Downtown Yonge in Toronto, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
Jackie Shane (1940-2019)
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 11, 2025
1. Jackie Shane Marker
Jackie Shane was a pioneering transgender musician who electrified Toronto's nightclubs in the 1960s with her high-energy R&B shows.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Shane sang in choirs as a child and joined the city's R&B scene as a teen. By age 13, she saw herself as a woman in a man's body and began to identify as a woman around family and friends. Shane played on recordings of other artists and performed with Little Richard and Joe Tex.
Appalled by racism in the American south, Shane moved in 1961 to Montreal, then Toronto, where she played with trumpeter Frank Motley and his band. Shane created her own act and packed nightclubs with her soulful, dynamic shows, which included monologues about her life, gender identity, and sexuality.
She released several singles, including "Money (That's What I Want)" and "You Are My Sunshine", and sang on TV. Her version of "Any Other Way" by William Bell reached number two on the CHUM singles chart in 1963 and she recorded a live album at the Saphire Tavern, which was located here, in 1967.
In 1968, Shane moved to Los Angeles to care for her mother, but
this page online
Erected 2023 by Toronto Heritage.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Women. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Toronto Heritage series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 15, 1940.
Location. 43° 39.119′ N, 79° 22.692′ W. Marker is in Toronto, Ontario. It is in Downtown Yonge. It is at the intersection of Richmond Street East and Victoria Street, on the right when traveling east on Richmond Street East. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 20 Richmond Street E, Toronto ON M5C 2B4, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Toronto and on the Golden Horseshoe. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically,
Photographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 11, 2025
2. Jackie Shane Marker - wide view
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Original Site of Toronto Hebrew Congregation Holy Blossom (within shouting distance of this marker); Town Tavern (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); The Association of Provincial Land Surveyors of Ontario (about 120 meters away); The Bay Queen Street Store / Le Magasin la Baie de la Rue Queen (about 150 meters away); Albert Jackson (about 150 meters away); Toronto's Eighth Post Office (about 150 meters away); Deeds Speak Sculptural Reliefs (about 150 meters away); Canadian Bank of Commerce - Yonge-Queen Branch (1905) (about 180 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Toronto.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Confederation Life Building (was here, next to this marker but has been confirmed missing).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Also see . . .
1. Jackie Shane (The Canadian Encyclopedia). Overview:
Jackie(Submitted on August 13, 2025.)Shane, singer (born 15 May 1940 in Nashville, Tennessee; died 22 February 2019 in Nashville). Jackie Shane was a pioneering transgender performer who was a prominent figure in Torontos R&B scene in the 1960s. Her cover of William Bells Any Other Way reached No. 2 on the CHUM singles chart in 1963. Her 1967 live album, Jackie Shane Live, was reissued in 2015 and was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prizes 19601970 Heritage Award. Any Other Way, an anthology album of songs from Shanes career and monologues from her live shows, was released in 2017. It was nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award for Best Historical Album. Shane is featured in a public mural in downtown Toronto commemorating the Yonge Street music scene of the 1960sPhotographed by Andrew Ruppenstein, August 11, 20253. Jackie Shane Marker - wide view
2. Jackie Shane - Walking The Dog - 1965 R&B (Youtube, 2:25). (Submitted on August 13, 2025.)
Additional keywords. LGBT, LGBTQ
courtesy of the Jackie Shane Estate, 1960s
4. Marker photo: Jackie Shane, 1960s
On stage, the audience often perceived her to be a gay man. At the time, transgender people were not understood or accepted in mainstream society. Reporters sometimes called her a "female impersonator." In private, Shane identified as a woman.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 28, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 13, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 113 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 13, 2025, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
