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. Appalled by racism in the Jim Crow south, Shane moved to Boston and Montreal before settling in Toronto.

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. Shane abruptly retired from music in 1971 and moved to care for her mother.

A CBC radio documentary in 2010 and a 2017 anthology record rekindled interest in Shane's 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 to life.