Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story

2024, Canada, English, Jackie Shane,

Director: Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee
Release Year: 2024

Synopsis:

In 2024, the world was introduced to "Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story", a Canadian documentary that sheds light on the life of one of the most important but often overlooked figures in the history of transgender visibility in music. Directed by Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee, this film portrays Jackie Shane, a pioneering transgender soul and rhythm-and-blues singer, who became a fixture of the Toronto music scene in the 1960s before mysteriously disappearing from public life in the early 1970s. The documentary brings Shane’s remarkable story into focus through a combination of interviews, archival materials, and creative animation techniques, offering a compelling and emotional journey through the life of an artist who defied societal norms and expectations, often at great personal cost. Not only does the film delve into Shane's musical legacy, but it also explores the struggles she faced as a transgender woman in a world that was not yet ready to understand or embrace her.

 

The filmmakers behind "Any Other Way" employed a unique approach to telling Jackie Shane's story. Since there was very little video footage of Shane available from her prime in the 1960s, the documentary largely relied on phone interviews Mabbott conducted with Shane in the year leading up to her death in 2019. The absence of in-person interviews, combined with the lack of archival video material, presented a challenge for the filmmakers, but they creatively overcame this by incorporating animation. To visually represent Shane, they used rotoscoped footage of contemporary drag performer Makayla Couture, overlaid with photos of Shane, to create a striking and respectful depiction of the artist. This innovative approach gives viewers a sense of Shane’s presence and power as a performer, even though the footage and images are rooted in the present day. The film’s production process was announced in 2022, and it premiered at the prestigious 2024 SXSW Festival, followed by its Canadian premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival and a closing-night screening at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival. 

 

The documentary has received widespread acclaim, with a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 critical reviews, and an average score of 8.6/10. In his review for "Variety", Dennis Harvey praised the film for blending archival materials, interviews, and animated reenactments into a compelling investigation of an "elusive life" and a talent that deserved more recognition. Harvey highlighted Shane's extraordinary impact as a transgender artist, marveling at how her story was largely forgotten for so long. At the 2024 Hot Docs Festival, "Any Other Way" won the DGC Ontario Special Jury Prize for Best Canadian Feature Documentary, recognizing the film’s unique storytelling and its exploration of LGBTQ+ visibility. Additionally, at the Frameline Film Festival, it took home the Out In The Silence Award for its brave representation of LGBTQ+ issues in a historical context. 

 

Born on May 15, 1940, in Nashville, Tennessee, Jackie Shane was not just a groundbreaking artist; she was also a trailblazer for transgender representation in the music industry. During the 1960s, she became one of the most prominent transgender performers in North America, known for her electrifying stage presence and soulful voice. Shane’s 1963 hit single “Any Other Way,” which explored themes of love, identity, and societal expectations, reached #2 on Toronto's CHUM Chart and made waves in the U.S. She became a well-loved figure in the Toronto Sound scene, a vibrant musical movement that included artists like Ronnie Hawkins and the Hawks. However, despite her talent and success, Shane's career was marked by difficulties, particularly as a Black, transgender woman in a world that did not have the language or understanding to describe her identity. Shane’s gender expression and the confusion surrounding it became a central theme in her life. While she was often perceived as a drag performer or a masculine lesbian, Shane’s gender identity remained ambiguous to the public until an interview in 2017, when she confirmed that she was a transgender woman. This revelation brought new attention to her role as a transgender icon, but she had been quietly defying gender norms long before the public could label her. 

 

Shane’s childhood in the segregated South shaped much of her resilience and her determination to live life on her own terms. From a young age, she was aware of her differences and embraced femininity through her choice of clothing, makeup, and posture, taking inspiration from famous actresses like Mae West. Despite the societal pressures of growing up in the Jim Crow South, Shane found support in her family, particularly from her mother and grandmother, who accepted her for who she was. Her musical career began in the 1950s, initially as a drummer and vocalist in small local bands. She went on to play with several prominent artists in the 1950s and early 1960s, recording session work for well-known R&B stars. By the time she moved to Canada in 1959, escaping the oppressive racial atmosphere of the U.S., she had already established herself as a talented and dynamic performer. In Montreal, she joined the popular Frank Motley and his Motley Crew band, and later relocated to Toronto, where she would become a key figure in the city's burgeoning music scene. 

 

One of Shane’s most enduring contributions to music was her 1963 hit single, “Any Other Way,” which is still celebrated for its innovative lyrics. The song was a cover of a track by William Bell, but Shane’s rendition redefined the lyric "Tell her that I'm happy/tell her that I'm gay," using the word "gay" to signify not just happiness but also a more radical, evolving understanding of sexual identity—long before the term "gay" had widespread mainstream recognition in the LGBTQ+ community. Despite facing discrimination and even violence, Shane’s ability to transcend labels and create her own identity became a symbol of resistance and strength. Throughout her life, she faced numerous challenges—some related to her gender identity and others stemming from her race—yet she remained a fearless artist, unapologetically herself in both her music and her public persona. 

 

After leaving the music scene in the early 1970s, Shane’s whereabouts remained a mystery for many years, with rumors circulating about her death. In reality, she had retired from music to care for her mother, moving back to Nashville in the mid-1990s. In the years that followed, Shane became a ghost of her former self, with few people able to track her down. Her music, however, lived on, especially after her work was reissued by the Numero Group in 2017. This collection helped bring Shane’s legacy to a new generation of listeners and artists. Her contributions to both soul music and transgender visibility were finally being recognized in a broader context. 

 

Even after her death in 2019, Shane's influence continues to resonate within the LGBTQ+ and music communities. A "Heritage Minute" documentary segment, aired in 2022, portrayed Shane’s life and contributions. The following year, a campaign was launched to erect a commemorative plaque in her honor in downtown Toronto, marking the spot of the iconic Saphire Tavern where she performed. This plaque was unveiled in June 2023, on the eve of Pride celebrations, ensuring that Jackie Shane’s legacy would not be forgotten. Through "Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story", Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee have crafted a tribute not only to a musical talent but also to a woman who, despite societal rejection, stood tall and proud as a transgender pioneer in an era that did not yet have the language to define her. In a time when visibility for transgender individuals in the entertainment industry is still growing, Shane's story remains a reminder of the power of authentic self-expression and the profound impact one artist can have on a culture that is finally beginning to listen.

 

via: youtube

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Image credits: YouTube