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SPEAKER_02: Hello, from Wonder Media Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. We're celebrating Pride Month with icons, supreme queens of queer culture. Some are household names. Others are a little more behind the scenes. All have defied social norms and influenced generations of people to be unapologetically themselves. Today, we're talking about the black transgender soul singer who shook things up in the rhythm and blues scene in Toronto. Her legacy was almost lost to history when she disappeared for decades. Please welcome Jackie Shane. On May 15th, 1940, in Nashville, Tennessee, Jackie was born into a world as a precocious spitfire. She started singing in her church choir at the age of 8, but she only agreed to do it if she didn't have to give up her allowance to the collection plate. Young Jackie wasn't afraid of bullies at school. One day, a boy threw a stone at her in the schoolyard. Jackie didn't cry or run away. She picked up a jump rope and started hitting him with it. When a teacher came over to intervene, she hit the teacher with a jump rope, too. Jackie generally preferred the company of adults rather than people her own age. If a neighbor saw Jackie outside in the yard, they'd throw their window open and call Jackie over, knowing she would offer some good conversation. Jackie knew she was transgender by the time she turned 13. She often wore makeup to school. When the U.S. government tried to draft her into the military, she wore a full-length black gown to her induction appointment. Jackie's mother supported her trans daughter unconditionally. Jackie's time in church choir expanded into a full music career. Nashville was a hot spot for musicians. Jackie met Little Richard when he passed through town, and his drummer even gave Jackie some lessons. She became a member of a studio band and sang in the house band at a local club called The New Era. There, she rubbed shoulders with soul and R&B stars like Big Maybel, Joe Tex, and Larry Williams. Jackie also did some touring herself as a member of a traveling carnival, singing alongside burlesque performers, ventriloquists, and circus animals. Jackie was professionally successful in Nashville, but this was the Jim Crow South, not a safe environment for a transgender black woman. One night in 1958, Jackie watched in horror as three white men chased a black man down the street and threw him in a dumpster. After that incident, Jackie decided to leave Tennessee. She made her way to Canada, first to Cornwall, Ontario, then to Montreal, where she met trumpeter and bandleader Frank Motley. She joined his group, and in 1961, Jackie and Frank relocated to Toronto. The city's R&B music scene was just taking off, and soon, Jackie's career was, too. Together, they played Toronto's biggest clubs, recorded breakout singles, and opened for the likes of Marvin Gaye and Etta James. Canada felt safer to Jackie, but it was not a utopia. Many northern cities prohibited what was called costumed dress, targeting the LGBTQ-plus community and creating hostile environments for gender expression. Even short walks from the venue to her favorite record store a few doors down could lead to Jackie being harassed. She always wrapped herself in a floor-length coat as protection. On stage, though, Jackie proudly subverted gender norms. Some days, she wore dresses. Often, she wore sleek tuxedos. Always, she wore a full face of makeup, complete with dramatically arched eyebrows, thick, dark eyeliner, and eyeshadow that glittered like a disco ball. The press often referred to Jackie as a gay man, and she usually didn't bother correcting them. I was just being me, she once said in an interview. I never tried to explain myself to anyone. They never explained themselves to me. In 1962, Jackie released her first recorded singles. Her cover of William Bell's Any Other Way shot to number two on the local radio station charts.
SPEAKER_01: But when you see my baby Here is what you say
SPEAKER_02: Tell her I wouldn't have Any other way Jackie became one of the most requested singers on Toronto radio. She spent the rest of the decade performing in Toronto and in the U.S., releasing singles and live albums. Then suddenly, in 1971, Jackie abandoned her music career and left the public eye. Quietly, she moved to Los Angeles to spend more time with her boyfriend and care for her sick mother. She eventually made her way back to Nashville, where she became even more reclusive. She spent her days watching old movies and eating takeout next to her pet cats. If she ventured outside, she wore sunglasses and a hat. If unwanted phone calls interrupted her peace and quiet, she hung up. If they called back, she'd blow a whistle into the receiver. Many fans assumed Jackie was dead. Music historians ensured her legacy was documented, but she gradually faded from the public memory. Jackie's seclusion continued for nearly 50 years, and she may have lived out the rest of her days in relative obscurity if it weren't for the archival record label Numero Group. Numero Group wanted to compile a collection of all of Jackie's work. Producer Douglas McGowan braved the harsh bleats of Jackie's whistle in his ear and asked her to work with them. In 2017, Numero Group released Any Other Way. It was a box set including six of Jackie's 45s, live sessions, and previously unreleased tracks. Between songs, Jackie could be heard on stage, sermonizing about her life and politics. The collection ignited a new excitement and respect for Jackie and her career. It was nominated for a Grammy for Best Historical Album in 2019. Over and over again, Jackie said she never asked for any of this fame. She was just being herself, not seeking anyone's approval. But she believed it was destiny. Jackie told the press, I really feel that I have made a place for myself with wonderful people. What I have said, what I have done, they say it makes their lives better. She was considering returning to the stage to sing again, but she never got the chance. In February of 2019, Jackie passed away. She was 78 years old. Her image is immortalized alongside fellow soul singers in a 22-story mural in downtown Toronto. All month, we're talking about icons. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram, at Womanika Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Tune in tomorrow for a bonus episode presented by our sponsor, Planned Parenthood. We talk about how to end abortion stigma and hear from Dakota Ray, a youth activist and organizer who shares their abortion story. Talk to you then.
SPEAKER_01: And you see, I won't have it no other way. My mother told me before I left home, she said, Jackie, don't worry about what people say about you. You look good because you take after mother. Damn daddy. Because you'll get paid for what daddy has to pay for. And mother didn't lie, honey. I'm getting it every day of my life.
SPEAKER_04: Evidence-wise, we had virtually no evidence.
SPEAKER_08: In 1995, Detective Tony Richardson was trying to figure out who killed a fellow officer. The case comes down to who is believed and who is ignored. Oh my goodness. We did convict an innocent man. I'm Beth Shelburne from Lava for Good Podcasts. This is Ear Witness. Listen to Ear Witness on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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