Mary Lu Zahalan

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist Mary Lu Zahalan (25 October 1958 – 27 May 2023) was a Canadian rock singer and actress.<ref name=benedetti>Paul Benedetti, "Mary Lu Who? It's Zahalan and she knows where she's going". Hamilton Spectator, 8 October 1982.</ref>

Born in Renfrew, Ontario, and raised in Oakville, Zahalan was a Miss Canada finalist in 1975 before embarking on a career as an entertainer.<ref>"Miss Nova Scotia wins Canadian beauty pageant". North Bay Nugget, 4 November 1975.</ref> She had entered the contest as a class project while taking a personal improvement class at Sheridan College to overcome her shyness;<ref name=benedetti/> 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.<ref name=benedetti/>

She released her debut album, Think of Me, in 1982,<ref name=benedetti/> and received a Juno Award nomination for Most Promising Female Vocalist at the Juno Awards of 1983.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In 1985, she performed vocals on Visible, the final album by rock band CANO, and toured with the band to promote the album.<ref name=bravo>"Bravo CANO! Local fans revel in revitalized band". Toronto Star, 14 February 1985.</ref> In this era, she also had various acting roles in musical theatre.<ref name=burliuk>Greg Burliuk, "Popular Recordings: Zahalan". Kingston Whig-Standard, 22 December 1990.</ref>

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.<ref name=burliuk/>

She later returned to Sheridan College as a music teacher.<ref name=boswell>Randy Boswell, "Canadian earns first Beatles degree". Calgary Herald, 27 January 2011.</ref> She also had supporting roles in film and television, including in the television films Woman on the Run: The Lawrencia Bembenek Story and Alley Cats Strike.Template:Fact

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.<ref name=boswell/> She subsequently directed Becoming the Beatles, a live musical documentary about the history of the Beatles.<ref>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.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 27 May 2023, Zahalan died from cancer at the age of 66.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Discography

Studio albums

• Think of Me (1982)
• Zahalan (1990)

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions		Album
		CAN	CAN AC
1982	"Try a Little Love Sometime"	—	29	Think of Me
	"Turn of the Wheel"	—	25
	"If I Had One Wish"	—	19
1985	"Call Me"	—	11	Non-LP single
	"A.M. Girl (In An F.M. World)"	—	—
1990	"I Can't Forget About You"	66	24	Zahalan
1991	"Fallen Angel"	90	—
	"While We're Still Young"	—	—