Jennifer Holliday
| Jennifer Holliday | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jennifer Yvette Holliday |
| Born | October 19, 1960 |
| Origin | Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | |
Jennifer Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960) is an American actress and singer. Holliday started her career on Broadway in musicals such as Dreamgirls (1981–83), Your Arms Too Short to Box with God (1980–81) and later became a successful recording artist. She is best known for her debut single, the Dreamgirls number and rhythm-and-blues/pop hit, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", which won her a Grammy award for Best Female Performance, Rhythm & Blues in 1983. Holliday also won a 1982 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Dreamgirls.
Holliday landed her first big role on Broadway in 1979 at age 19, the same day she auditioned for the Broadway production of Your Arms Too Short to Box with God. Her performance in that musical earned her a 1981 Drama Desk nomination. Her next role, which she began to act at 21, was the role for which she became best known: the role of Effie Melody White in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Holliday originated the role of Effie and remained with the show for nearly four years after its December 20, 1981 opening. Her performance in the role was widely acclaimed, particularly in her iconic performance of the musical number that ends Act I, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."
Among the acclaim was Holliday's sweep of awards in 1982, including the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, a Grammy Award for her recorded version of the song, and Drama Desk and Theater World awards for her acting performance. Holliday also performed in the touring company of Sing, Mahalia, Sing in 1985. In 1998, Holliday was featured on the album, My Favorite Broadway Ladies as one of "The Queens of Broadway."
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