Banks was the host of nationally - and internationally - syndicated and network television programmes, including “The Tommy Banks Show”, “Somewhere There’s Music”, “What’s My Name”, “ Love and Mr. Smith”, “Celebrity Revue”, “Symphony of a Thousand”, “Tommy Banks Jazz”, etc. He provided musical direction for the ceremonies of the XI Commonwealth Games, EXPO ’86, The World University Games, the XV Olympic Winter Games, and for countless television shows. He has produced and/or conducted command performances for Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family, and for President Ronald Reagan. He is a member of the A. F. of M., ACTRA, the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, and of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Banks made his jazz-playing debut in 1950 in the touring band of saxophonist Don Thompson. Since then, he’s played jazz throughout North America, Western and Central Europe, Japan, and Southeast Asia. In 1983 his quintet became the first jazz band to tour in continental China since the 1949 revolution. Before being called to the Senate of Canada, Tommy Banks served as chair of the Music Committee of the Board of Governors of Alberta College; he was founding chairman of the Alberta Foundation for the Performing Arts; chair of the Music Programme at Grant MacEwan; of the Edmonton Concert Hall Foundation; of the Instrumental Jazz Division of MusicFest Canada ; of the B. & B. Foundation for the Theatrical & Musical Arts of Alberta; member of the board of the CKUA Radio Network Foundation; Honorary chair of the Alberta Heart Fund; an Honorary member of Cosmopolitan International and of Rotary International. On Century II Records, distributed by Royalty Records. ** JUNO Award winner * JUNO Award nominee
Senator Banks was appointed to the Senate by Governor GeneralAdrienne Clarkson at the recommendation of Prime MinisterJean Chrétien in 2000. He represented Alberta, sitting as a Liberal. In the Senate, he served as a member of the Standing Committee on National Finance, of the Special Committee on Illegal Drugs, of the Standing Committee on National Security and Defence and on its steering committee, and as chair of the Subcommittee on Veterans’ Affairs. In each of the 37th, 38th, and 39th Parliaments he was elected Chair of the Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment, and Natural Resources. In the 37th and 38th Parliaments he served as Chair of the Alberta Liberal Parliamentary Caucus. Following dissolution of the 37th Parliament Senator Banks was named to an all-party Committee of Parliamentarians from both Houses, given the task of advising the Government on the setting up of parliamentary oversight of security intelligence matters. He served on an ad hoc basis on several additional committees of the Senate. He was vice-chair of the Caucus task force on urban issues that produced Canada's Urban Strategy - a Blueprint for Action which Report led to an important national debate.
Authored legislation items
The Statutes Repeal Act,
An Act to Amend the Federal Sustainable Development Act
Banks won the Sir Frederick Haultain Prize, the 1979 Juno Award for Best Jazz Album, the 1992 Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Variety Program. Banks received an ACTRA Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as an Alberta Recording Industry Award of Distinction and the 2010 SOCAN Special Achievement Award. His wife Ida and he were honorary co-chairs for Northern Alberta of the CKUA Radio Network Capital Campaign, and board members of Wellspring Edmonton.
