Singh, Judy

Websites:  https://citizenfreak.com/artists/104292-tom-judy-tommy-banks-and-judy-singh
Origin: Edmonton, Alberta, 🇨🇦
Biography:

The Velvet Voice of Canadian Jazz and Soul
Born in Alberta in 1945 to pioneering Black and Punjabi parents, Judi Singh’s story is as rich and nuanced as her voice. A true original, she began singing professionally at 17, sneaking into the Yardbird Suite—Edmonton’s legendary jazz club founded by her cousin Ken Chaney—where she cut her teeth with local greats. Her talent soon led her to national stages, and by the 1960s, Singh was a familiar face on CBC, captivating audiences with performances on variety shows like The Lenny Breau Show and dazzling in sleek gowns as she sang classics like “A Sleepin’ Bee.”

Her velvety, bossa-tinged sound—a blend of jazz, soul, and pop sophistication—was shaped by her deep musicality and collaborations with artists like Woody Shaw, Minnie Riperton, and her dear friend and mentor, the late Senator Tommy Banks. Together, they created A Time for Love, her 1970 debut album for CBC’s Radio-Canada imprint. First catalogued online at citizenfreak.com on May 27, 2012, the album was reissued on vinyl in 2018 by MajikBus Entertainment (MB003), introducing her timeless voice to a new generation of listeners.

“Recording this album with my brilliant, dear friend Tommy Banks was an absolute highlight in my career,” Singh said. “What a uniquely creative period in music history it was. I love seeing how vinyl is being resurrected with such passion. I’m grateful to MajikBus for including me in it all.”

Singh’s discography also includes Tom & Judy – Make Someone Happy (GRT 9230 1000), a 1970 collaboration with Tommy Banks, and a featured appearance on the CBC Lei Records compilation Unselfconsciously Canadian. That LP includes rare tracks not found on any other recording, including the heartfelt ballad “Emily,” written about her daughter—filmmaker Emily Hughes—who was fathered by jazz guitarist Lenny Breau.

https://citizenfreak.com/titles/304252-tom-judy-tommy-banks-and-judy-singh-make-someone-happy
https://citizenfreak.com/titles/315960-compilation-unselfconsciously-canadian

Though she was never fully embraced by the mainstream music industry, Singh’s artistry was undeniable. Her work lives on through recordings, stories from her peers, and now, through the 2025 documentary Have You Heard Judi Singh? by Baljit Sangra. The film premiered at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival and features rare archival footage, family interviews, and nearly 30 of Singh’s tracks—including her viral hit “Up and Down,” recently rediscovered on TikTok.

The film also explores Singh’s roots: her father, Sohan Singh Bhullar, was among the first Sikh immigrants in Alberta; her mother, Effie Jones, came from Amber Valley, one of Canada’s first Black settlements. Together, their union represented a rare and powerful blend of communities, and that legacy shaped Judi Singh’s voice, her story, and her impact.
-Robert Williston

Liner notes:
To most songwriters, Utopia would be a place where they knew that everything they wrote would be sung by an artist with the kind of understanding that Judy Singh brings to every performance. The old songs sound almost as if you're really hearing them for the first time. And the new ones . . . well, you probably are hearing them for the first time. But that doesn't stop Judy from making them sound like old friends. There are, in fact, a half-dozen stunning new tunes by young Canadian composers that Judy has included in this offering, and as for the five almost-standards it isn't bad, luck to knock hits.

Listening to Judy sing them is like taking a golden shower. of truth. It's something to sing home about.
-Tommy Banks

Un endroit où tous les chants seraient interprétés par une artiste avec la compréhension et le talent de Judy Singh, serait pour la plupart des chansonniers un monde utopique. Judy Singh chante les vieilles chansons de manière réaliste, qu’il semble qu’on les entend pour la première fois. Quant aux nouvelles chansons, peut-être vous les entendrez certainement pour la première fois, mais elle leur donne une tournure qui les rend familières.

Sur ce disque vous entendrez Judy Singh dans une demi-douzaine de très belles chansons composées par de jeunes Canadiens et dans cinq autres pièces communes qui seraient aussi des bien-aimées.

Le disque de Judy Singh peut être comparé à une pluie d’étoiles filantes: écoutez-le et vous ne serez pas déçus.