We are thrilled to see the outpouring of community support to commemorate Jackie Shane, thank you!

In consultation with the grassroots community fundraiser, championed by Amanda Burt, we've decided to keep the campaign open until February 12th, 2023. To further celebrate the memory of Jackie, any funds raised above and beyond our goal of $10,000 will go to Heritage Toronto's Curated Plaque Fund. Out of this fund, we develop a minimum of one plaque a year on a topic, event, or person from an underrepresented community.

About Jackie Shane: Born in 1940 in Nashville, Tennessee, Jackie Shane became involved in the local R&B and soul scene, performing alongside acts like the Impressions, Jackie Wilson, and Etta James. Shane drew influence for her own performances from friend Little Richard.

Appalled by racism in the Jim Crow south, Shane moved to Boston and Montreal before settling in Toronto. One cannot choose where one is born, she told the CBC in 2019, but you can choose your home. I chose Toronto. I love Toronto. I love Canadian people. I consider myself a part of them.

Shane packed nightclubs and became a fixture on the Toronto music scene in the 1960s. She recorded a live album at the Saphire Tavern and had a No. 2 hit on the CHUM singles chart with Any Other Way. Shane abruptly retired from music in 1971 and moved to Los Angeles to care for her mother.

A CBC radio documentary in 2010 and a 2017 anthology record rekindled interest in Shane's pioneering career. The anthology was nominated for a Grammy in 2019, the same year Shane died in Nashville.

Since her death, Shane has received widespread recognition for her role as a prominent trans performer at a time when artists like her were not as visible. In 2024, Shane will be the subject of a documentary film called "Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story" that will bring her story vibrantly to life through intimate recorded conversations with Jackie, highlight her family's journey to discover her legacy, and include voices of those who were inspired by her tenacity to be herself.