Salome Bey has been heralded as “Canada’s First Lady of Blues”, and an incredibly talented singer, actress, and songwriter. Born in New Jersey in 1933, Bey started singing with her siblings as a trio called Andy and the Bey Sisters, and it wasn’t long before the trio began touring in Europe. After moving to Toronto in the mid 1960s, she began her solo career, and performing in musical theatre. Her performances on and off-Broadway earned her a Tony and Grammy Award, and she became known for writing songs for musicals– even writing and starring in a show called Indigo from 1978-1980. The show celebrated Black music history through jazz and blues genres.

She continued to make, produce, and star in several musical productions. Her children’s musical Rainboworld, helped launch the career of Canadian talents Divine Brown and Deborah Cox. Bey received honours and recognitions throughout her career for her work in jazz and blues and for her role in bringing awareness to the Black community and its rich history. Her husband shared a similar passion and was the co-founder of The Underground Railroad, a renowed Toronto restaurant that served the city’s Black community.

In 2005 she was made an honorary member of the Order of Canada, given the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012, was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2021, and was honoured with a commemorative stamp by Canada Post in 2022.

Salome Bey passed away August 2020 at the age of 86, leaving behind an inspiring legacy.