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Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's
best-selling girl groups A girl group is a popular music act featuring several female singers who generally harmony, harmonize together. Girl groups have been popular at least since the heyday of the The Boswell Sisters, Boswell Sisters beginning in the 1930s, but the t ...
of all time. They remain the best-charting female group in history, with a total of twelve number-one hit singles on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, including " Where Did Our Love Go", " Baby Love", " Come See About Me", and " Love Child". Following departure from the Supremes in 1970, Ross embarked on a successful solo career in music, film, television and on stage. Her eponymous debut solo album featured the U.S. number-one hit " Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and music anthem " Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)". It was followed with her second solo album, '' Everything Is Everything'' (1970), which spawned her first UK number-one single " I'm Still Waiting". She continued her successful solo career by mounting elaborate record-setting world-wide concert tours, starring in a number of highly watched prime-time television specials, and releasing hit albums like ''
Touch Me in the Morning "Touch Me in the Morning" is a song recorded by Diana Ross on the Motown label. It was written by Ron Miller and Michael Masser, and produced by the latter and Tom Baird. It was released on May 3, 1973 as the first single from her album of the ...
'' (1973), '' Mahogany'' (1975), and '' Diana Ross'' (1976) as well as their number-one hit singles, "
Touch Me in the Morning "Touch Me in the Morning" is a song recorded by Diana Ross on the Motown label. It was written by Ron Miller and Michael Masser, and produced by the latter and Tom Baird. It was released on May 3, 1973 as the first single from her album of the ...
", " Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)", and "
Love Hangover "Love Hangover" is a song by the Motown singer Diana Ross, recorded in 1975 and released as a single on March 16, 1976. It rose to number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot-Selling Soul Singles. It also hit number one on the Record World ...
", respectively. Ross further released numerous top-ten hits on various ''Billboard'' charts throughout the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. She achieved several more global number-one singles, "Upside Down" (1980), " Endless Love" (1981), " Why Do Fools Fall in Love" (1982), " Chain Reaction" (1986), " If We Hold on Together" (1988) and "
When You Tell Me That You Love Me "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" is a song by American singer Diana Ross, released on August 20, 1991 as the lead single from her nineteenth studio album, '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991). The song was released on the Motown label in the ...
" (1991). Ross has also achieved mainstream success and recognition as an actor. Her first role was her Golden Globe Award-winning and
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
-nominated portrayal of
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
in the film '' Lady Sings the Blues'' (1972); she also recorded its
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
, which became a number one hit on the U.S. album chart. She also starred in two other feature films, '' Mahogany'' (1975) and '' The Wiz'' (1978), and later appeared in the television films ''
Out of Darkness ''Out of Darkness'' is a 1994 American made-for-television drama film starring singer-actress Diana Ross. The movie was distributed and released by ABC on January 16, 1994, in the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Italy and Portugal ...
'' (1994), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and '' Double Platinum'' (1999). Ross was named the "Female Entertainer of the Century" by '' Billboard'' in 1976. Since her solo career began in 1970, Ross has released 25 studio albums, numerous singles, and compilations that have sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She is the only female artist to have had number-one singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a solo artist, as the other half of a duet, as a member of a trio, and as an ensemble member. In 2021, ''Billboard'' ranked her the 30th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time. Her hits as a Supreme and a solo artist combined put Ross among the Top 5 artists on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart from 1955 to 2018. She had a top 10 UK hit in every one of the last five decades, and sang lead on a top 75 hit single at least once every year from 1964 to 1996 in the UK, a period of 33 consecutive years and a record for any performer. In 1988, Ross was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes. She was the recipient of a Special Tony Award in 1976, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, and the
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...
in 2016.


Early life

Diana Ross was born in
Detroit, Michigan Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
, on March 26, 1944. She was born the second of six children to Ernestine (née Moten; January 27, 1916October 9, 1984) and Fred Ross, Sr. (July 4, 1920November 21, 2007). Her mother named her Diane, but the birth certificate was mistakenly filled out with the name Diana. Her family and Detroit friends called her Diane all her life. Ross grew up with two sisters ( Barbara and Rita) and three brothers: Arthur; Fred Jr.; and Wilbert, also known as Chico. Ross and her family originally resided at 635 Belmont St., in the North End section of Detroit, near Highland Park, Michigan, where her neighbor was Smokey Robinson. When Ross was seven, her mother contracted
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...
, causing her to become seriously ill. Ross' parents sent their children to live with Ernestine's parents, the Reverend (pastor of Bessemer Baptist Church) and Mrs. William Moton in Bessemer, Alabama. After her mother recovered, she and her siblings returned to Detroit. On her 14th birthday in 1958, her family relocated to the working-class Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects settling at St. Antoine Street. Attending
Cass Technical High School Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a public high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States.
, a four-year college and preparatory magnet school, in downtown Detroit, Ross began taking classes including clothing design, millinery, pattern making, and tailoring, as she had aspired to become a fashion designer. She also took modeling and cosmetology classes in the evenings and weekends – for which Ross has written that Robinson loaned her the funds required to attend – and participated in several of the school's extracurricular activities, including its swim team. In 1960, Hudson's downtown Detroit store hired Ross as its first African American bus girl. For extra income, she also provided hairdressing services for her neighbors. Ross graduated from Cass Tech in January 1962.


