Diana Ross Biography |
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Best known as the the lead singer of the popular 1960s singing group The Supremes, Diana Ross was born on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, the second of six children born to Fred and Ernestine. She is of African American and Native American descent. After being raised in housing projects for most of the late 1940s and early 1950s, Diana started singing in the gospel choir of a Baptist church. With friends Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and Barbara Martin, she formed a vocal group, The Primettes, at age 15. After Barbara had departed the group, the remaining three girls inked a deal with Motown Records and were renamed The Supremes. Ross wasn`t picked to become the group`s lead singer until Motown honcho Berry Gordy decided that the time was exactly right, and from then on he described the group as "Diana Ross and the Supremes." From 1965 to 1969 the group had a string of #1 records. In late 1969 Gordy announced that Ross would be leaving the group for a solo career. In the third week of 1970 she played her last concert with The Supremes and started working with the songwriting team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Ross` first two songs by the team reached #1 on both the pop and R&B charts, justifying her move. Prior to starting a family of her own, she won the title role in the Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues (1972)_, which was extremely successful at the box office, and had the distinction of being nominated for an Academy Award for her first film. The movie`s soundtrack reached #1 on the U.S. charts. Despite fame and fortune, her next two big films,Mahogany (1975) and The Wiz (1978), didn`t meet with the same success. However, she had a #1 hit single with "Mahogany" to make up for it. In February 1976, just before another #1 hit with "Love Hangover," she was stunned when her singing partner and friend, Florence Ballard, died after complications from a combination of alcohol abuse and long-term depression, which led to cardiac arrest. Ballard was only 32 years old and Ross was devastated by the loss.
Biography Credit: www.imdb.com/name/nm0005384/bio |
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Trivia |
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Quotes A reporter once asked me if I ever cried. I wonder if people think I`m just as hard as a rock and have no emotions at all. I want an autobiography without revealing any personal information. In my life I want to keep moving forward, but sometimes reflection is a good thing. My life has often been described as `from rags to riches` but in fact, the Ross`s were never raggedy. You can`t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You`ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.Trivia Brother Arthur was murdered in Detroit in 1996. Classmate and former neighbors of Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, who later joined Ross in The Supremes. Does not write songs of her own like Linda Ronstadt and Barbra Streisand. Has been nominated for 12 Grammy awards, but never won. Her father, Fred Ross, passed away November 20, 2007 at the age of 87. Is portrayed by Holly Robinson Peete in The Jacksons: An American Dream (1992) (TV). Mother of Rhonda Ross Kendrick, Tracee Ellis Ross, Chudney Ross and Evan Ross. Ranked #38 on VH1`s Greatest Women of Rock N Roll She has two stars on the Hollywood walk of fame, one for her work with The Supremes and one for her solo career. When she was with The Supremes the group had 12 #1 songs and 18 top ten songs in the US. 10 days after the terrorist attack (9-11), she sang, "God Bless America", at Shea Stadium in New York City, New York. [21 September 2001] 23 September 1999 - Arrested for grabbing an airport security guard`s breast, whom she claimed touched her breast while she was being frisked after setting off an airport metal detector. A member of The Supremes from 15 January 1961 - 14 January 1970. Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of The Supremes) in 1988. Entered Malibu, CA drug and alcohol rehab Promises center May 20, 2002 prior to start of global summer tour. Grew up in Detroit`s Brewster Housing Projects. In 1983 introduced a line of pantyhose "Diana Ross Ultra Sheers" Made her first solo TV appearance with Lucille Ball and Dinah Shore. She is of African American and Native American ancestry specifically Cherokee. The second of 6 children. | ||
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