Lorraine Segato

Lorraine P. Segato (born June 17, 1956, in Hamilton, Ontario) is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for and a principal songwriter of new wave and pop rock group The Parachute Club, with which she continues to perform.

History

Segato initially became known in the late 1970s as the vocalist in the Toronto rock band Mama Quilla II. This band formed the core membership of The Parachute Club. The Parachute Club was particularly active in the 1980s, initially breaking up in 1989. Segato co-wrote nearly every song the band released, including all their singles. A reconstituted version of the band, including Segato, commenced performing in 2005 and continued to perform somewhat sporadically through 2014. After the initial break-up of Parachute Club, Segato released a solo album, Phoenix, in 1990.

Her second solo album, Luminous City, followed in 1998. and as a lecturer and social justice activist. Segato also appeared on the science fiction show Lexx, singing a song as the "Time Prophet" on the episode "Brigadoom".

She performed "Rise Up" at the state funeral of Jack Layton on August 27, 2011, supported by the choir of the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. In 2014, the surviving band members released a contemporary dance remix of the song in conjunction with Toronto's hosting of the 2014 edition of WorldPride.

Her third solo album, Invincible Decency, was released in 2015. She is also preparing Get Off My Dress, a loosely autobiographical one-woman theatrical play.

Personal life

Segato is out as lesbian. She was previously married to Ilana Landsberg-Lewis, the daughter of Stephen Lewis and Michele Landsberg.

Discography

Singles (Parachute Club) Release date Title Chart peak Album CanadaRPM July 1983 "Rise Up"9 The Parachute Club 1983 "Alienation" 1984 "Boy's Club" October 1984 "At the Feet of the Moon"11 At the Feet of the Moon February 1985 "Act of an Innocent"61 June 1985 "Sexual Intelligence" October 1986 "Love Is Fire" 24 Small Victories February 1987 "Love and Compassion"81 May 1987 "Walk to the Rhythm" 90 January 1988 "Big Big World"86 Non-album single June 2014 "Rise Up (WorldPride Remix)"—Non-album single

Albums

With Mama Quilla II

1982 – KKK//Mama Quilla/Angry Young Woman Tupperwaros; EP.

With The Parachute Club 1983 – The Parachute Club Current/RCA 1984 – At the Feet of the Moon Current/RCA 1985 – Moving Thru the Moonlight Current/RCA; remixes 1986 – Small Victories (1986) Current/RCA 1992 – Wild Zone: The Essential Parachute Club BMG; reissued 2006 by EMI International

Solo

1990 – Phoenix Warner Bros. Records 1998 – Luminous City True North 2015 – Invincible Decency