Molly Johnson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Molly Johnson
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Johnson performing in 2008
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Margaret Leslie Johnson |
| Born | 1959 (age 65–66) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Jazz, rock, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Associated acts | Infidels, Alta Moda, Big Sugar, Tom Cochrane, Breeding Ground, Blue Monday, John Alcorn |
Molly Johnson is a famous Canadian singer. She sings both jazz and pop music. She is known for her powerful voice and for helping others through her music.
Contents
About Molly Johnson
Early Life and Start in Music
Molly Johnson, whose full name is Margaret Leslie Johnson, started performing when she was a child. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her mother was white and her father was black. Molly trained at the National Ballet School and the Banff School of Fine Arts.
When she was young, a producer named Ed Mirvish asked Molly and her brother to be in a musical called Porgy and Bess. After that, she appeared in other musicals like South Pacific. By the time she was 17, Molly was the lead singer for a disco band called A Chocolate Affair.
Rock Bands and Backing Vocals
Later, Molly became the lead singer for two rock bands. One was called Alta Moda in the 1980s. Their song "Julian" was popular in Canada. The other band was Infidels in the 1990s. They had hit songs like "100 Watt Bulb" and "Celebrate". Both bands released one album each before breaking up.
In the 1980s, Molly also sang backup for a group called Breeding Ground. She sang on their popular songs "Happy Now I Know" and "Ceremony of Love". She also sang the song "The Best We Both Can Be" for the movie Babar: The Movie in 1989. Later, she did voice work for Babar and the Adventures of Badou.
Helping Others with Music
Starting in 1993, Molly Johnson created a yearly concert series called the Kumbaya Festival. This festival helped raise money for Canadian charities that support people dealing with HIV and AIDS. She helped collect over $1 million for this important cause.
Solo Career and Jazz Music
Even though Molly had sung jazz throughout her career, her first solo jazz album came out in 2000. It was called Molly Johnson. She released another album, Another Day, in 2003. Both albums were very popular in Canada and in France. She still tours in France today. In 2006, she released her third solo album, Messin' Around.
Molly was the first Canadian female singer to sell out a show on the main stage of the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival. She has performed for important people like Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Nelson Mandela, and Quincy Jones.
Awards and Recognition
In 2007, Molly Johnson was given a special honor. She was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian citizen can receive. On International Women's Day in 2023, the French government also honored her. They gave her the Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres award.
From 2008 to 2013, Molly was a host on CBC Radio 2's Radio 2 Morning. In 2008, she released her fourth album, Lucky. This album won a Juno Award for Vocal Jazz Album of the Year in 2009. The Juno Awards are like the Grammy Awards for Canadian music.
Molly is also working on The Black History Project: Canada. This project aims to update Canadian history to include more about Black Canadian history and the Underground Railroad.
Molly Johnson's Albums
- Molly (1999)
- Another Day (2002)
- Messin' Around (2006)
- Lucky (2008)
- The Molly Johnson Songbook (2011) - a collection of her songs
- Because of Billie (2014)
- Meaning to Tell Ya (2018)
- This Holiday Season (2020) - a holiday album
- It's a Snow Globe World (2021) - another holiday album
