Born in 1903 in Niagra Falls, Ontario, Myron “Mynie” Sutton was a saxophonist and a pioneer in the Quebec jazz  scene of the 1930s. Sutton founded the Canadian Ambassadors in Aylmer, Quebec, known as one of Canada’s very first black jazz bands.  

As a young child, Sutton was introduced to music by taking piano lessons at the British Methodist Episcopal Church. He continued his musical journey in high school, after his principal recognized his talent and offered him fifty dollars to start a band. Sutton’s band, The Harmonizers, saw great success as the go-to choice for local events and celebrations.   

In 1924, Sutton left high school and traveled to Buffalo, New York to start his career as a musician. Sutton joined the jazz band The Royal Ambassadors and experienced the reality of American racism and discrimination for the first time. Although many of his bandmates were black, black patrons were forbidden from entering the venues he played.  

In response, Sutton chose to return to Canada and start his own band, the Canadian Ambassadors. This was a noticeable feat at the time, and Sutton’s band was one of very few black jazz bands in Canada during the 1930s, widely considered to be the first organized black jazz band in the country. The rising popularity of swing and jazz in Montreal during the 1930s allowed Sutton’s band a place to thrive. They regularly performed in venues such as Connie’s Inn and The Terminal Club, venues known for hosting Jazz greats such as Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges.  

In 1941, Sutton opted to finish his musical career in his hometown of Niagara Falls. There he played in a newly formed local band while simultaneously caring for his elderly mother.