Career


1959–1970: The Supremes

At fifteen, Ross joined the Primettes, a sister of another group: a male vocal group called the Primes, after being brought to the attention of music manager Milton Jenkins by Primes member Paul Williams. Along with Ross, the other members included Florence Ballard, the first group member hired by Jenkins, Mary Wilson, and Betty McGlown, Williams' then-girlfriend. After winning a 1960 talent competition in
Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the southe ...
, the Primettes were invited to audition for Motown Records by A&R executive and songwriter, Robert Bateman. Later, following local success via live performances at sock hops, etc., Ross approached former neighbor (and rumored childhood former boyfriend), William "Smokey" Robinson, who insisted that the group audition for him first. Robinson agreed to bring the Primettes to Motown, in exchange for letting him and the Miracles hire the Primettes' guitarist, Marv Tarplin, discovered by Ross, for an upcoming tour. Tarplin played in Robinson's band(s) for the next 30-plus years. In her autobiography, ''Secrets of a Sparrow'', Ross wrote that she felt that deal was "a fair trade". The Primettes later auditioned for Motown, before various Motown executives. In Berry Gordy's autobiography, ''To Be Loved'', Gordy recalled he was heading to a business meeting when he heard Ross singing " There Goes My Baby" and Ross's voice "stopped me in my tracks". He approached the group and asked them to perform it again but, learning of their ages, Gordy advised them to return to the company only after graduating from high school. Undeterred, the group returned to Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. headquarters daily, offering to provide extra help for Motown's recordings, often including hand claps and background vocals. That year, the group recorded two tracks for Lu Pine Records, with Ross singing lead on one of the tracks. During the group's early years, Ross served as its hairstylist, make-up artist, seamstress, and costume designer. In late 1960, having replaced McGlown with Barbara Martin, the Primettes were allowed to record their own songs at Hitsville's studio, many written by "Smokey" Robinson, who, by then, was vice president of Motown (" Your Heart Belongs to Me" and " A Breathtaking Guy"). Gordy, too, composed songs for the trio, including " Buttered Popcorn" (featuring Ballard on lead) and " Let Me Go the Right Way". While these songs were regional hits, they were not nationwide successes. In January 1961, Gordy agreed to sign the group on the condition they change their name. Songwriter and Motown secretary Janie Bradford approached Florence Ballard, the only group member at the studio at the time, to pick out a new name for the group. Ballard chose "Supremes", reportedly, because it was the only name on the list that did not end with "ette". Upon hearing the new name, the other members weren't impressed, with Ross telling Ballard she feared the group would be mistaken for a male vocal group (a male vocal group was, indeed, named the Supremes). Gordy signed the group under their new name on January 15, 1961. A year later, Barbara Martin left the group, reducing the quartet to a trio. In late 1963, the group had their first hit with " When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes", peaking at No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 pop chart. At the end of the year, Gordy assigned Ross the role of the group's lead singer. In June 1964, while on tour with
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 19 ...
's Cavalcade of Stars, the group scored their first number-one hit with " Where Did Our Love Go", paving the way for unprecedented success: between August 1964 and May 1967, Ross, Wilson, and Ballard sang on ten number-one hit singles, all of which also made the UK Top 40. The group had also become a hit with audiences both domestically and abroad, going on to become Motown's most successful vocal act throughout the sixties. Ross began to dominate interviews with the media, answering questions aimed at Ballard or Wilson. She pushed for more pay than her colleagues. In 1965, she began using the name Diana from the mistake on her birth certificate, surprising Ballard and Wilson who had only known her as Diane. Following significant issues with comportment, weight, and alcoholism, Florence Ballard was fired from the Supremes by Gordy in July 1967, hiring Cindy Birdsong from Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles as Ballard's replacement. Gordy renamed the group ''Diana Ross & the Supremes'', making it easier to charge a larger performance fee for a solo star and a backing group, as it did for other renamed Motown groups. Gordy initially considered having Ross leave the Supremes for a solo career in 1966, eventually changing his mind because he felt the group's success was still too significant for Ross to pursue solo obligations. Ross remained with the Supremes until early 1970. The group appeared as a trio of singing nuns in a 1968 episode of the popular NBC TV series ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
''. Between their early 1968 single "
Forever Came Today "Forever Came Today" is a 1967 song written and produced by the Motown collective of Holland–Dozier–Holland, and was first made into a hit as a single for Diana Ross & the Supremes in early 1968. A disco version of the song was released as a s ...
" and their final single with Ross, " Someday We'll Be Together", Ross would be the only Supremes member to be featured on many of their recordings, often accompanied by session singers the Andantes or, as in the case of "Someday We'll Be Together", Julia and Maxine Waters and Johnny Bristol. Still, Wilson and Birdsong continued to sing on recordings. Gordy drove Ross relentlessly throughout this period and Ross, due to anxiety arising from Gordy's demands of her, began suffering from
anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gre ...
, according to her autobiography, ''Secrets of a Sparrow''. During a 1967 performance in Boston, Massachusetts, Ross collapsed onstage and had to be hospitalized for exhaustion. In 1968, Ross began to perform as a solo artist on television specials, including the Supremes' own specials such as '' TCB'' and '' G.I.T. on Broadway'', '' The Dinah Shore Show'', and a
Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was a British-American comedian, vaudevillian, actor, singer and dancer. With a career that spanned nearly 80 years, Hope appeared in more than 70 short and feature films, with ...
special, among others. In mid-1969, Gordy decided that Ross would depart the group by the end of that year, and Ross began recording her initial solo work that July. One of the first plans for Ross to establish her own solo career was to publicly introduce a new Motown recording act. Though she herself did not claim their discovery, Motown's publicity department credited Ross with having discovered the Jackson 5. Ross would introduce the group during several public events, including '' The Hollywood Palace''. In November, Ross confirmed a split from the Supremes in '' Billboard''. Ross's presumed first solo recording, "Someday We'll Be Together", was eventually released as a Supremes recording and became the group's final number-one hit on the Hot 100. It was also the final number-one ''Billboard'' Hot 100 single of the 1960s. Ross made her final appearance with the Supremes at the
Frontier Hotel The New Frontier (formerly Hotel Last Frontier and The Frontier) was a hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. The property began as a casino and dance club known as Pair O' Dice, opened in 1931. It was sold in 1941, and inc ...
in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
,
Nevada Nevada ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, Western region of the United States. It is bordered by Oregon to the northwest, Idaho to the northeast, California to the west, Arizona to the southeast, and Utah to the east. N ...
on January 14, 1970.


1970–1980: Solo career and films

In May 1970, Ross released her eponymous debut solo album, which included her signature songs, " Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" and " Ain't No Mountain High Enough", the latter becoming Ross's first number-one solo single. Follow-up albums, '' Everything Is Everything'' (1970) and '' Surrender'' (1971) came out shortly afterwards. In 1971, the ballad " I'm Still Waiting" became her first number-one single in the UK. Later in 1971, Ross starred in her first solo
television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of e ...
, ''Diana!'', which included the Jackson 5. In 1971, Diana Ross began working on her first film, '' Lady Sings the Blues'' (1972), which was a loosely based biography on singer
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
. Despite some criticism of her for taking the role, once the film opened in October 1972, Ross won critical acclaim for her performance in the film. Jazz critic Leonard Feather, a friend of Holiday's, praised Ross for "expertly capturing the essence of Lady Day". Ross's role in the film won her Golden Globe Award and
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
nominations for Best Actress. The
soundtrack A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrac ...
to ''Lady Sings the Blues'' became just as successful, reaching No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' 200, staying there for two weeks, and selling two million units. In 1973, Ross had her second number-one hit in the U.S. with the ballad "
Touch Me in the Morning "Touch Me in the Morning" is a song recorded by Diana Ross on the Motown label. It was written by Ron Miller and Michael Masser, and produced by the latter and Tom Baird. It was released on May 3, 1973 as the first single from her album of the ...
". Later in the year, Motown issued '' Diana & Marvin'', a duet album with fellow Motown artist Marvin Gaye. The album became an international hit. Touring throughout 1973, Ross became the first entertainer in Japan's history to receive an invitation to the Imperial Palace for a private audience with the
Empress Nagako An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother ( ...
, wife of Emperor Hirohito. In April 1974, Ross became the first African-American woman to co-host the
Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, with John Huston, Burt Reynolds, and David Niven. After the release of a modestly successful album, '' Last Time I Saw Him'' (1973), Ross's second film, '' Mahogany'', was released in 1975. The film reunited her with
Billy Dee Williams William December Williams Jr. (born April 6, 1937) is an American actor. He appeared as Lando Calrissian in the '' Star Wars'' franchise, first in the early 1980s for ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) and ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), and thir ...
, her co-star in ''Lady Sings the Blues'' and featured costumes designed by Ross herself. The story of an aspiring fashion designer who becomes a runway model and the toast of the industry, ''Mahogany'' was a troubled production from its inception. The film's original director, Tony Richardson, was fired during production, and Berry Gordy assumed the director's chair himself.Posner, Gerald. ''Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power'', p. 286. Gordy and Ross clashed during filming, with Ross leaving the production before shooting was completed, forcing Gordy to use secretary Edna Anderson as a body double for Ross. While a box-office success, the film was not well received by the critics: ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' magazine's review of the film chastised Gordy for "squandering one of America's most natural resources: Diana Ross". Nonetheless, Ross had her third number-one hit in the U.S. with " Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)". A year later, in 1976, Ross released her fourth solo number-one hit, "
Love Hangover "Love Hangover" is a song by the Motown singer Diana Ross, recorded in 1975 and released as a single on March 16, 1976. It rose to number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and Hot-Selling Soul Singles. It also hit number one on the Record World ...
", a sensual, dramatic mid-tempo song that bursts into an uptempo disco tune. Later that year, Ross launched her "An Evening with Diana Ross" tour. The tour's success led to a two-week stint at Broadway's Palace Theatre and a 90-minute, Emmy-nominated television special of the same name, featuring special make-up effects by Stan Winston, for a scene in which Ross portrayed legendary cabaret artist
Josephine Baker Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...
and blues singers
Bessie Smith Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Nicknamed the " Empress of the Blues", she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1930s. Inducted into the Rock an ...
and Ethel Waters, and a Special Tony Award. The albums '' Baby It's Me'' (1977) and '' Ross'' (1978) sold modestly. In 1977, Motown had acquired the film rights to the Broadway play '' The Wiz'', an African-American reinterpretation of L. Frank Baum's '' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz''. The film initially was to include the stage actors who had performed on the play, but, producer Rob Cohen could not garner the interest of any major Hollywood film studios. It was not until Ross convinced Cohen to cast her (instead of Stephanie Mills, who portrayed Dorothy on Broadway) as Dorothy that
Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Americ ...
agreed to finance the production. This casting decision led to a change in the film's script, in which Dorothy went from a schoolgirl to a schoolteacher. The role of the Scarecrow, also performed by someone else onstage, was eventually given to Ross's former Motown labelmate,
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
. Ross and Jackson had a modest dance hit with their recording for the film of " Ease on Down the Road". Their second duet, actually as part of the ensemble of ''The Wiz'', "Brand New Day", found some success overseas. The film adaptation of ''The Wiz'' had been a $24 million production, but upon its October 1978 release, it earned only $21,049,053 at the box office. Though pre-release television broadcast rights had been sold to CBS for over $10 million, the film produced a net loss of $10.4 million for Motown and Universal. At the time, it was the most expensive film musical ever made. The film's failure ended Ross's short career on the big screen and contributed to the Hollywood studios' reluctance to produce the all-black film projects which had become popular during the blaxploitation era of the early to mid-1970s for several years. In 1979, Ross released '' The Boss'', continuing her popularity with dance audiences, as the title song became a number-one dance single. On July 16, 1979, Ross guest-hosted an episode of Johnny Carson's '' The Tonight Show'', featuring
Lynda Carter Lynda Jean Cordova Carter (born July 24, 1951) is an American actress, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World USA 1972 and finished in the top 15 at the Miss World 1972 pageant. Carter is best known as the star of t ...
,
George Carlin George Denis Patrick Carlin (May 12, 1937 – June 22, 2008) was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of countercul ...
, and Muhammad Ali as guests. Later that year, Ross hosted the HBO special, ''Standing Room Only'', filmed at Caesars Palace's Circus Maximus Theater in Las Vegas, Nevada, during her "Tour '79" concert tour. This concert special is noted for its opening, during which Ross literally makes her entrance through a movie screen. In November of that year, Ross performed ''The Boss'' album's title track as a featured artist during the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States wit ...
, in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. In 1980, Ross released her most successful album to date, '' Diana''. Composed by Chic's guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards, the album included the hits "
I'm Coming Out "I'm Coming Out" is a song recorded by American singer Diana Ross. It was written and produced by Chic members Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, and released on August 22, 1980, as the second single from Ross' self-titled tenth album '' Diana'' ...
" and " Upside Down", the latter becoming her fifth chart-topping single in the U.S. Ross scored a Top 10 hit in late 1980 with the theme song to the film '' It's My Turn''. Continuing her connections with Hollywood, Ross recorded the duet ballad " Endless Love", with Lionel Richie. The song would become her sixth and final single to reach number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.


