Kate McGarrigle, 63, a Canadian singer-songwriter who performed with her sister Anna and whose plaintive songs were covered by artists such as Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, died of cancer Jan. 18 at her Montreal home.
McGarrigle was the matriarch of a musical family that included her ex-husband, singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright III, and their children, singers Rufus Wainwright and Martha Wainwright.
The McGarrigle sisters were first known as songwriters whose compositions were covered by more established artists. Kate McGarrigle’s best-known pieces included “Go Leave,” “Talk to Me of Mendocino” and “I’ve Had Enough,” the last of which appeared on a best-selling album recorded in 1987 by Ronstadt, Harris and Dolly Parton.
The sisters’ self-titled debut album, released in 1976, announced them as new talents who blended folk instrumentation with homespun harmonies. They went on to record nine more albums in English and French, receiving acclaim for rootsy ballads, bilingual lyrics spun around enchanting vocals and an old-fashioned blend of accordion, piano and fiddle.
Jennifer Lyon, 37, a former “Survivor” contestant, died of breast cancer in Portland, Ore.
Lyon was diagnosed in 2005, the same year she finished fourth on the CBS reality show. A network representative confirmed her death Wednesday.
Lyon was raised in The Dalles, Ore., and graduated from Oregon State University, according to her biography. She joined the “Survivor Palau” competition as a nanny and graduate student from California. Following her diagnosis, she became an advocate for breast-cancer awareness.
