Pronouns: She/Her
Hometown: Dartmouth
Email: catscratch@randomorder.ca
Social Media: Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube

Website: www.shelleyhamilton.ca
Music Links: Spotify

For Booking and Management: Cat Scratch Records

Biography

Singer and writer Shelley Hamilton has made her career storytelling through songs, often portraying her direct Africville lineage and indigenous roots.

She can be heard singing on many award-winning albums and has entertained globally. She was thrilled to sing with the legendary Merry Clayton, (the spine tingling voice in the Rolling Stones classic, “Gimme Shelter”) at the 5th anniversary of “Classic Albums Live” in Toronto.

In 2009 & again in 2019 Shelley Hamilton was named “Artist of the Year” by the African Nova Scotian Music Association, was nominated for the Canadian Folk Music Awards, as well as the East Coast Music Awards.

Recently, Shelley joined the “Black Opry Revue” at the Winnipeg Folk Festival to one of many standing ovations, returning to work with them again in Canada in 2025.. Now she’s reconnecting to her Africville and Black Loyalist roots by playing and singing original country music. Her song “Think on Me“, which pays homage to the iconic contralto Portia White, reached the top 30 on the Canadian Indie country charts. Honouring her Jamaican Maroon roots in the genre she released the country reggae single “Carry On” in 2024.

She fell in love with country music at an early age when her father shared his love of Black legendary artists. In her teens, Shelley heard the raw authentic emotion of the jazz greats. This led to performances all over the world including The Toronto Jazz Festival. This led her to create her recent acclaimed tribute show the “Queens of Jazz”.

“No one can do what Shelley Hamilton does. She’s a raw, natural talent! Shelley makes you feel as powerful and beautiful with each powerhouse song she brings to life, with each incredible note she delivers.”

Reshmi Nair, Host “The Rush”, CFRB Toronto, iHeartRadio Canada