1981–1987: Leaving Motown and RCA years

Ross began negotiations to leave Motown at the end of 1980. After over 20 years with the label, Ross received US$250,000 as severance.
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also ...
offered Ross a $20 million, seven-year recording contract, which gave her complete production control of her albums. Before signing onto the label, Ross allegedly asked Berry Gordy if he could match RCA's offer. Gordy stated that doing so was "impossible". Ross then signed with RCA on May 20, 1981. At the time, Ross's was music history's most expensive recording deal. In October 1981, Ross released her first RCA album, '' Why Do Fools Fall in Love''. The album sold over a million copies and featured hit singles such as her remake of the classic hit of the same name and " Mirror Mirror". Shortly thereafter, Ross established her production company, named Anaid Productions ("Diana" spelled backwards), and also began investing in real estate and touring extensively in the United States and abroad. Before the release of ''Why Do Fools Fall in Love'', Ross hosted her first TV special in four years, ''Diana''. Directed by
Steve Binder Steve Binder (born December 12, 1932) is an American producer and director. He found success behind the camera on television shows showcasing music, when he was only in his early 20s."Elvis the comeback'". ''Record Collector'', 357 (Christmas 2008 ...
, the concert portions of the special were filmed at Inglewood, California's 17,500-seat The Forum indoor stadium and featured performances by
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
, Muhammad Ali, ''
Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...
'' actor Larry Hagman, music impresario Quincy Jones and members of the Joffrey Ballet. In early 1982, Ross sang "
The Star-Spangled Banner "The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States. The lyrics come from the "Defence of Fort M'Henry", a poem written on September 14, 1814, by 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet Francis Scott Key after witnessing the ...
" at
Super Bowl XVI Super Bowl XVI was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Cincinnati Bengals to decide the National Football League (NFL) champ ...
and appeared on the musical variety show '' Soul Train''. The episode, devoted completely to her, featured Ross performing several songs from ''Why Do Fools Fall in Love''. On May 6, 1982, Ross was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She followed up the success of ''Why Do Fools Fall in Love'' with '' Silk Electric'', which featured the Michael Jackson-written and -produced " Muscles", resulting in another Top 10 Grammy nominated success for Ross. The album eventually went gold on the strength of that song. In 1983, Ross ventured further out of her earlier soul-based sound for a more
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, ear ...
-oriented sound following the release of the '' Ross'' album. Though the album featured the Top 40 hit single, " Pieces of Ice", the ''Ross'' album did not generate any more hits or achieve gold status. On July 21, 1983, Ross performed a free concert on
Central Park Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban park in the United States, with an estimated ...
's
Great Lawn The Great Lawn and Turtle Pond are two connected features of Central Park in Manhattan, New York City, United States. The lawn and pond are located on the site of a former reservoir for the Croton Aqueduct system which was infilled during t ...
, aired live worldwide by Showtime. Proceeds of the concert would be donated to build a playground in the singer's name. Midway through the beginning of the show, a torrential downpour began. Ross tried to continue performing, but the severe weather forced the show to be stopped after 45 minutes. Ross urged the large crowd to exit the venue safely, promising to perform the next day. The next day's concert suffered no rain, but the memorabilia that was supposed to be sold to raise money for the playground had already been destroyed by the storm. When journalists discovered the exorbitant costs of the two concerts, Ross faced criticism from Mayor Ed Koch and the Parks Department commissioner. During a subsequent mayoral press conference, Ross handed Koch a check for US$250,000 for the project. The Diana Ross Playground was built three years later. In 1984, Ross released '' Swept Away''. The album featured " All of You", a duet with friend
Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...
. The single was featured on both Ross's album and Iglesias's ''
1100 Bel Air Place ''1100 Bel Air Place'' is an album of love songs performed by Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, released on 10 August 1984 by CBS Records internationally and by Columbia Records in the United States. It was the first of Iglesias' albums to be per ...
'', his first English-language album. It became an international hit, as did the Lionel Richie-penned ballad " Missing You", composed as a tribute to Marvin Gaye, who had been killed earlier that year. '' Swept Away'' garnered gold record sales status. Her 1985 album ''
Eaten Alive ''Eaten Alive'' (known under various alternate titles, including ''Death Trap'', ''Horror Hotel'', and ''Starlight Slaughter'', and stylized on the poster as ''Eaten Alive!'') is a 1976 American horror film directed by Tobe Hooper, and written ...
'', produced by Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees, garnered a number one single overseas and a Top 20 spot on the album charts. The song " Chain Reaction" reached number one in the U.K., Australia, South Africa, Israel and Ireland, and the title track, a collaboration with Michael Jackson and Gibb, also performed well. Both songs had strong music videos that propelled the tracks to success. The "Eaten Alive" video was patterned after the 1970s horror film '' The Island of Dr. Moreau'', while the one for " Chain Reaction" saluted the 1960s '' American Bandstand''-style TV shows. The video for "Experience", the third single from the album, reignited the "Eaten Alive" romantic storyline with Ross and actor Joseph Gian. Earlier in 1985, Ross appeared as part of USA for Africa's " We Are the World" charity single, which sold over 20 million copies worldwide. Ross's 1987 follow-up to ''Eaten Alive'', '' Red Hot Rhythm & Blues'' found less success; it reached No. 39 on the ''Billboard'' Top R&B Albums chart and No. 12 in Sweden. However, the album's accompanying television special was nominated for three Emmy Awards and won two: Outstanding Costume Design for a Variety or Music Program (
Ray Aghayan Gorgen Ray Aghayan (July 28, 1928 – October 10, 2011) was an American fashion designer and costume designer for the United States film industry. He won an Emmy Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for his costume design. From the earl ...
and Ret Turner) and Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic) for a Miniseries or a Special (Greg Brunton). On January 27, 1986, Ross hosted the 13th annual '' American Music Awards''. Ross returned the next year to host the 14th annual telecast.


