Chapter one: Kate and Anna (1975–2010)
Kate and Anna McGarrigle — the Montreal sisters — emerged in the 1970s as songwriters of uncommon depth: Kate and Anna McGarrigle (1976, with "Heart Like a Wheel" — the Linda Ronstadt cover that introduced them to the world), Dancer with Bruised Knees (1977), Pronto Monto (1978), The McGarrigle Hour (1998) — the records accumulated a cult of devotees (Loudon Wainwright III, Emmylou Harris, and a generation of songwriters) who recognized the craft: the harmonies, the emotional clarity, the Montreal-influenced sensibility (see our Quebec features) rendered in folk forms. Kate's death in 2010 ended the partnership, but the songbook — and the family — continued.
Chapter two: Rufus and Martha (1998–present)
Rufus Wainwright — Kate and Loudon's son — emerged in 1998 as the era's most ambitious new songwriter: Rufus Wainwright (1998), Poses (2001), Want One and Want Two (2003–2004), Release the Stars (2007), Out of the Game (2012) — the operatic ambition (Prima Donna, Hadrian), the pop craft, the unapologetic theatricality that made him one of the most distinctive voices of his generation. Martha Wainwright — the younger sister — carved her own path: Martha Wainwright (2005), I Know You're Married But I've Got Feelings Too (2008), Come Home to Mama (2012), Songs in the Dark (2015, with Lily Lanken) — the rawer, more direct emotional register that complemented Rufus's theatricality.
Chapter three: the songbook's gift
The family's collective contribution — the five decades, the four voices, the two generations — is the songbook itself: the harmony traditions, the emotional precision, the Montreal roots (see our features) that infuse everything they touch. The McGarrigle Hour (the 1998 family album) remains the canonical document; the annual McGarrigle Christmas shows (the Montreal tradition) continue the legacy; and the four voices — Kate's, Anna's, Rufus's, Martha's — form the deepest family harmony in Canadian music. The songbook keeps giving. The family endures.
Why they matter
They matter because the McGarrigle songbook is the deepest family tradition in Canadian music: five decades, four voices, the emotional precision that skips a generation without losing its grip. The harmonies, the Montreal roots, the craft: the family that gave the country its most generous musical gift. The songbook keeps giving. The family endures.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the McGarrigles?
Kate and Anna McGarrigle — Montreal songwriting sisters — and their children Rufus and Martha Wainwright, the second generation of the family’s musical tradition.
What is the McGarrigles’ best album?
Kate and Anna McGarrigle (1976) — the debut with “Heart Like a Wheel”; The McGarrigle Hour (1998) — the family album.
Is the McGarrigle tradition continuing?
Yes — Rufus and Martha continue the family’s musical legacy, and the annual McGarrigle Christmas shows keep the tradition alive.