Jackie is an award-winning singer and actor whose career spans more than five decades, earning her national recognition as Canada’s reigning queen of jazz, blues and gospel. Along with two JUNO Award nominations, Jackie’s national recognition includes the Black Theatre Workshop’s Martin Luther King Jr. Award (2016), a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canadian Actor’s Equity (2007), an African Canadian Achievement Award, and a Canadian Black Achievement Award (to name a few). Internationally, Jackie was honored to be an NAACP Image Award nominee in 2003 for Best Actress in a Television Movie for 'Sins of the Father.' She is also a Gemini and Dora Award-winning actor who has appeared in numerous musical theatre productions, films and television series. In 2014, the Toronto Star named Jackie one of 180 people who have helped shaped the city since it was founded. In 2021, it was announced that Jackie would be named an Honorary Member to the Order of Canada.

 

Jackie released her debut solo album, A Woman's View Through Child Eyes, in 2003, which was produced by her dear friend and collaborator, Doug Riley. Throughout her career, Jackie has been featured on a number of high-profile recordings including: Joe Sealy’s JUNO Award-winning Africville Suite (1996); Anne Murray’s What a Wonderful World: 26 Inspirational Classics (1999); Alannah Myles’ self-titled debut album (1989); Norm Amadio’s Norm Amadio and Friends (2009); Peter Appleyard’s 2012 recording Georgia; David Clayton-Thomas’s “Freedom for the Stallion (2015); Bruce Cassidy's My African Heart (featured on Weeping, written by Dan Haymann); and Micah Barnes’s New York Story Duet (2016). She has also performed with globally recognized Canadian orchestras;  Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Centre Orchestra, and Nova Scotia Symphony Orchestra. Jackie’s guest performances with some of Canada’s favourite big bands include: The Art of Time Ensemble,  Brian Barlow Big Band, Toronto All-Star Big Band, Russ Little Big Band, Swing Shift Big Band and John MacLeod’s Toronto Jazz Orchestra.

 

In the last decade, Jackie’s musical theatre credits include numerous performances with Soulpepper Theatre Company and the Musical Stage Company. One such performance with Musical Stage Company earned her recognition in the New York Times’s “Inside Culture” where her rendition of Both Sides Now caught the attention of Editor, Scott Weller. Said Weller: “Landing on the website for the Musical Stage Company of Toronto brought me to the jazz vocalist Jackie Richardson’s gorgeously solemn live rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now.” Was this the best version ever? I’m no fan of Judy Collins’s famous cover, but what would a YouTube deep dive offer? Neil Diamond? Grandiose. Seal? Scratchy. Carly Rae Jensen? Bright-eyed. Rufus Wainwright? Operatic, and powerful. Still, it’s Richardson for the win.”

 

Today, Jackie continues to perform live both with her variety of concerts under the name Songs in the Key of Jackie, as well as within the projects of fellow musicians such as Sean Jones, Kellylee Evans, Shakura S’aida, Patti Jannetta, Micah Barnes, and Billy Newton-Davis. She continues to look forward to more film, TV and theatre projects, as well as doing her favourite thing, which is singing with her daughter Kim Richardson.