1988–1999: Return to Motown

In 1988, Ross chose to not renew her RCA contract and had been in talks with her former mentor Berry Gordy to return to Motown. When she learned of Gordy's plans to sell Motown, Ross tried advising him against the decision, though he ended up selling it to MCA Records in June of that year. Following the sale of the company, Ross was asked to return to the Motown label with the condition that she have shares in the company as a part-owner; Ross accepted the offer. That same year, Ross was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes alongside her former singing partners Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. She also recorded the theme song to animated adventure drama film '' The Land Before Time'' (1988). " If We Hold on Together" became an international hit, reaching number one in Japan. Ross's next album, 1989's ''
Workin' Overtime ''Workin' Overtime'' is the eighteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on June 6, 1989, by Motown Records. Her first Motown album with new material since '' To Love Again'' (1981) after a short stint with RCA Records, Ross r ...
'', was not a commercial success, despite the title track reaching the top three of the ''Billboard''s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album peaked at No. 34 on the ''Billboard'' Hot R&B Albums chart, and achieved top 25 placings in Japan and the UK, attaining a silver certification in the latter country. Subsequent releases, such as '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991), ''
Take Me Higher ''Take Me Higher'' is the twenty-first studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 5, 1995, by Motown Records. Ross' first regular studio release in four years, following '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991) and the holida ...
'' (1995), and '' Every Day Is a New Day'' (1999) produced similar results, achieving more international than domestic success. In 1991, Ross became one of the few American artists to have headlined the annual Royal Variety Performance, performing a selection of her UK hits before Queen Elizabeth II and
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 1921 – 9 April 2021) was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he served as the consort of the British monarch from E ...
at the Victoria Palace Theatre, London. This marked her second appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, the first being in 1968 with the Supremes. '' The Force Behind the Power'' sparked an international comeback of sorts when the album went double platinum in the UK. led by the near chart-topping No. 2 UK hit single "
When You Tell Me That You Love Me "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" is a song by American singer Diana Ross, released on August 20, 1991 as the lead single from her nineteenth studio album, '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991). The song was released on the Motown label in the ...
". The single's duet version with Irish boy band,
Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporar ...
, also hit No. 2 in the UK in 2005. The album performed well across Europe and into Japan as '' The Force Behind the Power'' achieved Gold record status in the nation. The album produced an astounding 9 singles across international territories, including another Top 10 hit, "One Shining Moment". In 1993, Ross returned to acting with a dramatic role in the television film, ''
Out of Darkness ''Out of Darkness'' is a 1994 American made-for-television drama film starring singer-actress Diana Ross. The movie was distributed and released by ABC on January 16, 1994, in the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Italy and Portugal ...
''. Ross won acclaim for her role in the TV movie and earned her third Golden Globe nomination, although she did not win. In 1994, '' One Woman: The Ultimate Collection'', a career retrospective compilation, became a number one hit in the UK, selling quadruple platinum, and selling well across Europe and in the English-speaking world. The retrospective was EMI's alternative to Motown's box set '' Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs''. Ross performed during the opening ceremony of the
1994 FIFA World Cup The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the country. The United States ...
held in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, where she infamously missed a
penalty kick A penalty shot or penalty kick is a play used in several sports whereby a goal is attempted during untimed play. Depending on the sport, when a player commits certain types of penalties, the opposition is awarded a penalty shot or kick attempt. ...
that was part of her act, and during the pre-match entertainment of the 1995 Rugby League World Cup final at Wembley Stadium. On January 28, 1996, Ross performed at the
Super Bowl XXX halftime show The Super Bowl XXX halftime show occurred on January 28, 1996, at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona as part of Super Bowl XXX and featured American entertainer Diana Ross. The show was produced by Radio City Music Hall. The performance w ...
, held at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Earlier that month, Ross's Tokyo concert, ''Diana Ross: Live in Japan'', filmed live at the city's Nippon Budokan Stadium, was released. In May 1996, Ross received the World Music Awards' Lifelong Contribution to the Music Industry Award. On November 29, EMI released the compilation album, ''Voice of Love'', featuring the singles "In the Ones You Love", "You Are Not Alone" and "I Hear (The Voice of Love)". On February 8, 1997, EMI released the Japanese edition of Ross's album, ''A Gift of Love'', featuring the single, "Promise Me You'll Try". In May, she performed with operatic tenors
Plácido Domingo José Plácido Domingo Embil (born 21 January 1941) is a Spanish opera singer, conductor, and arts administrator. He has recorded over a hundred complete operas and is well known for his versatility, regularly performing in Italian, French ...
and José Carreras again at the Superconcert of the Century concert, held in Taipei, Taiwan. She later inducted the Jackson 5 into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on May 6. On February 19, 1998, Ross hosted the Motown 40 telecast on ABC. In 1999, Ross was named the most successful female singer in the history of the United Kingdom charts, based upon a tally of her career hits. Madonna would soon succeed Ross as the most successful female artist in the UK. Later that year, Ross presented at the
1999 MTV Video Music Awards The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards (stylized as 9999 MTV Video Music Awards) aired live on September 9, 1999, honoring the best music videos from June 13, 1998, to June 11, 1999. The show was hosted by Chris Rock at the Metropolitan Opera House in N ...
in September of the year and shocked the audience by touching rapper Lil' Kim's exposed breast and pasty-covered nipple, amazed at the young rapper's brashness."Diana Ross and Lil' Kim's wild VMA moment"
, Lisa Costantini, August 21, 2002, ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
''. Retrieved March 26, 2007.
In 1999, she and Brandy Norwood co-starred in the television movie, '' Double Platinum'', which was aired prior to the release of Ross's album, '' Every Day Is a New Day''.


