Diana Ross facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Diana Ross
Ross performing in 2022
Born	(1944-03-26) March 26, 1944 (age 81) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation	Singer actress
Years active	1959–present
Spouse(s)	Robert Ellis Silberstein ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1977)​ Arne Næss Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 2000)​
Children	5, including Rhonda, Tracee and Evan
Relatives	Barbara Ross-Lee (sister) Arthur Ross (brother)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	R&B soul pop disco dance
Labels	Motown RCA EMI Parlophone Decca

Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is a famous American singer and actress. She is often called the "Queen of Motown Records". Diana was the lead singer of a group called the Supremes. They became Motown's most successful group in the 1960s. They are one of the world's best-selling girl groups ever. The Supremes hold the record for the most number-one pop songs by a female group. They had 12 number-one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

After leaving the Supremes in 1970, Diana Ross started a very successful solo music career. Her first solo album was called Diana Ross. She released 26 studio albums in total. Some popular ones include Touch Me in the Morning (1973) and Diana (1980). Her songs like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Upside Down" became number-one hits. This made her the female solo artist with the most number-one songs in the U.S. at that time. Her success continued through the 1980s and 1990s with global hits like "I'm Coming Out" and "Chain Reaction".

Diana Ross also became a successful actress. Her first movie role was playing Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues (1972). She won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for this role. She was the first African-American actress to get an Academy Award nomination for her first movie. The movie's soundtrack also reached number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. She also starred in Mahogany (1975) and The Wiz (1978). Later, she appeared in TV movies like Out of Darkness (1994).

In 1976, Billboard magazine called Diana Ross the "Female Entertainer of the Century". Since 1970, she has sold over 100 million records worldwide. She is the only female artist to have number-one hits as a solo artist, in a duet, in a trio, and as part of a large group. This adds up to 18 number-one songs. In 2021, Billboard ranked her as the 30th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time. Her combined hits with the Supremes and as a solo artist place her among the top five artists on the Billboard Hot 100 chart from 1955 to 2018. She had a top 75 hit in the U.K. for 33 years in a row (1964–1996). In 1988, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes. She is one of the few performers with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has received many honors, including the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.

Early Life and Beginnings

The building that was part of the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects in Detroit, where Ross spent her teenage years

Diana Ross was born in Detroit, Michigan on March 26, 1944. She was the second of six children. Her mother named her Diane, but her birth certificate mistakenly said Diana. Her family and friends always called her Diane. She grew up with two sisters and three brothers.

When Diana was seven, her mother became very ill with tuberculosis. Diana and her siblings went to live with their grandparents in Bessemer, Alabama. After her mother got better, they returned to Detroit.

In 1958, when she was 14, her family moved to the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects. Diana went to Cass Technical High School. She took classes in clothing design and tailoring because she wanted to be a fashion designer. She also took modeling and cosmetology classes. In 1960, she worked at Hudson's department store as their first African American bus girl. She also styled hair for her neighbors to earn extra money. Diana graduated from high school in January 1962.

Music Career Highlights

The Supremes: 1959–1970

Ross (far right) performing with the Supremes, as lead singer in 1966

At age fifteen, Diana joined a group called the Primettes. The other members were Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Betty McGlown. They won a talent show in 1960. They were then invited to audition for Motown Records.

Later, their neighbor Smokey Robinson helped them get an audition at Motown. He agreed to bring them to Motown if he could hire their guitarist, Marv Tarplin. Diana felt this was a "fair trade."

The group auditioned for Motown's founder, Berry Gordy. He heard Diana singing and was impressed. But he told them to finish high school first. The group kept coming back to Motown's studio every day. They offered to help with recordings, often adding hand claps or background vocals.

In January 1961, Gordy agreed to sign the group if they changed their name. Florence Ballard chose the name "Supremes." The other members were not thrilled at first. Gordy signed them on January 15, 1961.

A year later, the group became a trio. In late 1963, they had their first hit song, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes." It reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100. Gordy then made Diana the group's main singer.

Ross with the Supremes in 1967

In June 1964, the Supremes had their first number-one hit with "Where Did Our Love Go." This started a period of huge success. Between 1964 and 1967, Diana, Mary, and Florence had ten number-one hit songs. All of these also made the UK Top 40. The group became Motown's most successful act in the 1960s.

