwriter of the Year – "Here in My Heart" | Won |
| 2012 | Juno Awards of 2012 | Country Album of the Year – Forget About the World | Nominated |
| 2012 | East Coast Music Awards | Fan's Choice Video of the Year | Won |
| 2012 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Roots Artist/Group of the Year | Won |
| 2014 | Canadian Country Music Awards | Roots Artist/Group of the Year | Nominated |