2000–2003: Supremes reunion

Ross reunited with Mary Wilson first in 1976 to attend the funeral service of Florence Ballard, who had died in February of that year. In March 1983, Ross agreed to reunite with Wilson and Cindy Birdsong for the television special '' Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever''. The Supremes did not rehearse their performance for that evening, due to time constraints. A scheduled medley of hits was cancelled. Instead of following producer Suzanne de Passe's instructions to recreate their choreography from their final
Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the '' CBS Sunday Night M ...
appearance, Wilson (according to her autobiography) planned with Birdsong to take a step forward every time Ross did the same, then began to sing lead on the group's final number-one hit song, " Someday We'll Be Together", on which Wilson did not perform. Later, Wilson introduced Berry Gordy from the stage (unaware that the program's script called for Ross to introduce Gordy), at which point Ross subtly pushed down Wilson's hand-held microphone, stating, "It's been taken care of." Ross then re-introduced Gordy. These moments were excised from the final edit of the taped special, but still made their way into the news media; ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' magazine reported that "Ross idsome elbowing to get Wilson out of the spotlight." In 1999, Ross and mega-tour promoter SFX Entertainment (which later became Live Nation) began negotiations regarding a Diana Ross tour which would include a Supremes segment. During negotiations with Ross, the promoters considered the creation of a Supremes tour, instead. Ross agreed. As the tour's co-producer, Ross invited all living former Supremes to participate. Neither Jean Terrell nor late 1970s member Susaye Greene chose to participate. 70s Supremes Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne were then touring as Former Ladies of the Supremes. Ross contacted Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, who then began negotiations with SFX. Negotiations with Wilson and Birdsong (who allowed Wilson to negotiate on her behalf) failed when Wilson refused SFX's and Ross's offer of $4 million for 30 performances. Following the passage of SFX's final deadline for Wilson to accept their offer, Payne and Laurence, already negotiating with SFX, signed on to perform with Ross on the tour. Laurence and Payne would later say that they got along well with Ross. The newly formed group performed together on '' Today'' and '' The Oprah Winfrey Show'', as well as VH1's '' VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross''. The
Return to Love Tour The Return to Love Tour was a 2000 concert tour by American singing group Diana Ross and the Supremes. Origins In 1999, Diana Ross released her final album on Motown Records, ''Every Day is a New Day''. According to Ross (featured in an intervie ...
launched in June 2000, to a capacity audience in Philadelphia. The tour's final performance was at
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
's Madison Square Garden. The tour was cancelled by SFX shortly thereafter, due to mediocre ticket sales, despite glowing reviews from media as varied as ''Billboard'' magazine, the ''
Detroit Free Press The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primar ...
'', the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...
'' and ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...
'' newspapers. On December 5, 2000, Ross received a Heroes Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS). The Heroes Award is the highest distinction bestowed by the New York Chapter. Diana Ross's first public post-RTL appearance was at a fundraiser for former president
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...
. In January 2001, '' Love & Life: The Very Best of Diana Ross'' was released in the United Kingdom, becoming Ross's 17th gold album in that country. In June, Ross presented costume designer
Bob Mackie Robert Gordon "Bob" Mackie (born March 24, 1939) is an American fashion designer and costumier, best known for his dressing of entertainment icons such as Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Diahann Carroll, Carol Channing, Cher, Doris Day, Marlene D ...
with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the American Fashion Awards. Two days before the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
, Ross performed "
God Bless America "God Bless America" is an American patriotic song written by Irving Berlin during World War I in 1918 and revised by him in the run up to World War II in 1938. The later version was notably recorded by Kate Smith, becoming her signature s ...
" at the US Open before the tournament's women's final, between Venus and
Serena Williams Serena Jameka Williams (born September 26, 1981) is an American inactive professional tennis player. Considered among the greatest tennis players of all time, she was ranked world No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) fo ...
. Immediately following the attacks, Ross performed the song again at Shea Stadium, before the
New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...
first game, after driving cross-country to be with her children (in the wake of the attacks, flying in the U.S. was temporarily restricted.). Ross teamed with legendary singers Patti LaBelle and Eartha Kitt, among others, for a Nile Rodgers-produced recording of Sister Sledge's classic disco hit, " We Are Family", recorded to benefit the families of 9/11 victims. In May 2002, Ross and all five of her children appeared on Barbara Walters' Mother's Day television special. Shortly thereafter, Ross admitted herself into the 30-day substance abuse program at the Promises Institute in Malibu, California, after friends and family began to notice a burgeoning alcohol problem. Ross left the program three weeks later and began to fulfill previously scheduled concert dates, beginning with a performance before a 60,000-strong crowd at London's Hyde Park, for Prince Charles' Prince's Trust charity. U.S. ticket sales for the new tour were brisk, from coast to coast. Venues, such as
Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...
's Westbury Music Fair, California's
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts The Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (or CCPA) is a entertainment and music venue located in the Cerritos Towne Center of Cerritos, California. It is owned and operated by the City of Cerritos and it opened its doors to the public on Janu ...
and Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay, attempted to add extra shows, due to public demand. Sold-out performances in
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and
Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada, followed. In August, shortly after the tour began, however, Ross re-entered the Promises Institute's substance abuse rehabilitation program. That December, during her stay at Arizona's Canyon Ranch Health Resort, Ross was pulled over by Tucson police for driving the wrong way on a one-way street. She failed a breathalizer test and was arrested for a
DUI Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...
. Ross was later sentenced to 48 hours in jail, which she served near her home in
Greenwich, Connecticut Greenwich (, ) is a town in southwestern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. At the 2020 census, the town had a total population of 63,518. The largest town on Connecticut's Gold Coast, Greenwich is home to many hedge funds and othe ...
. In January 2003, Ross was honored as Humanitarian of the Year by Nile Rodgers'
We Are Family Foundation The We Are Family Foundation (WAFF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2001 by musician Nile Rodgers in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Its mission is creating and supporting programs that inspire and educate ...
. Shortly thereafter, Ross was feted as an honored guest at the National Association of Black-Owned Broadcasters Awards. Later that year, Ross was the guest performer at that year's
Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
's Costume Institute's annual gala, in an ensemble custom-designed by fashion designer Tom Ford, followed by an appearance as the surprise celebrity model for American couturier Dennis Basso's runway show. In February 2003, the Supremes were honored by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation with its Pioneer Award.