Diana started to become the main focus in interviews. She also asked for more pay than the other members. In 1965, she began using the name Diana, from her birth certificate. In 1967, Florence Ballard left the group. Cindy Birdsong joined as her replacement. Gordy then changed the group's name to Diana Ross & the Supremes. This helped them earn more money for performances. Diana stayed with the Supremes until early 1970.

The group appeared on TV shows like Tarzan and their own specials. By mid-1969, Gordy decided Diana would leave the group for a solo career. Diana started recording her own music that July.

Motown's publicity department said Diana discovered the Jackson 5. Diana introduced the group at several public events. In November, she confirmed her split from the Supremes. Her last song with the Supremes, "Someday We'll Be Together", became their final number-one hit. Diana's last performance with the Supremes was on January 14, 1970, in Las Vegas.

Solo Career and Movies: 1970–1980

Ross as a guest star with football player and actor Rosey Grier, on the Danny Thomas television program Make Room for Granddaddy in 1971

In May 1970, Diana Ross released her first solo album. It included her famous songs "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". The latter became her first number-one solo song. She released more albums, Everything Is Everything (1970) and Surrender (1971). In 1971, "I'm Still Waiting" became her first number-one song in the UK. Later that year, she had her first TV special, Diana!, which featured the Jackson 5.

In 1971, Diana started working on her first movie, Lady Sings the Blues (1972). It was a story about singer Billie Holiday. Diana received great reviews for her acting. She was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actress. The movie's soundtrack also became a number-one hit.

In 1973, Diana had her second number-one hit in the U.S. with "Touch Me in the Morning". She also released Diana & Marvin, a duet album with Marvin Gaye. This album was a big international hit. In 1974, Diana became the first African-American woman to co-host the 46th Academy Awards.

Actor Anthony Perkins photographing Ross in the film trailer for Mahogany (1975)

Diana's second movie, Mahogany, came out in 1975. She reunited with Billy Dee Williams, her co-star from Lady Sings the Blues. Diana also designed the costumes for the film. The movie was about a fashion designer. It was a box-office success. Diana had her third number-one hit with "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)".

In 1976, Diana released her fourth solo number-one hit, "Love Hangover". She then started her "An Evening with Diana Ross" tour. The tour was so successful that it led to a show on Broadway and an Emmy Award-nominated TV special. She also won a Special Tony Award.

In 1977, Motown decided to make a movie version of the Broadway play The Wiz. Diana convinced the producers to cast her as Dorothy. The role of the Scarecrow went to her former Motown labelmate, Michael Jackson. Diana and Michael had a dance hit with "Ease on Down the Road".

The Wiz movie was very expensive to make. When it came out in 1978, it did not earn much money. This ended Diana's movie career for a while.

In 1979, Diana released The Boss. The title song became a number-one dance hit. In 1980, she released her most successful album, Diana. This album included the hits "I'm Coming Out" and "Upside Down". "Upside Down" became her fifth number-one song in the U.S.

Diana also sang the theme song for the film It's My Turn. She recorded the duet "Endless Love" with Lionel Richie. This song became her sixth and final number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

New Record Label and More Hits: 1981–1987

Ross in 1981

Diana Ross decided to leave Motown in 1980 after more than 20 years. RCA Records offered her a huge $20 million contract for seven years. This deal gave her full control over her albums. She signed with RCA on May 20, 1981. This was the most expensive recording deal in music history at the time.

In October 1981, Diana released her first RCA album, Why Do Fools Fall in Love. It sold over a million copies. It included her remake of the classic song "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and "Mirror Mirror". Diana also started her own production company.

In early 1982, Diana sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XVI. On May 6, 1982, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Her next album, Silk Electric, featured the song "Muscles", written and produced by Michael Jackson. This song was another Top 10 hit for Diana.

The Diana Ross Playground

On July 21, 1983, Diana performed a free concert in Central Park in New York City. The concert was meant to raise money for a playground named after her. A heavy rainstorm stopped the first show. Diana promised to perform again the next day, which she did. She later gave $250,000 for the project. The Diana Ross Playground was built three years later.

