LIFE AND TIMES OF DIANA ROSS
Born Diana Ernestine Ross on 26th March 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, Diana Ross as she popularly called is a legendary music icon who also doubles as a gifted singer, record producer, songwriter and to add to her accolades, actress.
TOP 66 DIANA ROSS SONGS PLAYLIST [VIDEO]
Diana kicked off her long-spanning career in music with the all-girl musical group, The Supremes, in the 1960s. The Supremes rose to become the best charting musical girl-band in the history of the U.S, while at the time they were Motown's most acclaimed and successful musical act. Diana Ross went solo in 1970 and went on to release her debut solo album which contained her hit all-time grossing musical track - Ain't No Mountain High Enough - which ruled the U.S pop charts at number one for a very long time.
Born at the popular Hutzel Women's Hospital, Detroit in 1944 to Fred and Ernestine Ross. While registering her name on the birth certificate a mild drama happened which affected her all through her life. Her parents filed in the name Diane but the clerk handling the registration of births mistakenly registered her name as Diana and not Diane as her parents wanted it and that name has stuck till this day. Her paternal grandparents were slaves from Gloucester County, Virginia. Diana Ross grew up on Belmont Road in Detroit's North End.
Surprising is the fact that she and music legend, Smokey Robinson were childhood friends and neighbors.
Although her journey into music began at a more earlier age (15) when she joined the all-female musical band the Primettes which was affiliated to the male musical group, the Primes.
With exceptional voice and musical talents, she found her way be a major hitmaker for one of the all-time biggest Record Labels, Motown Records.
The highly talented Diana Ross did not in anyway relent her oars as she through the course of her career has been honored with several awards across the board.
The year 1971 saw Diana Ross dabble into the Film industry and she made a huge success of this with her debut appearance and the lead role in the movie - Lady Sings the Blues - which was a biography on popular music icon Billie Holiday.
Her other movies include Mahogany, The Wiz, Out of Darkness and Double Platinum. Diana Ross has been married twice and before her first marriage in 1971, she became so romantically attached to a man who she largely mistrusted from inception but ended up dating him all the same - this man was none other than Motown's CEO, Berry Gordy. The duo's fling began sometime in 1965, even though Diana always complained about Berry Gordy's sly and shady ways.
Her first marriage was to Robert Ellis Silberstein a music executive at the time and the duo divorced in 1977, she went on to marry her second husband in 1985, super-rich Norwegian Shipping mogul Arne Naess Jr, they both parted ways in 2000.
Diane Ross has five children from her two marriages. Respected globally as an influencer - musically, she has largely inspired the likes of Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Christine Aguilera, Madonna, Beyonce, Solange, Lil Kim, Janet Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and a host of others.