2004–2019: Later career

In May 2004, Ross and daughter Tracee Ellis Ross appeared on the cover of '' Essence'' magazine, in celebration of its 50th anniversary. On December 8, 2004, Ross was the featured performer for
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, pop, s ...
's ''Billboard'' Music Awards' Century Award tribute. On January 14, 2005, Ross performed at the '' Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope'' TV concert to help raise money for the tsunami victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. On January 20, 2005, Ross launched her M.A.C. Icon makeup collection, as part of the beauty corporation's Icon Series. In 2005, Ross participated in Rod Stewart's '' Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV'' recording a duet version of the Gershwin standard, " I've Got a Crush on You". The song was released as promotion for the album and later reached No. 19 on the ''Billboard''
Hot Adult Contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...
chart, marking her first ''Billboard'' chart entry since 2000. Ross was featured in another hit duet, this time with
Westlife Westlife is an Irish pop vocal group formed in Dublin, Ireland in 1998. The group currently consists of members Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne. Brian McFadden was a member, until he left in 2004. The group temporar ...
, on a cover of Ross's 1991 hit "
When You Tell Me That You Love Me "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" is a song by American singer Diana Ross, released on August 20, 1991 as the lead single from her nineteenth studio album, '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991). The song was released on the Motown label in the ...
", repeating the original recording's chart success, garnering a No. 2
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
hit (No. 1 in Ireland). Also in 2005, Ross was featured as an honored guest at Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball Weekend, a three-day celebration honoring 25 African-American women in art, entertainment and civil rights. On May 22, 2006, a year after the celebration, a one-hour program about the weekend aired on ABC, including celebrity interviews and behind-the-scenes moments. On March 22, 2006, Ross's televised Central Park concerts, entitled "For One & for All", were named TV Land Awards' Viewer's Choice for Television's Greatest Music Moment. In June 2006,
Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...
released Ross's shelved 1972 ''
Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...
'' album. It peaked at No. 2 on ''Billboard''s Top Jazz Albums chart. Later in 2006, Ross released her first studio album in seven years with ''
I Love You I Love You, I Love U, or I Luv U may refer to: Film and television Films * ''I Love You'' (1918 film), a silent drama written by Catherine Carr * ''I Love You'' (1925 film), a German silent drama film * ''I Love You'' (1938 film) a German ...
''. It would be released on EMI/ Manhattan Records in the United States in January 2007. EMI Inside later reported the album had sold more than 622,000 copies worldwide. "I Love You" peaked at No. 32 on ''Billboard''s Hot 200 albums chart and No. 16 on ''Billboard''s Top R&B Albums chart. Ross later ventured on a world tour to promote ''I Love You''. In 2007, Ross was honored with the BET Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award and, later, as one of the honorees at the Kennedy Center Honors. On August 28, 2008, Ross performed at the opening of the US Open tennis tournament, as part of a tribute to Billie Jean King. Ross headlined the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in
Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
, Norway. In October 2009, Ross was the featured performer at the annual ''Symphonica in Rosso'' concert series, held at the GelreDome Stadium in Arnhem, Netherlands. In 2010, Ross embarked on her first headlining tour in three years titled the '' More Today Than Yesterday: The Greatest Hits Tour''. Dedicated to the memory of her late friend
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
, the concert tour garnered positive reviews, nationwide. In 2011, Ross was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. In February 2012, Ross received her first
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
, for Lifetime Achievement, and announced the nominees for the
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
. In May, a DVD of her Central Park concert performances, ''For One & For All'', was released and featured commentary from
Steve Binder Steve Binder (born December 12, 1932) is an American producer and director. He found success behind the camera on television shows showcasing music, when he was only in his early 20s."Elvis the comeback'". ''Record Collector'', 357 (Christmas 2008 ...
, who directed the special. A month later, on December 9, she performed as the marquee and headlining performer at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
-hosted '' Christmas in Washington'' concert, where she performed before former President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
. The event was later broadcast as an annual special on TNT. In 2013, Ross completed a tour in South America and a tour in the United States. On July 3, 2014, Ross was awarded the Ella Fitzgerald Award for "her extraordinary contribution to contemporary jazz vocals", at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. On November 20, 2014, Ross presented the Dick Clark Award for Excellence to
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
at the American Music Awards. In 2015, Ross appeared in the video for the song "How to Live Alone" performed by her son Evan Ross. On April 1, 2015, Ross began the first of nine performances as a part of her mini-residency, '' The Essential Diana Ross: Some Memories Never Fade'' at The Venetian in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
, Nevada. On November 27, 2015, Motown/
Universal Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...
released the album '' Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz'', recorded in 1978. The album features Ross's versions of songs from the film version of the musical '' The Wiz'', in which she starred along with Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, Ted Ross, Richard Pryor and Lena Horne. In February 2016, Ross resumed her
In the Name of Love Tour The In the Name of Love Tour is a concert tour by American recording artist, Diana Ross. The tour visited the Americas and Asia throughout 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Opening acts *Rhonda Ross Kendrick (select dates) *Evan Ross (Los Angeles) ...
, which began in 2013. On November 22, 2016, Ross was awarded the
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...
by President Obama. In December 2016, '' Billboard'' magazine named her the 50th most successful dance club artist of all time. On June 30, 2017, Ross headlined the Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana, with her daughter Rhonda Ross-Kendrick performing as the opening act. On November 19, 2017, Ross received the American Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. Ross performed several of her hits, ending with " Ain't No Mountain High Enough", during which she brought all of her grandchildren onstage. Her eldest grandson, eight-year-old Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick, son of Rhonda Ross-Kendrick and husband, Rodney, performed an impromptu dance behind Ross, which gained attention. Ross was then joined onstage by all of her children, their spouses, first ex-husband Robert Ellis, Smokey Robinson (who brought Ross to Motown) and Motown founder, Berry Gordy. In December 2017, Ross appeared on the Home Shopping Network to promote her first fragrance, Diamond Diana. The fragrance sold out within hours. Ross made several hour-long appearances on the network, and also released a tie-in CD retrospective collection of her music titled ''Diamond Diana''. ''Diamond Diana'' peaked at No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' R&B Albums chart and No. 5 on its Top Album Sales chart. The CD's first single release, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough 2017", remixed by Eric Kupper, reached No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart. On February 8, 2018, Ross began a new mini-residency at Wynn Las Vegas. On August 4, 2018, Ross scored another No. 1 hit on Billboard's Top Dance Chart with "I'm Coming Out/Upside Down 2018". She performed a song from a to-be-released compilation Christmas album at the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the U.S.-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States wit ...
on November 22, 2018. In December 2018, Ross consolidated her status as a dance diva by ranking No. 3 in the Billboard '' Dance Club Songs'' Artists year-end chart. On February 10, 2019,
The Recording Academy The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
honored Ross at the
61st Annual Grammy Awards The 61st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on February 10, 2019, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Singer-songwriter Alicia Keys hosted. During her opening monologue, Keys brought out Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer Lopez, and fo ...
. Ross performed "The Best Years of My Life" and "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)". In 2019, her song "The Boss" was remixed by Eric Kupper as "The Boss 2019", and reached No. 1 on ''Billboards Top Dance Chart on April 13. On October 10, 2019, it was announced that Ross would play the Sunday legends slot on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival for the festival's 50th anniversary; however, the festival was postponed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. Then on November 10, 2021, Ross confirmed that she would play the legends slot at the 2022 festival.


2020–present: ''Thank You'' and Glastonbury

In May 2020, Ross released ''Supertonic: Mixes'', a collection of nine of her greatest hits remixed by Eric Kupper and featuring her four back-to-back No.1 hits on ''Billboard'' Dance Club Songs chart: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough 2017", "I'm Coming Out/Upside Down 2018", "The Boss 2019", and "Love Hangover 2020". In July 2020, "Supertonic: Mixes" was also released on CD and crystal-clear vinyl LP. Ross released her twenty-fifth studio album ''
Thank You "''Thank you''" (often expanded to ''thank you very much'' or ''thanks a lot'', or informally abbreviated to ''thanks'' or alternately as ''many thanks''Geoffrey Leech, ''The Pragmatics of Politeness'' (2014), p. 200.) is a common expression of ...
'' in November 2021. It was written and recorded during the
COVID-19 pandemic lockdown Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions) have been implemented in numerous countr ...
and contains her first original material since 1999's ''Every Day Is a New Day''. In May 2022, she released the single "Turn Up the Sunshine", a collaboration with psychedelic pop band Tame Impala. The track is the lead single from the Jack Antonoff-produced original soundtrack album of the film '' Minions: The Rise of Gru''. With the exception of this track, the album primarily features new spins on classic 1970s hits by artists such as Brittany Howard,
St. Vincent Saint Vincent may refer to: People Saints * Vincent of Saragossa (died 304), a.k.a. Vincent the Deacon, deacon and martyr * Saint Vincenca, 3rd century Roman martyress, whose relics are in Blato, Croatia * Vincent, Orontius, and Victor (died 305) ...
, H.E.R., and many others. On June 4, 2022, Ross appeared as the finale act at the Platinum Party at the Palace in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. On June 10, 2022, Ross kicked off the UK leg of her ''Thank You Tour'' at Cardiff Castle. On June 26, 2022, Ross appeared live on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival.


Personal life


Relationships and family

Ross has been married twice and has five children. Ross became romantically involved with Motown CEO Berry Gordy in 1965. The relationship lasted several years, resulting in the birth of Ross's eldest child, Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein, in August 1971. Two months into her pregnancy with Rhonda, in January 1971, Ross married music executive
Robert Ellis Silberstein Robert Ellis Silberstein (also known as Bob Ellis; born January 5, 1946) is an American music executive and businessman. During his career, he managed many musicians, including Billy Preston, Diana Ross, Rufus, the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood, M ...
, who raised Rhonda as his own daughter, despite knowing her true paternity. Ross told Rhonda that Gordy was her biological father when Rhonda was 13 years old. Beforehand, Rhonda referred to Gordy as "Uncle B.B." Ross has two daughters with Silberstein, Tracee Joy Silberstein (Tracee Ellis Ross) and Chudney Lane Silberstein, born in 1972 and 1975, respectively. Ross and Silberstein divorced in 1977. Ross dated Gene Simmons, bassist and co-lead singer for the band
Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
, from 1980 to 1983. They began dating after Cher, who had remained friends with Simmons following their break-up, suggested he ask Ross to help him choose her Christmas present. Simmons, in his autobiography, contends that he was not dating Cher when he met Ross. Ross ended her relationship with Simmons when he gave Ross the erroneous impression that he had resumed his relationship with Cher. Simmons' story differed in 2015 when he revealed that he fell in love with Ross while dating Cher, which ended Ross and Cher's friendship. Ross met her second husband, Norwegian shipping magnate Arne Næss Jr., in 1985, and married him the following year. She became stepmother to his three elder children; Katinka, Christoffer, and folk singer
Leona Naess Leona Kristina Naess (or Næss) (born 31 July 1974) is an English singer and songwriter. She released her debut album, '' Comatised'', in March 2000, which produced the single "Charm Attack" ( Adult Top 40 #29). Biography Early life Naess was ...
. They have two sons together: Ross Arne (born in 1987) and Evan Olav (born in 1988). Ross and Næss divorced in 2000, after press reports revealed that Næss had fathered a child with another woman in Norway. Ross considers Næss the love of her life. Næss fell to his death in a South African mountain climbing accident in 2004. Ross remains close with her three ex-stepchildren. Ross has seven grandchildren: grandson Raif-Henok (born in 2009 to her daughter Rhonda); grandsons Leif (born on June 5, 2016) and Indigo (born 2017), born to her son Ross Næss; granddaughters Callaway Lane (born in 2012) and Everlee (born October 2019) born to Ross's daughter Chudney; granddaughter Jagger Snow (born in 2015), and grandson Ziggy (born in 2020) to her son Evan.


