Jennifer Holliday Pulls Out of Inauguration Concert, Apologizes to LGBT Community For 'Lapse in Judgement'

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Less than 24 hours after being named a headliner of Donald Trump's inauguration concert, Jennifer Holliday has canceled her performance.

The 56-year-old Tony-winning actress announced that she would no longer be performing at the welcome concert ahead of Trump's inauguration, after she realized the negative effect it had on her LGBT fans. Holliday was slated to perform alongside Lee Greenwood, Toby Keith and 3 Doors Down at the Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 19 for what is being called the "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration."


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In an open letter to her LGBT fans, Holliday, who originated the role of Effie in Dreamgirls on Broadway, and just wrapped a run in The Color Purple, called her decision to perform at the concert a "lapse of judgement."

Read the letter below.


TO MY BELOVED LGBT COMMUNITY:


Please allow me this opportunity to speak to you directly and to explain why I originally made my decision to perform at the inauguration which was what I had thought would be my simply keeping in my tradition of being a "bi-partisan songbird" having sung for Presidents Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush. I was asked to sing a song for what was presented to me as the "Welcome Concert For The People"-- In my mind I was reflecting on the past times of being asked to sing for presidents and I only focused on the phrase "For The People"... I thought, For America!


I was honestly just thinking that I wanted my voice to be a healing and unifying force for hope through music to help our deeply polarized country... Regretfully, I did not take into consideration that my performing for the concert would actually instead be taken as a political act against my own personal beliefs and be mistaken for support of Donald Trump and Mike Pence.


In light of the information pointed out to me via the Daily Beast article on yesterday, My only choice must now be to stand with the LGBT Community and to state unequivocally that I WILL NOT PERFORM FOR THE WELCOME CONCERT OR FOR ANY OF THE INAUGURATION FESTIVITIES!


I sincerely apologize for my lapse of judgement, for being uneducated on the issues that affect every American at this crucial time in history and for causing such dismay and heartbreak to my fans. Please know that I HEAR YOU and I feel your pain. The LGBT Community was mostly responsible for birthing my career and I am deeply indebted to you... You have loved me faithfully and unconditionally and for so many years you provided me with work even though my star had long since faded.


Thank you for communicating with me, I had no idea that I still meant so much to all of you. Thank you for your posted comments both the good supportive ones as well as the ugly hurtful ones.


With LOVE & Appreciation,


JENNIFER HOLLIDAY


"The Original DreamGirl"

-- Additional reporting by Brendon Geoffrion.


WATCH: Taraji P. Henson, Emma Stone & More Perform 'I Will Survive' Ahead of Donald Trump's Inauguration

See more on Trump's inauguration concert in the video below.