Some East Coast music legends were honoured at the Cape Breton Music Industry Hall of Fame gala Thursday night at Centre 200 in Sydney, N.S. This year Bruce Guthro, the Rankin Family and Donnie Campbell were added to the exclusive group, which also includes Rita MacNeil, Matt Minglewood, the Men of the Deeps, John Allan Cameron, Winston Scotty Fitzgerald and Joella Foulds. “It’s an incredible honour,” said Heather Rankin. “To have all your peers come together and perform your tunes, your songs, the traditional stuff, the arrangements that we all worked together on, it’s the biggest compliment you could receive.” “This is home … We’re proud Cape Bretoners and we’re just very honoured,” said Jimmy Rankin. When asked what it was like to be a part of the Rankin Family, Jimmy said it was an amazing career. “It lasted for about 10 years. That’s just 10 professional years of making records and touring. It was really remarkable how fast it happened out of the gate after putting out a record or two,” he said. “Next thing you know we’re touring all over the place, going to all these award shows and meeting all these incredible people and then working with all these incredible people. It was a pretty remarkable career that lasted from about 1989 to 1999.” Bruce Guthro’s family pays tribute to singer The late Bruce Guthro’s family was on hand to pay tribute to the singer-songwriter who passed away in 2023. Dylan Guthro says his father was a proud Cape Bretoner who would be honoured “to be looking down” at Thursday night’s event. “He flew the Cape Breton flag all over the world, overseas with Runrig, and every time Jodi (Bruce’s daughter) and I were on stage with him,” he said. Jodi Guthro says growing up watching her father perform helped shape the musician she is today. “There’s home videos of us singing on a coffee table with skipping ropes and we’re singing … old songs of his and it’s just shaped us entirely,” she said. Jodi and Dylan paid tribute to their father Thursday by singing his song “Vincent Coleman” and a Runrig tune called “Hearts of Olden Glory.” Guthro’s children and his wife are carrying on his legacy by continuing his songwriter circles. “Bruce did the songwriter circles for 20 years. For us to be able to continue them with Jodi and Dylan hosting has just meant the world to me,” said Kim Guthro. “I know it would mean the world to Bruce and for Bruce’s fans, because he engaged an audience for all of those years. We’re very proud to be able to represent that.” When asked how she’d like Bruce to be remembered, Kim said for his integrity, his grace, and his passion for music. “I feel like he will be remembered that way and is remembered that way by us – his friends, family and fans.” With files from CTV Atlantic’s Katie Kelly. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
