Ginny Mitchell

Many thanks to Veronica Mitchell, Ginny Mitchell's daughter for providing the following bio and phographs.

Born in London, Ontario in 1922, Ginny (then Virginia Gracey) started singing in primary school on visitors day for the "guests" with friends Jule Bricklin (then Faust) and Frank Rockwood at a very young age.

In her high school days, then known as Virgie Gracey, she began singing with a band and was a soloist with well known London groups such as Tim Freeborn, Bubs Jamieson, Bob Wybrow, Jonny Downs and Alf Tibbs. With Alf Tibbs for several years, Ginny sang in many venues such as the London & Port Stanley Pavilion, Hotel London Ballroom, Wonderland Gardens, CCC, London Arena and Kitcheners Winter Gardens partnering with Gayle Gordon (Joe Maycock) for many well loved "girl and boy" tunes.

She married Bill Mitchell in 1942 and continued singing while he was stationed overseas with the RCAF. In the Fall of 1945 Ginny was offered quite an opportunity by the famous U.S. bandleader Sammy Kaye. He asked her to join his band and leave with them the next day but she decided not to accept, even though "it was a temptation", because her husband was on his way home as the war had ended.

Ginny and Bill started a family and in fact, when nine months pregnant, Ginny was singing at the Stork Club. The Sammy Kaye song she had added to her repertoire and one of her most requested ones "I'm A Big Girl Now" was an appropriate choice and a big hit when she turned sideways for the audience who agreed.

She started singing with the Neil McKay Orchestra in the late 1940s . From the London Arena, the C.F.P.L. All Stars broadcast a weekly show on Saturday nights coast to coast on the CBC network. Her life long school friend Jule Bricklin was also a vocalist for Neil's Orchestra.

Ginny was a natural - she never studied music and couldn't read a note but was blessed with a marvellous memory for anything to do with music.

Ginny passed away peacefully on March 19, 2009 leaving a wonderful legacy for her four children, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Audio

When My Sugar Walks Down The Street - Ginny Mitchell with unknown accompaniment

Photograph

Clockwise from bottom left - Max McGee Organ; Neil Mackay Clarinet; Gayle Gordon Vocalist; Ginny Mitchell Vocalist.

More Photographs

View Slide Show Of Ginny Mitchell photographs