Biography

There are entertainment legends, and then there is Tom Jackson, a triple-threat actor, musician, and activist whose achievements in each discipline are downright head-spinning.  His career is unparalleled, not to mention wildly acclaimed, abundantly decorated, and almost ridiculously interesting. Heck, he could be a pub night trivia category all by himself.

You’ll never hear Tom begin or end any sentence “when I’m retired”.  He thrives as a people whisperer, a thoughtful collaborator in all facets of his work, and a force for positivity. His stride matches his 6’5” frame.

2018 marked the release of The Essential Tom Jackson, a dazzling two-disc, 21-track retrospective spotlighting his inimitable talent as a folk-pop singer/songwriter of the highest order and an artist intrinsically linked to the world around him, both the real and the ethereal.

It’s impossible to regard Tom’s music separately from the other aspects of his remarkable career which include (but not limited to) countless marquee TV roles on hit shows like North of 60, Shining Time Station, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Law & Order, Red Earth Uncovered and most recently, CTV/CW network’s Sullivan’s Crossing. Guest roles in Season 4 and 6 of Outlander, Cardinal and Supergirl garner international fans.

There are also movies, lots of movies, including the dark comedy thriller Cold Pursuit opposite Liam Neeson. The Irish actor joins a long and very boldface list of onetime Tom Jackson colleagues — also including but not limited to — Eric Bana, Olivia Wilde, Kris Kristofferson, and Sissy Spacek (in 2012’s Deadfall), Bruce Greenwood (2005’s Mee-Shee: The Water Giant), and Bryan Brown (1999’s Grizzly Falls). Notably, many small- and big-screen parts have leveraged Tom’s Indigenous heritage for their dynamic characters; still others have employed his mellifluous tones for voiceovers.

Tom is understandably proud of all that.  Yet it is his extensive charitable work — in particular, helming the long-running Huron Carole Christmas concert tours for Canadian food banks plus multiple other initiatives — that is arguably his crowning achievement.  The act of giving comes naturally and spreads easily with his indefatigable energy to be on the look-out for those in need.  2020 was no exception as he produced and hosted the 12-episode online variety series “Almighty Voices” where artists and thought leaders delivered performances and messages to create joy, health, and dollars for Unison Benevolent Fund, a charitable agency providing emergency relief services to the Canadian music community.  The Huron Carole toured virtually on Zoom and YouTube from 2020 to 2022 for various agencies and 2023 marked a return to live onstage in Halifax, in support of the Canadian Red Cross, and produced for broadcast on APTN, APTN Lumi and Eastlink. With over $250 million in combined cash/in-kind value for food banks and disaster relief raised to date, it’s no wonder Tom, both an Ambassador and Member of the Order of the Red Cross, was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000, and in November 2020 promoted to Companion – the highest designation within the Order.

Additional honours, including Juno and Gemini Humanitarian Awards, Playback’s Radio & Television Hall of Fame, Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, honorary degrees from 11 Canadian Universities, Calgary’s Top 7 Over 70, and the Queen’s Gold, Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals have been bestowed on him over the years contributing to his status as one of Canada’s most influential, distinguished, and revered sons.

“I am of the opinion that art is the single most powerful vehicle for change in the history of the human race.”

Landmarks:

Companion of the Order of Canada 2020
Queen’s Gold, Diamond, Platinum Jubilee Medals – 2002-2022
Order of Canada Advisory Committee Member   2004-2007
AB and SK Centennial Medals 2005
Juno Humanitarian Award 2007
Gemini Humanitarian Award 2007
Chancellor Trent University 2009-2013
Honorary Degree recipient – 11 universities – 1998 to 2021
Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement 2014
Generated approximately $250 million in combined cash/in-kind value for food banks and disaster relief

August Schellenberg Award of Excellence

CCMA Humanitarian Award 1996