Raun MacKinnon stands out as one of the very few folk performers ever captured on tape by Parkway Records. Born the youngest of four siblings in a household filled with music, she grew up in Berwyn near Philadelphia and took to singing while still quite young, including during her time as a babysitter—an experience that also steered one of the children she cared for, Cliff Eberhardt, toward a life as a folk singer. Her mother first introduced her to traditional material such as “I Know Where I’m Going,” after which Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly entered her set list. Local Philadelphia folk venues provided her initial performing outlets, leading to a contract with the Cameo-Parkway label and the release of the album American Folk Songs, supported by guitarist Dick Weissman and bassist Bill Lee (Spike’s father). Traditional numbers received fresh treatments on that record, which also contained her sole original composition, “What Says The Heart.” She built her strongest following across northeastern stages, particularly through repeated appearances at New York City clubs, and stayed active on the circuit through the 1970s and into the early 1980s. Michael Johnson later recorded her song “Circle of Fifths,” while 1985 found her contributing the original piece “Amazing Love” to Fast Folk 202. Since the 1970s she has served as mentor, friend, and confidante to Christine Lavin.
