EDMONTON (CelebrityAccess) — Eleanor Collins CM, the Canadian singer and television host known as Canada’s First Lady of Jazz, died on March 3rd. She was 104.
A native of Alberta, Collins’ family were Americans who were drawn to Canada in 1906 as part of a homesteading movement drawn to the region with offers of inexpensive land.
She began performing at an early age, primarily hymns, religious songs, and anthems as part of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Edmonton, a congregation formed by recent American arrivals.
When she was 15, she took top honors in a local talent competition before she was recruited by Joe Macelli’s Dance Band, and the Three Es.
After relocating to Vancouver in 1938, she formed the gospel group Swing Low Quartette with her sister Ruby Sneed Edna Pany, and Zandy Price. The group were featured on CBC radio between 1940 and 1942. She also performed with Ray Norris’ jazz quintet on the CBC radio show Serenade in Rhythm.
In the 1950s, she was featured in productions of Finian’s Rainbow, Kiss Me Kate, and You Can’t Take it With You with the Vancouver-based theatrical company Theatre Under The Stars.
In 1955, she made Canadian history when she became the first black woman to when she was announced as the host of The Eleanor Show, which ran on CBC TV. Her other television projects included Blues and the Ballad and Eleanor Sings the Blues (1960); Blues and the Ballad and Eleanor Sings the Blues, (1961) Eleanor (1964).
She also continued to perform live in clubs and concerts across Canada with a roster of artists that includes Chris Gage and David Robbins, among others.
Collins was appointed Member of the Order of Canada (CM) on her 95th birthday, as part of the 2014 Canadian honours.
