Bobby Dean Blackburn
| Bobby Dean Blackburn | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Genres | Blues, Funk, Soul, R&B, Jazz, Rock |
| Years active | since 1959 |
| Labels | Electro-Fi Records |
Bobby Dean Blackburn is a Canadian blues and rock ‘n’ roll musician. Born in Toronto, Canada in 1941, Blackburn is known as the first Black musician to play on Toronto’s bustling Yonge Street in the blues heyday of the 1950s and 60s.[1]
History
Bobby Dean Blackburn got his start in 1956 as the lead singer of Bobby Dean and the Gems who played regularly at the Zanzibar a Go Go club (now known as the Zanzibar Tavern)[1] and Club Bluenote on Yonge Street in Toronto, Canada.[2] His contributions to live music at Club Bluenote are commemorated in the plaque erected at the intersection of Yonge and Elm St.[3] He toured across Canada as a singer, pianist, and bandleader in the 1960s and 70s, and was known as a staple of the Toronto jazz and blues scene. Considered a trailblazer among other jazz and blues musicians of the time, Blackburn often invited burgeoning musicians to play alongside him and hone their skills at the Zanzibar during legendary afternoon jam sessions.[4] He has shared the stage with esteemed performers including Bo Diddley, Rick James, Taj Mahal, Jimmy Smith, and Paul Butterfield.[5]
Legendary guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson of The Band mentions Bobby Dean and The Gems in his 2016 autobiography Testimony. When speaking of the very early days of rock ‘n’ roll in Toronto, when both Blackburn and Robertson were trying to break into the scene, Robbie says, “I liked a group called the Gems, featuring Bobby Blackburn on vocals, one of the only young Black R&B singers in Toronto.”[6]
Bobby Dean Blackburn faced substantial racial discrimination throughout his career, often being denied entry into the very venues that invited his band Bobby Dean and the Gems to perform, as he was the only Black performer in the group.[1] He also faced discrimination which prevented him from attaining studio time, and thus only recorded his first album Don’t Ask … Don’t Tell (Electro-Fi Records) in 2010.[1] His music has been widely recognized as catalytic and foundational to Canadian blues. He was inducted into the Mississauga Music Walk of Fame in 2016[7] and was nominated for the Maple Blues: Blues With a Feeling (Lifetime Achievement) Award in 2024.[8]
Advocating for his rights at every turn, Bobby Dean Blackburn has contributed to the diversification of Canada’s music scene and has forged an enduring legacy.[1] He is the father of four musical sons, including Duane Blackburn, Brooke Blackburn, and Cory Blackburn, who are core members of the twice JUNO-nominated Blackburn Brothers blues band.
His family legacy of Black activism and resilience reaches back to his great grandfather Elias Earls who escaped slavery in Kentucky and settled in Owen Sound, Canada at the northern terminus of the Underground Railroad in the 1800s.[1] Descendants of those who came to Canada through the Underground Railroad and settled in Owen Sound mark Emancipation Day annually at the longest running emancipation celebration in North America, the Owen Sound Emancipation Festival, established in 1862.[9] Blackburn served as the artistic director of this festival and sat on the board.[10]
Bobby Dean Blackburn’s legacy as a trailblazer for Black rights extends beyond musical achievement. He was the first Black coach in the Mississauga, Canada hockey league. Finally, after being expelled from high school in his teens, he returned in his late 60s to graduate with honours and serve as his class’ valedictorian.[1]
Blackburn continues to perform blues, r&b, and gospel across Canada.[11]
Discography
Don't Ask... Don't Tell (2010, Electro-Fi Records)
Awards
| Year | Award | Result | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Mississauga Music Walk of Fame Induction | Won | [12] |
| 2020 | Ontario Black History Society Addie Aylestock Award | Won | [13] |
| 2024 | Maple Blues Award, Blues With a Feeling (Lifetime Achievement) | Nominated | [14] |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "R&B artist Bobby Dean Blackburn blazed a trail in Toronto's music scene | CBC News". CBC. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2025. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Veteran musician Bobby Dean Blackburn still on top of his game". Ron Fanfair. February 6, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ Spudgun67 (October 12, 2018), English: Plaque inscription: The Club Bluenote was a small after-hours rhythm and blues dance hall that played a vital role in the Yonge Street music scene. Owned by Al Steiner, the club was located near here at 372 Yonge Street for about 10 years until it closed in 1969. The club was later revived twice in Yorkville by Bill Balkou, Lou Balkou, Syd Markowitz, Jack Valianes, and George Olliver. The original Club Bluenote launched the careers of Toronto artists such as Jay Jackson, Shawne Jackson, and Shirley Matthews. It supported regulars like Bobby Dean and the Gems, Kay Taylor and The Regents (with Kay Taylor, Tommy Goodings, Brian Massey, Steve Kennedy, Bob Andrews, Fred Therault), the Statlers, the Peepers, the Silhouettes (with Doug Riley and Steve Kennedy,) and the Five Rogues, featuring Joey Chirowski, Don Elliot, Penti "Whitey" Glan, George Olliver, and Domenic Troiano. The club was popular with well-known international artists such as Jimmy Reed, Jackie Shayne, Stevie Wonder, the Righteous Brothers, and the Supremes, who performed impromptu late-night sets at the club after giving concerts at major venues elsewhere in the city. The musical style that emerged at the Club Bluenote and at other Yonge Street clubs was a unique blend of rock with rhythm and blues that became characteristic of the "Toronto Sound." - erected by Heritage Toronto in 2016 at 372 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2K9, Canada., retrieved October 16, 2025
- ↑ Canada Black Music Archives (May 6, 2025). CBMA Podcast Series Episode 8: The Bobby Dean Blackburn Interview. Retrieved October 16, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Talbot, Michael (February 16, 2023). "The musical legacy of local legend Bobby Dean Blackburn". CityNews Toronto. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ Robertson, Robbie (November 15, 2016). Testimony: A Memoir. Knopf Canada. ISBN 978-0-307-40141-0. Search this book on
- ↑ "2016 Inductee: Bobby Dean Blackburn". musicwalkoffame.ca. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ "Maple Blues Awards 2024: The Blackburn Brothers earn nine nominations". JAZZ.FM91. November 1, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ Mississauga Music Walk of Fame (December 22, 2022). Bobby Dean Blackburn. Retrieved October 16, 2025 – via YouTube.
- ↑ Talbot, Michael (February 16, 2023). "The musical legacy of local legend Bobby Dean Blackburn". CityNews Toronto. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ Press, Bruce Peninsula (September 21, 2021). "Bobby Dean Blackburn and Friends Perform on Harbourside Stage". Bruce Peninsula Press. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ "2016 Inductee: Bobby Dean Blackburn". musicwalkoffame.ca. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ "Veteran musician Bobby Dean Blackburn still on top of his game". Ron Fanfair. February 6, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ↑ "Maple Blues Awards 2024: The Blackburn Brothers earn nine nominations". JAZZ.FM91. November 1, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
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