It’s been a season of wins and recognition for legendary actress and performer Sheryl Lee Ralph, which is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
With the announcement of her upcoming performance of Lift Every Voice at the pre-show of the highly anticipated Professional Football Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona this weekend, some fans were shocked to learn that this staple of Black culture media was also a powerhouse singer in her own right.
However, Ralph has had a long history in singing, starting with her Broadway roots and leading up to her latest album, release. Check out this queen’s long history of vocal performances in the slides below.
Though she had already starred in some bit parts on television, the Diva’s big break came with the original run of Dreamgirls on Broadway in 1981. She portrayed Deena Jones – a role famously played over two decades later by Beyoncé – and showcased her powerhouse vocals night after night in a Tony Award-winning performance.
Hot on the heels of her Tony win for Best Lead Actress in a Musical, Ralph capitalized on the buzz by hitting the studio for her debut album. In The Evening is the epitome of 80’s R&B/pop, with her powerful vocals punctuating each track.
In honor of her friends and loved ones who suffered hardest in the early 80’s due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Ralph has dedicated her energy and her voice to fundraising and awareness for over 30 years. With her annual DIVAS Simply Singing! benefit concert, Ralph brings together some of the biggest and brightest singers in the business to lift their voices to raise awareness and erase stigma surrounding life-threatening illnesses.
Though many already knew about her strong vocals, a new audience that may be most familiar with Ralph as Mrs. Barbara Howard on the hit ABC comedy Abbott Elementary were introduced to her angelic harmonies for the first time when she accepted her long-overdue Emmy Award. She sang Dianne Reeves’ 1994 song “Endangered Species,” making a statement about herself as an artist while showing off her massive vocal talent.
With her voice back in the public consciousness and her recognition at an all-time high, Ralph went back to the studio in 2022 for her first-ever Holiday album, the aptly-named Sleigh. Including classic staples like “Silent Night” and “The Little Drummer Boy,” and original tongue-in-cheek tracks like “Wreck the Halls” and “Muva Has Spoken,” this one is sure to be in rotation each season from here on out.
