Gladys Sands

Gladys Sands (nee Smith) (born c. 1923) is a Canadian singer, dancer, and musician from Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay), who was a professional singer between the ages of 15 and 22. She was a vocalist with the Great Lakes Girls' Orchestra directed by Maurice Jackson, toured Canada six times, performed on live radio, and was personally selected by Benny Goodman to join his band — but her father refused permission. The singer Goodman chose in her place was [Lee]. [4]
Early career in Fort William
Gladys grew up in Fort William, Ontario, where she sang with Maurice Jackson's Great Lakes Girls' Orchestra, a twenty-piece jazz band that toured across Canada and the Northern United States in a bus. She also worked in Maurice Jackson's Music Shop and sang live with the "Sunrise Serenaders" on CKPR radio, one of three performers on the show. [3,4]
Amelia Jackson, Maurice's wife, was also on the road with the orchestra during this period. Like others who knew Amelia, Gladys describes her as "strict and exacting," a quality she admired in Amelia and in all her instructors thereafter. [5]
At age 15, she sang "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" in her audition for Joe Turner, beating forty-nine other candidates. [3]
At 17, she was offered the chance to tour as one of Benny Goodman's singers, selected by the "King of Swing" himself. She could not go without her parents' permission, and her father said no. The vocalist Goodman chose in Sands' place was Peggy Lee. [4]
Sands was a professional singer between the ages of 15 and 22, after which she gave up singing professionally when she got married. [4]
Calgary

Sands moved to Calgary, where she held a career managing the O'Neil Tower (a 28-floor residential building with pool and tennis court) in downtown Calgary. She retired in 1988. [4]
On her 65th birthday, she left the working world behind and refocused on her music. "Even in my 40s and 50s, I knew I'd still be up on stage performing after I retired," she told Avenue Calgary in 2017. "Music has always been a part of me and that's why I'm still doing it. It's almost like I'm addicted to music." [4]
Sands also plays guitar and piano, and was part of three musical groups after retiring. [4]
Silver Stars Musical Revue Society
Sands joined the Silver Stars Musical Revue Society, a seniors-only musical theatre group in Calgary that has been running since 1998. By 2017 she had been singing with the Silver Stars for 12 years and was the group's oldest active member. [4]
In 2016, at age 92, she and fellow member Jean Mekitiak, also 92, were still performing. A Calgary Herald profile noted that Gladys used a walker to get around, "but when it's time to go on stage to sing, they toss them aside. That's what veteran entertainers they are." [6]
Her philosophy was simple: "Music is my life. And I'm not slowing down until I'm dead!" [4]
Dancing
Sands was a lifelong dancer as well as a singer. She tap danced well into her 80s, only stopping when a bad knee became too problematic. She refused knee replacement surgery, saying she "didn't have time for that." [5]
Later life
She continued singing until age 96, when a broken hip required her to move into a care facility. As of 2020, Sands was 101 years old. She has dementia affecting her short-term memory, though her long-term memory remains relatively intact. [5]
Personal life
She married a Mr. Sands and had two children:
- Patricia Dawkins, living in Calgary as of 2026, and
- Jim Sands, living in Vancouver as of 2026.
See also
- Amelia Jackson
- Maurice Jackson
- Dance Centre of Northwestern Ontario
- Fort William Girls Military Band
Sources
[1] "The Jacksons of Fort William", by Harvey L. Smyth. In the Brodie Special Collections.
[2] "Fort William Girls Military Band" website, by William "Bill" Drew [1]
[3] Silver Stars Calgary Facebook page biography, 2016. [2]
[4] "Meet 4 Inspiring Calgary Retirees." Avenue Calgary, 12 May 2017. [3]
[5] Patricia Dawkins (daughter of Gladys Sands), personal communication, March 2020.
[6] Hobson, Louis B. "Ageless entertainers sing and dance for Silver Stars Musical Revue Society." Calgary Herald, 10 May 2016. [4]
[7] https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10164901709770393&set=a.10156236919275393
[8] Email correspondence with Patricia Dawkins, 2020–2025