Diana Ross

Diana Ross

Early Life and The Supremes

Diana Ernestine Earle Ross was born on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, the second of six children. Though named Diane at birth, a clerical error on her birth certificate resulted in the name Diana, which she adopted professionally in 1965. Growing up in Detroit's North End, Ross was neighbors with Smokey Robinson, who would later play a pivotal role in her early career. At fifteen, she joined the Primettes, a sister group to the Primes, eventually becoming one of the founding members of The Supremes after being signed to Motown Records in 1961.

As the lead singer of The Supremes, Ross achieved unprecedented success during the 1960s. The group became Motown's most successful act and one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. Between August 1964 and May 1967, The Supremes, featuring Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson, recorded ten consecutive number-one hit singles. Known as the "Queen of Motown," Ross dominated the group's public presence and interviews, eventually leading to Berry Gordy renaming the act "Diana Ross & the Supremes" in 1967. The group achieved a record 12 number-one pop singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Ross remained with The Supremes until January 1970, making her final appearance at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.

Solo Career and Musical Achievements

Following her departure from The Supremes, Ross embarked on a hugely successful solo career, releasing her eponymous debut album in May 1970. Her second single, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," became her first number-one solo hit and earned her first Grammy nomination. Between 1972 and 1980, Ross recorded four top-ten albums, with "Diana" (1980) becoming her most successful studio release. In a fifteen-year span, she recorded twelve top-ten singles, with six reaching number one: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Touch Me in the Morning," "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)," "Love Hangover," "Upside Down," and "Endless Love." This made her the female solo act with the most number-one songs in the United States at the time.

Film and Acting Career

Ross achieved mainstream recognition as an actress, beginning with her critically acclaimed portrayal of Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues" (1972), earning a Golden Globe Award and Academy Award nomination. She became the first African-American actress to receive an Oscar nomination for a debut film performance. The film's soundtrack became her only solo album to reach number one on the Billboard 200. She subsequently starred in "Mahogany" (1975) and "The Wiz" (1978), alongside Michael Jackson. Later television roles included "Out of Darkness" (1994) and "Double Platinum" (1999).

Later Career and Legacy

Ross left Motown in 1981, signing a historic $20 million seven-year contract with RCA Records, then music history's most expensive recording deal. She returned to Motown in 1988 with shares as a part-owner. Throughout her career, Ross collaborated with major artists including Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie, and Michael Jackson. She received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and 2023, becoming the first woman to win the award twice. Ross holds the record for most UK hit singles by a female artist spanning 33 consecutive years (1964-1996). Since 1970, she has sold over 100 million records worldwide. In 2021, Billboard ranked her the 30th greatest charting artist of all time on the Hot 100. Her numerous honors include induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1988), Kennedy Center Honors (2007), Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016), and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.