Allan Rankin is a Prince Edward Island's singer-songwriters. His songs capture the very spirit of the Island and its people.

Allan was born in Summerside, P.E.I., just as his anthem Maritime Star suggests, "at the bottom of the Glover's Shore road." Trained as a historian and museum curator, he began playing guitar and singing at university, and in 1970-71 was a member of the Troubadours, a resident folk music group at Confederation Centre of the Arts. Other Troubadours included Mike Mooney, Bonnie LeClair, and Faye Pound.

In 1996, Allan recorded his debut CD New Branches in the Halifax studios of CBC. According to Maritime radio host Eric MacEwan, New Branches contains "some of the best material to ever come from this (Atlantic) region." Soon after its release, New Branches was given a special heritage award by the P.E.I. Museum and Heritage Foundation.

In 1998, Allan teamed up with humorist and storyteller Nils Ling to create the stage musical Maritime Star, which enjoyed a successful two-year run at the Harbourfront Jubilee Theatre in Summerside.

From 1997 through 2001, Allan was a member of the popular group Crowbush, with fiddler Roy Johnstone and poet Frank Ledwell.

He has been a regular performer at local festivals over the years, such as the annual Larry Gorman Folk Festival at Tyne Valley, and has contributed his time and talent to numerous community concerts and fundraising events.

Allan has appeared as a guest performer on regional CBC radio and television programmes Atlantic Airwaves and Up On the Roof, the Vision television network's Steeplechase, and most recently on the CBC national television comedy show Madly Off In All Directions.
Currently, Allan is working on his long-awaited second CD. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.