Jackie Richardson
Biography
Jackie Richardson (vocalist) was born in 1947 near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., but made her home in Toronto from a very young age.
She grew up in Richmond Hill, Ontario. At the age of 16, she began performing professionally for the first time with ‘The Tiaras’ Quartet, later performing frequently at Canadian Armed Forces bases across Canada, throughout the South Pacific, and the Far East. She has since become one of Canada’s most highly regarded stars of gospel, jazz, and blues. She is also well known for her of stage, screen, and studio work.
Jackie possesses a powerful and supple voice that is a perfect match for her vibrant stage presence. The awards and nominations for Jackie’s four-decade-long body of work include JUNOs, Geminis, Jessie and Bessie’s, Maple Blues and a Canadian Black Achievement Award for the Arts. Her unforgettable roles have ranged from theatre performances in Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Dora), and Cookin’ At the Cookery as Alberta Hunter (Dora); film performances in Turning to Stone as Dunk (Gemini), and Sins of the Father (NAACP); as well as her role as Jazz on the popular children’s TV series Doodle Bops. She has starred opposite Christopher Reeve, Sidney Poitier, Jane Seymour and Keifer Sutherland. Jackie has also hosted radio, television, and stage shows.
Jackie has also performed or recorded with countless musicians and ensembles, including Salome Bey, Doug Riley, Ray Charles, Alannah Myles, Celine Dion, Anne Murray, Oliver Jones, Andrew Craig, Molly Johnson, Divine Brown, Debra Cox, Mavis Staples, Guido Basso, Maureen Forester, Shirley Eikhard, Albert Schultz, Brent Carver, Michelle Wright, the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Faith Chorale, Toronto Symphony, Nova Scotia Symphony, and the NAC Symphony.
In 1996, she contributed to Joe Sealy’s recording “Africville Suite,” which received a JUNO nomination. The project continues to be performed live as “Africville Stories” throughout Canada. She released her first recording, “A Woman’s View Through a Child’s Eyes” in 2003.
Jackie made a guest appearance on the album "Norm Amadio and Friends," which was released in 2009. She also appeared on Peter Appleyard's 2012 recording "Sophisticated Ladies."
Ms. Richardson continues to perform on stage and screen throughout Canada and the United States.
