Alice Tan Ridley, the beloved powerhouse vocalist known for her unforgettable performances on America’s Got Talent and as the mother of Precious star Gabourey Sidibe, has passed away. She was 72.
According to an official obituary, Ridley died on March 25 in New York City. While many first recognized her as the mother of the Academy Award-nominated actress, Ridley was a celebrated performer in her own right—known throughout New York City and beyond for her soaring voice and magnetic stage presence.
Born December 21, 1952, in Georgia as the seventh of eight children, Ridley carved out a life anchored in music, teaching, and resilience. After graduating from Stewart County High School in 1969, she earned her teaching license from the New York State Board of Education and worked at P.S. 134 in Manhattan.
But it was her voice—bold, soulful, and unwavering—that made her a fixture in New York’s subway stations, particularly at Herald Square, where she performed for more than three decades. Her talent caught national attention in 2010, when she appeared on America’s Got Talent, stunning the judges and audience with her performance of “At Last.”
“Alice is just brilliant,” judge Piers Morgan said at the time. Fellow judge Howie Mandel added, “Every time she moves on, it’s heartwarming and moving.”
Ridley’s career highlights include singing at Harlem’s iconic Cotton Club, a 2005 appearance on Showtime at the Apollo, and a feature in David LaChapelle’s award-winning documentary Rize. She also earned an Emmy Award in 2007 for her role in the documentary Military Families.
In 2016, she released her debut studio album, Never Lost My Way, a title reflecting the spirit she embodied throughout her life.
Her impact was not limited to the stage. Israeli student and manager Dvir Assouline, who began working with Ridley in 2010, recalled her magnetic presence in New York’s subway system.
“Whenever I saw her performing, there were always hundreds of people around her,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “She brought joy to so many people every day.”
Ridley married Ibnou Sidibe in 1980 and welcomed Gabourey in 1983, followed by a son, Ahmed Sidibe. Though the couple later divorced, they remained on cordial terms.
Ridley is survived by her children, her twin grandchildren Cooper and Maya, two brothers James D. “Jimmy” Ridley and Tommy Lee “Tom-Tom” Cherry, and two sisters Julia Van Mater-Miller and Mildred Ridley Dent, as well as a host of loving relatives.
Memorial trees in her honor can be planted through the Sympathy Store, as noted in her obituary.
