Jennifer Hudson Showcases Chicago Roots

made it clear at her Ravinia debut Saturday that, despite her fame, her music keeps her grounded.

Hudson, a finalist on season three of American Idol, was catapulted to stardom when she won an Academy Award in 2006 for best supporting actress in Dreamgirls.

But when she came home to Chicago for a two-night stint at Ravinia last weekend, it was clear she never forgot her roots or those who helped her along the way. 

“She has a great appreciation for the people who got her where she is,” Dr. Lynne Belsky of Highland Park said. Belsky, a former dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, knows something about the demands of show business success. “She is a vocal powerhouse.” 

Hudson let the audience know her feelings just before she sang the signature song from Remember Me, her second album released earlier this year. 

“There are very few people who remember me from my whole life, so I have to remember me,” she said.

Sitting on the stage she broke into I Remember Me as clouds of white smoke enveloped her. She was adorned not in the typically flashy evening gown but a delicate fishnet hose and a bouncy, bright, hot-pink cheerleader mini-skirt with a neon yellow sleeveless silk blouse.

After the crowd’s thunderous ovation subsided, Hudson continued her theme of thanksgiving, joining George Huff in a duet of I’ll Be There. She and Huff first gained national attention when they appeared on the third season of American Idol in 2004.

Huff was one of Hudson’s three backup singers standing unobtrusively behind music stands on the far left side of the stage. Huff and his two female partners added harmony to the first half of Hudson’s performance. 

Then it was his turn. 

Remembering Chicago’s South Side

“It’s so easy to get lost in this business. This is how I came to be where I am,” Hudson said pointing to Huff. “He was there when I was there,” she added before starting to sing I’ll Be There. 

As Hudson sang, “Call my name and I’ll be there for you,” Huff came out from behind the music stand and walked slowly toward his former competitor. Then they joined hands at center stage. 

From that popular song, she moved to her roots, performing spiritual and gospel music she learned as a child on Chicago’s South Side. 

“It reminds me of my grandma,” Hudson said of that style of music before the song. “This is where I come from. It comes forth from inside.”

With that, she sang Hallelujah. 

More than once the Dunbar Vocational High School graduate alluded to her South Side upbringing and gave a message of hope to all. 

“If I can get there you can too,” she said. 

‘This Is Why I Fight’

After the concert, many in the audience left enthralled with the evening. 

“Every generation has its diva and she is it,” Barry Rustin of Glenview said after the performance. 

The diva in Hudson came through from nail polish that alternated blue and red to her platform high-heeled low boots. Her hair was in motion as well, with long curls bouncing with each step. Her whole attitude was one of energy and movement. 

Hudson’s grounded message of roots and purpose was heard differently by Army Sgt. Calvin Lemons, another South Side native who has served more than 18 years in the military – including four tours in Afghanistan. 

“This is why I fight,” Lemons said. “So I can come home and see this. This is what freedom is about.”