C. (Comment, never msg).’s Reviews > On a personal note > Status Update

I am entranced with every page Rita MacNeil shared about herself and her very gradual, hard work to succeed in her spectacular music career. She is gone too young but her notes and our delightful memories of her assuredly play on. In Canada, the Christmas songs she authored are as familiar to us on the radio, as ancient traditional ones. It isn't Christmas here without "Now The Bells Ring" and "Christmas At Home".

Rita is on her own at seventeen, working in Toronto and planning her dream to be a singer!

Dear Rita starts with beautiful snapshots of her special part of Canada, Big Pond, in the Cape Breton region of Nova Scotia. Cape Breton has always been talked about as a place unto itself. I know middle and eastern Nova Scotia and fell in love with them as it is. It is the only place I would move outside my province. Sadly, Rita shares dark aspects of relatives. I know too well alcoholism eating up spare money.

Rita, you are missed very much. I am glad to be reading about your vibrant Nova Scotia life. It was different enough to be a time capsule any Canadian can relate to, even if we are younger and grew-up differently or in a city.

My parents loved Rita MacNeil and we sent them to the front row of her concert. They said they were so close, they could see Rita and her players smiling. They joked that the Celtic dancing nearly kicked right into their row, haha. Rita is easy-listening but I respect her talent and legacy of songs as a fellow Canadian. Nova Scotia is a special province to me, after happening to visit the year this was published.