Who Was Alice Tan Ridley? Find Out as Singer and Mother of Actress Gabourey Sidibe Dies at 72

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Alice Tan Ridley, renowned for her captivating vocal skills that could stir an audience’s emotions, sadly passed away on March 25 at the age of 72 in New York City. Notably, she was the mother of the actress Gabourey Sidibe, who received an Academy Award nomination, according to the New York Post.

At this moment, we don’t know what caused her demise. However, her passing was verified by her nearest and dearest, which includes the actress from Prank Panel, through an obituary released by Sconiers Funeral Home, as reported in The New York Post.

The beloved singer was born in 1952. In 1969, she graduated from Stewart County High School and embarked on her professional journey by working as a special education teacher in Brooklyn after obtaining her teaching license from the New York State Board of Education. This information comes from our source.

In 1980, Ridley married Ibnou Sidibe, and they had two children together – Gabourey born in 1983 and a son named Ahmed. As per the obituary, the couple later chose to separate amicably and maintained a friendly relationship thereafter.

In her role as a single parent, it’s said that she began performing music in the subway for donations. She captivated audiences with renditions of popular tunes such as “My Heart Will Go On,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “I Will Survive.

After securing a job at the Harlem Cotton Club, Ridley quickly began ascending the ladder of success. This opportunity led her to the 2002 pilot of “30 Seconds to Fame,” where she won a prize of $25,000. Additionally, she was featured on Showtime alongside Apollo, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

In addition to this, she sang Amazing Grace in the film Rize and America the Beautiful in the movie Heights back in 2005. However, these were not her only accomplishments; Ridley Scott also received an Emmy Award for her role in the Military Families documentary, as noted in a report from that year.

Her performance on America’s Got Talent in 2010 catapulted her recognition to a higher level. She sang Etta James’ “At Last” during the audition, which earned her a spot in the semi-finals. In 2016, this same artist released her first album, titled Never Lost My Way.

As reported, Ridley, with multiple family members including her children, siblings, grandchildren, and others, began experiencing dementia in the year 2018. This condition led to a hiatus in her career and eventually prompted retirement.

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2025-04-10 18:22