| 1980 | Made her Broadway debut in the revival of 'Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God' at the Ambassador Theatre, announcing a raw gospel-rooted voice that would soon command the Great White Way. |
| 1981 | Originated the role of Effie White in 'Dreamgirls' on Broadway, stopping the show nightly with 'And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going' in a performance that became an instant theatrical legend. |
| 1982 | Won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for 'Dreamgirls', confirming her place among the great Broadway belters. |
| 1983 | Won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female, and released debut album 'Feel My Soul' on Geffen Records, produced by Earth, Wind and Fire founder Maurice White. |
| 1985 | Returned to Broadway in 'Sing, Mahalia, Sing' while also releasing the album 'Say You Love Me', demonstrating her refusal to choose between stage and recording studio. |
| 2011 | Released the gospel album 'Goodness and Mercy', channeling her Texas church roots into a collection that showcased the full power of her still-ferocious voice. |
| 2018 | Released 'Fresh Takes', revisiting classic material with newly reimagined arrangements that highlighted her ability to reinterpret standards across R&B, gospel, and soul. |
| 2021 | Performed the title theme for the Netflix comedy series 'The Upshaws' across its full run, and took the stage at the 74th Annual Tony Awards to perform 'And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going' in honor of 'Dreamgirls' 40th anniversary. |
| 2022 | Competed on Season 7 of Fox's 'The Masked Singer' as 'Miss Teddy', reaching a national television audience well beyond her existing fanbase. |
| 2026 | Performed at 54 Below in New York City and appeared at Broadway Backwards' 20th anniversary, delivering 'I Am What I Am' from 'La Cage aux Folles' to a standing ovation. |
This women has pipes – and then some! Texan Jennifer Holliday gained national recognition when she had the lead in the Broadway musical, Your Arm’s Too Short to Box with God. Her performance led to her star-making performance in Dreamgirls, an adaptation of The Supremes’ saga. The show featured her show-stealing take on “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going.” That led her to a career in pop music. She returned to the stage in 1985, appearing in Sing, Mahalia, Sing; she continued to release pop music albums while starring on Broadway. In either setting, she’s a hardy, throaty, soul belter who chews on every lyric, infusing them with emotional statements. Jennifer released The Color Purple in 2014. Jennifer Holiday continues to perform to adoring audiences everywhere.