WATCH: The untold story of the singer who queered soul music in the ’60s and then disappeared

A contemporary of icons such as Little Richard and Etta James, R&B/soul singer Jackie Shane left an indelible mark on the music scene in the 1960s – and then disappeared from the scene for almost half a century.

Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Shane couldn’t stop performing. A gifted singer and percussionist, she quickly gained attention as an artist – not to mention her penchant for feminine looks with long hair, jewelry and makeup.

Although we now know that Shane is a trans woman, our language around gender and identity was much more limited back then and many in the press categorized her as an effeminate gay man or even a drag queen.

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Regardless, her decision to live loudly and proudly as a visibly queer person, while noble, was a huge risk at the time, especially in the Jim Crow era South. So at 19, she joined a traveling circus and headed north to Canada to carve out her own place in the world.

It was in Toronto that Shane’s career really took off, becoming a fixture on the nightclub scene and opening for artists such as The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and The Drifters – always holding his own against the more established names.

And in 1963, her recording of the William Bell song “Any Other Way” became her biggest hit, reaching the top 10 on local Toronto radio and even charting on Canadian radio in the years that followed. It’s no coincidence that one of the song’s original lyrics – “Tell her I’m happy / Tell her I’m gay” – takes on even greater impact when sung by Shane.

Despite her steady rise, Jackie Shane’s fame quickly faded from 1970 onwards and she even lost contact with many of her former bandmates and collaborators. While rumors of her death circulated over the decades, Shane actually led a quiet life in Los Angeles while caring for her ailing mother.

Only a few years ago she returned to the limelight and in 2017 gave an interview with The Globe and the Post where she spoke publicly about her trans identity for the first time. Her music was released this fall on a double LP entitled Somehow differentwhich received a Grammy nomination for Best Historical Album.

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Sadly, Shane passed away in early 2019, just as her music was entering its second act. But she left behind a remarkable legacy, including photographs, old memorabilia and more, including her autobiography—literally She writes her own story for future generations to hear.

This legacy is revealed in the fantastic new documentary Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story by filmmakers Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee and produced by none other than Elliot Page.

Viewed from the perspective of Shane’s ancestors, who explore the artist’s writings and belongings for the first time, the film features never-before-heard phone conversations, striking animations, and, of course, a stunning soundtrack featuring her music, and is a long-overdue tribute to a true trans pioneer.

Somehow different just screened at Frameline48 in San Francisco and is next coming to the Grammy Museum in LA for a special screening and performance. Before the film hits Canadian theaters in August (US release details to be announced), the first official trailer for the documentary has been released, which you can watch below:

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