Meet Renn Woods

Vocalist. Actor. Storyteller.
Renn Woods is a singular talent whose career spans decades of iconic performances and cultural impact. A child prodigy turned award-winning actress, singer, and activist, she’s the voice of the acclaimed 40 Acres and a Lie podcast—winner of the Peabody and DuPont-Columbia Awards and a 2025 Pulitzer Prize finalist. Chosen over top celebrity vocalists, Woods continues to break barriers, embodying survival, brilliance, and fearless reinvention.

Born to Break Barriers

  • Began performing professionally at age 8.
  • By age ten, she had created her girls’ singing group, a hometown sensation.
  • Bob Hope invited Renn’s vocal group to be the opening act on his final tour of duty to Vietnam when she was thirteen.
  • Sammy Davis, Jr. took the trio under his wing and asked them to open for him at Carnegie Hall.
  • Director Robert Zemeckis included a clip of the trio’s Bob Hope performance in Forrest Gump, the movie for which Zemeckis won the Oscar.
  • She used her talent not just for fame but to supplement her single mom’s household earnings.

Defining Roles & Cultural Legacy

  • Fanta in Roots – for which she holds the People’s Choice Award.
  • Dorothy in The Wiz (First National Tour).
  • Soloist for “Aquarius” in Oscar-winning director Milos Foreman’s musical film Hair and the first woman ever to sing the lead.
  • Elvira, the beloved younger sister of Steve Martin’s character in The Jerk.
  • Mary Prentice in the theatrical production of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. Stage and cinema critic Tony Frankel praised Renn and thanked her, especially for her magnificent presence.
  • Chosen by Bob Iger as star vocalist for the Disney Legends Awards Ceremony, where Sir Elton John was inducted.
  • Honored and recognized by cultural icons, including Sidney Poitier, Jane Fonda, Marc Platt, Alec Baldwin, and Henry Winkler.

Art With A Conscience

  • Creator of A Diva Like Me and Sold: Renn Woods in Concert, original works exploring identity, history, and the Black experience.
  • A vocal advocate for racial equality and women’s rights.

What Sets Her Apart?

  • Renn Woods isn’t just a performer—she’s a living legacy. A timeless creative with a deep social conscience, Renn has defied industry norms for five decades—blending art, truth, and advocacy into unforgettable, soul-stirring storytelling.

Testimonials