Margo Davidson

Margo Davidson
Wells - Davidson Band, circa 1979. Davidson is third from left.
Background information
Born	(1957-09-28)September 28, 1957
Origin	Simcoe, Ontario
Died	May 17, 2008(2008-05-17) (aged 50)
Genres	Rhythm and blues Blues Rock Pop
Occupation(s)	Musician, Advocate for the Homeless
Instruments	saxophone, percussion, vocals

Margo Isabella Davidson (September 28, 1957 – May 17, 2008) was a founding member of Parachute Club and an advocate for the homeless.

Davidson was born in Simcoe, Ontario and attended Simcoe Composite School where she developed her musical talent. Davidson's father died in 1971; she had one brother and two step-siblings. Her brother David, a trombonist, was also involved in music, as a high school music teacher and performer.

Davidson initially played both piano and saxophone, and was a member of the Simcoe Composite School band. She formed her first music group, a jazz quartet, while a high school student, and played semi-professionally in the Simcoe area.

Davidson was a saxophonist, percussionist and vocalist with The Parachute Club during its entire recording career and period of its greatest international popularity (1982–1989). Following the initial breakup of the band Davidson, with the exception of the occasional guest performance (see below), chose to leave the music business entirely and spent the balance of her life working with organizations dedicated to assisting the homeless.

Davidson arrived in Toronto from Simcoe in 1975, following graduation from Simcoe Composite School. She briefly attended the University of Toronto, and commenced playing with local bands. With Toronto female singer Robin Wells, with whom Davidson had been associated in a previous band, Davidson co-founded The Wells-Davidson Band in 1978, playing rhythm and blues and rock music. The band was distinctive as being one of a minority of bands led by two women. At that time, and through the 1980s, Davidson was also notable as one of very few female saxophonists playing professionally, predating such artists as Candy Dulfer, Katja Rieckermann and Colleen Allen. In terms of the Toronto music scene of the late 1970s, she was a contemporary of Dianne Heatherington, with whom she played on occasion. Davidson later joined Kid Rainbow, a band established by Toronto singer-songwriter Gary O'Connor as a means to promote his songs. She also played in a stage version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show that toured Toronto and area venues.

Both The Wells-Davidson Band and Kid Rainbow met with a degree of local success though it was after being invited in 1982 to form The Parachute Club that Davidson achieved international fame. As a member of The Parachute Club Davidson was the recipient of two Juno Awards for Most Promising Group of The Year in 1984 and for Group of the Year in 1985. Davidson's role with The Parachute Club was primarily as a musician and harmony vocalist, though she is also the co-writer (with John Oates, Lorraine Segato and Lauri Conger) of "Love Is Fire", the lead single from the band's third album, Small Victories.