Joan Fairfax

Joan Fairfax

Joan Fairfax (b Pickup). Singer, accordionist, arranger, b Blackburn, Lancashire, England, 24 Jun 1926, naturalized US. She was taken at two to Oakville, Ont, but returned to England for a year at seven and there began piano study. She later studied accordion in Toronto with Dixie Dean. After Canadian tours with the Lifebuoy Follies and in a solo act for the armed forces and Red Cross, she trained as a coloratura soprano for two years at the RCMT. Subsequently coached by Art Hallman she sang briefly with Frank Bogart's dance band and 1951-2 with the Hallman orchestra. She made her radio debut in 1951 on CBC radio's 'Latin American Serenade'. A regular performer throughout the 1950s on CBC Toronto TV programs, notably 'Music Hall' 1953-5 and 'The Denny Vaughan Show' 1955-7, she also starred 1959-60 on 'The Joan Fairfax Show' before moving to the USA. There she appeared in 1961 on the Jack Parr, Ed Sullivan, and Lawrence Welk TV shows and toured 1963-4 with her all-girl orchestra as 'Canada's Blonde Bombshell, The New Ina Ray Hutton'. She settled in Florida, where she performed in hotels and at conventions, returning to Toronto for occasional TV appearances.