Religious views

Diana Ross considers herself a
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul c ...
. She used to sing in a church, where she gained her initial musical experience. Her mother Ernestine's father, Reverend William Moten, served as a pastor in the Bessemer Baptist Church in Bessemer, Alabama. Diana and her siblings spent considerable time with their maternal grandparents during their mother's bouts with
tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...
.


2002 arrest

Diana Ross was arrested for
DUI Driving under the influence (DUI)—also called driving while impaired, impaired driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI), operating under the influence (OUI), operating vehicle under the infl ...
on December 30, 2002, in
Tucson, Arizona , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...
, while undergoing substance abuse treatment at a local rehabilitation facility. She later served a two-day sentence near her Connecticut estate.


Legacy

Ross has influenced many artists including
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the " King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over ...
, Beyoncé, Madonna, Jade Thirlwall, Questlove, Ledisi and the Ting Tings. Several of Ross's songs have been covered and sampled. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" has been featured in the film '' Chicken Little''. The song has also been covered live and on albums by Jennifer Lopez and Amy Winehouse.
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
sampled "Love Hangover" on her 1997 song "My Need" (featured on the album '' The Velvet Rope''), having already sampled "Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together" by Ross & the Supremes on her 1993 tracks "
You Want This "You Want This" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her fifth studio album, ''Janet'' (1993). Released as the album's seventh single (sixth and final in the U.S.) in October 1994, the track was written and produced by Jackson and Jimm ...
" and " If" (both released as singles from the Janet album). "Love Hangover" was also sampled in Monica's 1998 number 1 "
The First Night "The First Night" is a song by American singer Monica for her second studio album, '' The Boy Is Mine'' (1998). It was written by Tamara Savage and Jermaine Dupri, featuring production and additional vocals from the latter. Built around a sample ...
" as well as being sampled by Will Smith, Master P (who also sampled "Missing You"), Heavy D and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, "
It's Your Move ''It's Your Move'' is an American sitcom television series created by Ron Leavitt and Michael G. Moye, starring Jason Bateman, Tricia Cast, Caren Kaye, Ernie Sabella, David Garrison, and Garrett Morris. The show originally aired on NBC from Sep ...
" was sampled in 2011 by
Vektroid Ramona Andra Xavier (born August 19, 1992) is an American electronic musician from Portland, Oregon. She has released music under her primary Vektroid alias, as well as others, such as dstnt, Laserdisc Visions, New Dreams Ltd., Virtual Informat ...
for her song "Lisa Frank 420 / Modern Computing", which appeared in her ninth album ''
Floral Shoppe is the ninth studio album by the American electronic musician Vektroid under the alias Macintosh Plus, released on December 9, 2011 by the independent record label Beer on the Rug. It is her ninth full-length album and was one of the first ...
'' under her one-time alias Macintosh Plus. " It's My House" was sampled by
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
for her song "Replay" which appeared on the 2020 album '' Chromatica''. Various works have been inspired by Ross's career and life. The character of Deena Jones in both the play and film versions of '' Dreamgirls'' was inspired by Ross. '' Motown: The Musical'' is a Broadway musical that launched on April 14, 2013. It is the story of Berry Gordy's creation of Motown Records and his romance with Diana Ross. She was portrayed by Valisia LeKae in 2013 and Lucy St. Louis in 2016. Ross was also portrayed by Candice Marie Woods (from 2017 to 2019) and Deri'Andra Tucker (2021) in the stage play ''
Ain't Too Proud ''Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations'' is a 2018 jukebox musical with music and lyrics by The Temptations and a book by Dominique Morisseau. Based on the story of The Temptations, the musical had a series of regional produc ...
''. There have been many other petryals of Ross in films, television and other media including
Holly Robinson Peete Holly Elizabeth Robinson Peete (born September 18, 1964) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Judy Hoffs on the Fox police drama ''21 Jump Street'', Vanessa Russell on the ABC sitcom '' Hangin' with Mr. Cooper'', and Dr ...
in '' The Jacksons: An American Dream'' (1992) and Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child on '' American Soul'' (2019). As a member of the Supremes, her songs "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love" are among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994, and entered into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2004, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' placed the group at number 96 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". As lead singer of the Supremes and as a solo artist, Ross has earned 18 number-one singles (12 as lead singer of the Supremes and 6 as a solo artist). Ross is the only female artist to have number one singles as a solo artist; as the other half of a duet (Lionel Richie); as a member of a trio (the Supremes); and, as an ensemble member ("We Are the World" by USA for Africa). Ross was featured on
the Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
's 1997 number-one hit " Mo Money Mo Problems" since her voice from her 1980 hit "
I'm Coming Out "I'm Coming Out" is a song recorded by American singer Diana Ross. It was written and produced by Chic members Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers, and released on August 22, 1980, as the second single from Ross' self-titled tenth album '' Diana'' ...
" was sampled for the song. ''Billboard'' magazine named Ross the "female entertainer of the century" in 1976. Ross is also one of the few recording artists to have two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one as a solo artist and the other as a member of the Supremes. After her 1983 concert in Central Park, Diana Ross Playground was named in her honor with a groundbreaking opening ceremony in 1986. Berry Gordy asked Ross to introduce The Jackson Five to the public. Eventually, public misunderstandings resulted in Ross erroneously being given credit for the discovery of the Jackson 5. Gordy decided that the misunderstanding was "good for business", so her "discovery" became a part of Motown's marketing and promotions plan for the Jackson 5. Consequently, their debut album was titled ''
Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 ''Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5'' is the debut studio album from Gary, Indiana-based soul family band the Jackson 5, released on the Motown label on December 12, 1969. The Jackson 5's lead singer, a preteenage boy named Michael (who later be ...
''. Motown producer Bobby Taylor claims to have discovered the Jacksons, though, singer Gladys Knight also makes the claim. Even so, Ross embraced the role and became a good friend of Michael Jackson, serving as a mother figure to him. On January 24, 1985,
Kaufman Astoria Studios The Kaufman Astoria Studios is a film studio located in the Astoria section of the New York City borough of Queens. The studio was constructed for Famous Players-Lasky in 1920, since it was close to Manhattan's Broadway theater district. The p ...
held a dedication ceremony in
Astoria, Queens Astoria is a neighborhood in the western portion of the New York City borough of Queens. Astoria is bounded by the East River and is adjacent to three other Queens neighborhoods: Long Island City to the southwest, Sunnyside to the southeas ...
to honor Ross by naming Studio 4 at the studios after her. The ''Diana Ross Building'' served as an acknowledgement of Ross' contribution in bringing the studio back to the forefront after being faced with possible demolition, through her involvement in ''The Wiz''. In 2006, Ross was one of 25 African-American women saluted at
Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball was a three-day celebration held by Oprah Winfrey honoring twenty-five African American women in art, entertainment, and civil rights. The celebration included a luncheon, white-tie ball, and gospel brunch. On May 22 ...
, a three-day celebration, honoring their contributions to art, entertainment, and civil rights. Diana Ross was named one of the Five Mighty Pop Divas of the Sixties along with Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, Martha Reeves, and Dionne Warwick.


Awards and nominations

On November 16, 2016, Ross was announced as one of the 21 recipients of the
Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...
, the nation's highest civilian honor.


