Kenny Rankin Passes

New York (Top40 Charts) - Guitarist/singer/songwriter Kenny Rankin passed away June 7 after being diagnosed with lung cancer three weeks ago. He was 69.

Rankin's career lasted through five decades. Among its highlights were playing guitar on Bob Dylan's 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home.
For many years, he performed an opening slot for comedian George Carlin and he appeared on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson more than two dozen times.
In the mid '70s he recorded hit covers of the Beatles' "Blackbird" and "Penny Lane" and in '76 recorded The Kenny Rankin Album, a compilation of standards in collaboration with an orchestra.

Rankin is survived by a son, Chris, daughters Gena and Chanda, and a granddaughter.