The "fat" lady has sung....

The old saying goes, "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings." Maybe no one considered that one day the lady wouldn't be there to sing. I must apologize for using the adjective "fat" however, it is one of the obstacles, among many, that Rita MacNeil overcame in her long struggle to be a successful singer.

On April 16, 2013, in Sydney, NS, a piece of Canada, Rita MacNeil, died at the age of 68. Prior to her late-in-life fame, Rita surmounted obstacles, such as, a cleft palate, an impoverished childhood, sexual and physical abuse, depression, addiction and obesity to become a recognized entertainer at the age of 42.

Her forte was folk songs, particularly those of her beloved Cape Breton. She often sang with a choir of former miners, The Men of the Deeps.  Like many, who struggle, she found that music was a great escape.

Here is a favourite of mine.

The songs she wrote and sang are her legacy. She will live on in them. The music never dies.