Mary Lu Zahalan (25 October 1958 – 27 May 2023) was a Canadianrock singer and actress.[1]
Born in Renfrew, Ontario, and raised in Oakville, Zahalan was a Miss Canada finalist in 1975 before embarking on a career as an entertainer.[2] She had entered the contest as a class project while taking a personal improvement class at Sheridan College to overcome her shyness;[1] what she ultimately took away from the competition was an interest in the theatrical production aspects of the experience, so she then enrolled in the college's musical theatre program.[1]
In 1985 she performed vocals on Visible, the final album by rock band CANO, and toured with the band to promote the album.[4] In this era, she also had various acting roles in musical theatre.[5]
In 1990, she released the album Zahalan on MCA Records, and enjoyed moderate success with the single "I Can't Forget About You" on Canadian radio.[5]
In January 2011, Zahalan graduated from Liverpool Hope University with a master's degree in a program that studied the Beatles. She was the first graduate of the program.[6] She subsequently directed Becoming the Beatles, a live musical documentary about the history of the Beatles.[7][8]
On 27 May 2023, Zahalan passed away from cancer at the age of 66.[9]
^Graham Rockingham, "The men behind the music of the Beatles: Local musician creates live show telling the behind-the-scene stories of the Fab Four". Hamilton Spectator, 3 December 2020.