Discography

Studio albums * '' Diana Ross'' (1970) * '' Everything Is Everything'' (1970) * '' Surrender'' (1971) * ''
Touch Me in the Morning "Touch Me in the Morning" is a song recorded by Diana Ross on the Motown label. It was written by Ron Miller and Michael Masser, and produced by the latter and Tom Baird. It was released on May 3, 1973 as the first single from her album of the ...
'' (1973) * '' Diana & Marvin'' (with Marvin Gaye) (1973) * '' Last Time I Saw Him'' (1973) * '' Diana Ross'' (1976) * '' Baby It's Me'' (1977) * '' Ross'' (1978) * '' The Boss'' (1979) * '' Diana'' (1980) * '' Why Do Fools Fall in Love'' (1981) * '' Silk Electric'' (1982) * '' Ross'' (1983) * '' Swept Away'' (1984) * ''
Eaten Alive ''Eaten Alive'' (known under various alternate titles, including ''Death Trap'', ''Horror Hotel'', and ''Starlight Slaughter'', and stylized on the poster as ''Eaten Alive!'') is a 1976 American horror film directed by Tobe Hooper, and written ...
'' (1985) * '' Red Hot Rhythm & Blues'' (1987) * ''
Workin' Overtime ''Workin' Overtime'' is the eighteenth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on June 6, 1989, by Motown Records. Her first Motown album with new material since '' To Love Again'' (1981) after a short stint with RCA Records, Ross r ...
'' (1989) * '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991) * ''
A Very Special Season ''A Very Special Season'' is the twentieth studio album and first holiday album by American singer Diana Ross, released on November 14, 1994, by EMI Records. Produced by Nick Martinelli, whom Ross worked with several times around the early nineti ...
'' (1994) * ''
Take Me Higher ''Take Me Higher'' is the twenty-first studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 5, 1995, by Motown Records. Ross' first regular studio release in four years, following '' The Force Behind the Power'' (1991) and the holida ...
'' (1995) * '' Every Day Is a New Day'' (1999) * ''
Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...
'' (2006) * ''
I Love You I Love You, I Love U, or I Luv U may refer to: Film and television Films * ''I Love You'' (1918 film), a silent drama written by Catherine Carr * ''I Love You'' (1925 film), a German silent drama film * ''I Love You'' (1938 film) a German ...
'' (2006) * '' Diana Ross Sings Songs from The Wiz'' (2015) * ''
Thank You "''Thank you''" (often expanded to ''thank you very much'' or ''thanks a lot'', or informally abbreviated to ''thanks'' or alternately as ''many thanks''Geoffrey Leech, ''The Pragmatics of Politeness'' (2014), p. 200.) is a common expression of ...
'' (2021)


Filmography

* '' Lady Sings the Blues'' (1972) * '' Mahogany'' (1975) * '' The Wiz'' (1978) * ''
Out of Darkness ''Out of Darkness'' is a 1994 American made-for-television drama film starring singer-actress Diana Ross. The movie was distributed and released by ABC on January 16, 1994, in the United States, Germany, Spain, France, Greece, Italy and Portugal ...
'' * (1994) * '' Double Platinum'' * (1999) (* = made directly for television)


Television

* '' T.A.M.I. Show'' (with the Supremes) (1964) * ''
Tarzan Tarzan (John Clayton II, Viscount Greystoke) is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungle by the Mangani great apes; he later experiences civilization, only to reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adv ...
'' (with the Supremes) (1968) * '' TCB'' (with the Supremes) (1968) * ''The Dinah Shore Special: Like Hep'' (with Dinah Shore and
Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Gold ...
) (1969) * '' G.I.T. on Broadway'' (with the Supremes and the Temptations) (1969) * '' Diana!'' (1971) * '' The Jackson 5ive'' (1971) * ''
Make Room for Granddaddy ''The Danny Thomas Show'' (titled ''Make Room for Daddy'' for its first three seasons) is an American sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1957 on ABC and from 1957 to 1964 on CBS. Starring Danny Thomas as a successful night club entertainer, the show fo ...
'' (1971) * '' Here I Am: An Evening with Diana Ross'' (1977) * ''
The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as ...
'' (1977) * '' Standing Room Only'' ( HBO) (1980) * ''Diana!'' ( CBS TV Special) (1981) * '' Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' (1983) * '' Diana Ross: Live in Central Park/For One and For All'' ( Showtime) (1983) * ''Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm and Blues'' (1987) * '' Diana Ross: Workin' Overtime HBO: World Stage'' (1989) * '' Diana Ross Live! The Lady Sings... Jazz & Blues: Stolen Moments'' (1992) * '' Christmas in Vienna'' (1992) * ''BET Walk of Fame'' (1993) * ''Always is Forever: 30th Anniversary'' (1993) * ''
1994 FIFA World Cup The 1994 FIFA World Cup was the 15th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national soccer teams. It was hosted by the United States and took place from June 17 to July 17, 1994, at nine venues across the country. The United States ...
'' (1994) * ''
Super Bowl XXX halftime show The Super Bowl XXX halftime show occurred on January 28, 1996, at the Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona as part of Super Bowl XXX and featured American entertainer Diana Ross. The show was produced by Radio City Music Hall. The performance w ...
'' ( NBC) (1996) * ''Super Concert of the Century'' (1997) * '' An Audience with Diana Ross'' (1999) * '' VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross'' (2000) * ''The Making and Meaning of We Are Family'' (documentary) (2002) * ''
Tsunami Aid Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope was a worldwide benefit held for the tsunami victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. It was broadcast on NBC and its affiliated networks of USA Network, Bravo, PAX, MSNBC, CNBC, Sci-Fi, Trio, Telemundo and ...
'' (2005) * ''
BET Awards 2007 The 7th BET Awards took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on June 26, 2007. The awards recognized Americans in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. Comedian Mo'Nique Monique A ...
'' (2007) * '' Kennedy Center Honors'' (2007) * '' Nobel Peace Prize Concert'' (2008) * '' The Oprah Winfrey Show: Farewell and Salute'' (2011) * '' Christmas in Washington'' (2012) * '' The Voice'' (2014) * '' HSN'' (2017) * '' Ashlee + Evan'' (2018)


Stage

* '' An Evening with Diana Ross'' (1976)


Tours

Headlining *The Diana Ross Show *An Evening with Diana Ross *Diana Ross Tour *Diana Ross on Tour *Up Front Tour *Missing You Tour *Eaten Alive Tour *Workin' Overtime World Tour *Here & Now Tour *Forever Diana! World Tour *Take Me Higher Tour *Voice of Love Tour * Always is Forever Tour *Live Love Tour *This is It * I Love You Tour * More Today Than Yesterday: The Greatest Hits Tour *
In the Name of Love Tour The In the Name of Love Tour is a concert tour by American recording artist, Diana Ross. The tour visited the Americas and Asia throughout 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Opening acts *Rhonda Ross Kendrick (select dates) *Evan Ross (Los Angeles) ...
*Brand New Day Tour *Music Box Tour *Thank You Tour Co-headlining tours *Superconcert of the Century *
Return to Love Tour The Return to Love Tour was a 2000 concert tour by American singing group Diana Ross and the Supremes. Origins In 1999, Diana Ross released her final album on Motown Records, ''Every Day is a New Day''. According to Ross (featured in an intervie ...
Residency shows * Some Memories Never Fade *All the Best *Endless Memories *Music and Love *Diamond Diana *An Extraordinary Evening


Bibliography

* * * (A scrapbook-style collection of photographs)


See also

* List of artists who reached number one in the United States * List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart * List of Billboard number-one singles *
List of Billboard number-one dance club songs This is a list of number-one dance hits as recorded by ''Billboard'' magazine's Dance Club Songs chart – a weekly national survey of popular songs in U.S. dance clubs. It began on October 26, 1974, under the title ''Disco Action'' chart. It is c ...


References


External links

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ross, Diana 1944 births 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century Baptists 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers 21st-century Baptists Actresses from Detroit African-American actresses African-American Christians African-American record producers African-American women singers American disco singers American film actresses American freestyle musicians American sopranos American soul singers American stage actresses American television actresses American women pop singers American women record producers Ballad musicians Baptists from Michigan Baptists from New York (state) Cass Technical High School alumni César Honorary Award recipients Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Kennedy Center honorees Living people Motown artists New Star of the Year (Actress) Golden Globe winners Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients RCA Records artists Record producers from Michigan Record producers from New York (state) Silberstein family Singers from Detroit Special Tony Award recipients The Supremes members Universal Motown Records artists