If you made your way along Route 19 on Cape Breton Island, you would reach the small village of Mabou located in Inverness County. Had you veered just slightly off the main highway, you would have found a small street that was once home to a number of large families. One home in particular, bordered on the Community Hall, the local gathering place for weddings, dances and anniversaries. Live music would regularly fill the air. It was in this close-knit community that Kathleen (Kaye) and Alexander (Buddy) would raise their 12 children – five of whom would eventually become known to the world as The Rankin Family.

In 1989 The Rankin Family released their own independent self-titled recording, followed in 1990, by Fare Thee Well Love. A year after the second release, they were signed to Capitol/EMI Music. When the label re-released Fare Thee Well Love in 1992 it went on to become a multi-platinum seller, topped the charts at #1 with the title track soon finding its way to the Disney Movie "Into the West", and the Family, into the hearts and souls of Canadians from coast to coast.

In that 10-year period, the Rankin Family would be honored with 15 East Coast Music Awards, 6 Juno Awards, 4 SOCAN Awards and 3 Canadian Country Music Awards.