About 500 friends and family of folk legend Kate McGarrigle gathered at Notre-Dame Basilica Monday morning to say a last goodbye.

Music reverberated through the ornate Catholic landmark as McGarrigle's family, including her sister and children, sang in honour of the musical icon who died at her Outremont home on Jan. 18 after a battle with cancer. She was 63.

McGarrigle's sister Jane referred to Kate as one of the most musical people she's ever seen, someone who enjoyed a good cigar and a good drink.

McGarrigle and her sister Anna became known as the McGarrigle Sisters and began their careers performing at Montreal coffeehouses in the 1960s with a group called the Mountain City Four.

They were perhaps best-known to Canadians for their distinctive rendition of Wade Hemsworth's "The Log Driver's Waltz," which was featured in a 1979 animated short done by the National Film Board.

"I really did love them a lot. I had all the records, I knew all the words, and I was an admirer," said Susan Dempsey, a longtime fan who attended the funeral service.

Lydia Lockett, another admirer, said she also felt compelled to join the crowd of mourners because McGarrigle "was a great artist who's touched a lot of hearts."

Kate McGarrigle was invested with the Order of Canada in 1994, while she and Anna received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 2004.

Grammys tribute

Loudon Wainwright paid respect to his late ex-wife as he accepted a Grammy Award on Sunday.

Wainwright won a trophy for best traditional folk album for his "High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project."

Wainwright closed his acceptance speech with a tribute to McGarrigle.

"I want to thank Kate McGarrigle, who taught me how to frail the banjo 40 years ago," Wainwright said. "Thank you very much."

Wainwright and McGarrigle married and separated during the 1970s and have two musician children: Martha and Rufus.

At Monday's funeral service, Rufus expressed gratitude to all of his mother's fans.

"I just want to thank everybody for their tremendous support and outpouring of love," he said.