Diana Ross

About Diana Ross

If you could pick one woman to define the words "Motown diva," it would have to be the vocal powerhouse Diana Ross. First with the hit girl group The Supremes, then out on her own, Diana's intense voice had captivated listeners, whether she's singing about true love or broken hearts. And you can be sure, she does plenty of singing about both. Born in the Motown capital of Detroit in 1944, Michigan Diana Ross grew up in the rough Brewster-Douglas housing project. At the age of 14, Ross hooked up with Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and Betty McGlown to form an all-girl doo-wop combo The Primettes. They signed to Motown Records in 1961, replaced McGlown with Barbara Martin, and renamed themselves The Supremes. Martin left, and the legendary trio was fully formed. With her undeniable voice, Ross was clearly the leader of that pack. The Supremes employed the legendary songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland to write their first hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shinning Through His Eyes." The team went on to pen the Supremes' biggest singles like "Where Did Our Love Go?" "Stop! In the Name of Love," and "You Keep Me Hangin' On." Ross broke off with The Supremes under orders from infamous Motown president Berry Gordy. Her early career produced the hits "Remember Me" and "I'm Still Waiting." In 1971 she was chosen to play jazz legend Billie Holiday in the Sidney Furie movie Lady Sings the Blues. Diana Ross was nominated for an Academy Award, but lost to Liza Minnelli in Cabaret. Diana Ross had a string of hits throughout the 80's, including "Endless Love" with Lionel Richie, "Chain Reaction" and "Why Do Fools Fall In Love."