Summary
Shirley Matthews (1942 – January 2013) was a Canadian pop singer.
Shirley Matthews | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1942 Harrow, Ontario, Canada |
| Died | January 2013 (aged 70–71) Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Labels | |
Matthews sang in a church choir and at high school dances prior to embarking on a career in music. She worked in a Bell Telephone office while singing nights at the Club Bluenote in Toronto.[1] Her debut single, "Big Town Boy", was a major hit in Canada in 1964, selling over a million copies.[2] She won the RPM Gold Leaf Award for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1964.[1] Later singles failed to duplicate "Big Town Boy"'s success.
"Big Town Boy" debuted on 1050 CHUM in Toronto on 2 December 1963, the same day as the Beatles' "She Loves You".[3]
In 1967, she married, taking the name Shirley Vedder, and quit the music industry, eventually becoming the CEO of a chain of racquetball and sports fitness clubs.[1]
On January 8, 2013, Matthews died in Toronto, Ontario.[4]