In 1984, Diana released Swept Away. It featured "All of You", a duet with Julio Iglesias. This song became an international hit. Another hit from the album was "Missing You", written by Lionel Richie.

Her 1985 album Eaten Alive included the song "Chain Reaction". This song reached number one in the U.K., Australia, and other countries. The title track was a collaboration with Michael Jackson and Barry Gibb. In 1985, Diana also took part in the "We Are the World" charity single, which sold over 20 million copies.

Return to Motown and Later Career: 1988–Present

In 1988, Diana decided to return to Motown. She was asked to come back with the condition that she would own shares in the company. Diana accepted. That same year, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes. She also recorded "If We Hold on Together", the theme song for the film The Land Before Time. This song became a number-one hit in Japan.

Her 1991 album, The Force Behind the Power, was very successful internationally. It went double platinum in the UK. The song "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" became a huge hit. A duet version of this song with the boy band Westlife also hit No. 2 in the UK in 2005.

In 1993, Diana returned to acting in the TV movie Out of Darkness. She received good reviews and another Golden Globe nomination. In 1994, a collection of her hits, One Woman: The Ultimate Collection, became a number-one hit in the UK.

Diana performed at the opening ceremony of the 1994 FIFA World Cup in Chicago. She also performed at the Super Bowl XXX halftime show in 1996. In 1996, she received the World Music Awards' Lifelong Contribution to the Music Industry Award. In 1999, she was named the most successful female singer in UK chart history. Later that year, she starred with Brandy Norwood in the TV movie Double Platinum.

Supremes Reunion Attempt: 2000–2003

Diana Ross reunited with Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong for the TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever in 1983. There were some disagreements during their performance, which were later edited out of the TV show.

In 1999, Diana planned a tour that would include a Supremes segment. She invited all living former Supremes members to join. Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong were invited, but negotiations for their participation did not work out. Instead, Diana toured with Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne, who were also former Supremes members. The tour, called the Return to Love Tour, started in June 2000. It received good reviews but was later cancelled due to ticket sales.

In December 2000, Diana Ross received a Heroes Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences. In January 2001, her album Love & Life: The Very Best of Diana Ross became her 17th gold album in the UK.

After the September 11 attacks, Diana performed "God Bless America" at the US Open and Shea Stadium. She also joined other singers to record "We Are Family" to help families of 9/11 victims. In May 2002, Diana and all five of her children appeared on Barbara Walters' Mother's Day special. Diana performed for Prince Charles' charity at London's Hyde Park.

In January 2003, Diana was honored as Humanitarian of the Year by the We Are Family Foundation.

Later Career and Recent Years: 2004–Present

Ross is applauded by her fellow Kennedy Center honorees as she is recognized for her career achievements by President George W. Bush in the East Room of the White House Sunday, December 2, 2007, during the Kennedy Center Gala Reception. From left to right: singer-songwriter Brian Wilson; filmmaker Martin Scorsese; Ross; comedian, actor and author Steve Martin, and pianist Leon Fleisher.

In 2005, Diana Ross performed at the Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope TV concert to raise money for tsunami victims. She also released a duet with Rod Stewart called "I've Got a Crush on You". She had another hit duet with Westlife on a cover of her song "When You Tell Me That You Love Me".

In 2005, Diana was honored at Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball Weekend. This event celebrated 25 African-American women in arts and civil rights. In June 2006, Universal released Diana's album Blue, which had been shelved since 1972. It reached No. 2 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums chart. Later in 2006, Diana released I Love You, her first studio album in seven years. In 2007, she received the BET Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award and was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors.

Ross in concert in Rotterdam, Netherlands, 2007

In 2010, Diana started her More Today Than Yesterday: The Greatest Hits Tour. It was dedicated to her late friend Michael Jackson and received positive reviews. In 2011, she was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

In February 2012, Diana received her first Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. In December, she performed at the White House-hosted Christmas in Washington concert for President Barack Obama.

In 2014, Diana received the Ella Fitzgerald Award for her contributions to jazz vocals. In 2015, she began a series of shows in Las Vegas called The Essential Diana Ross: Some Memories Never Fade. In February 2016, she continued her In the Name of Love Tour. On November 22, 2016, President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the U.S.

In 2017, Diana headlined the Essence Music Festival. On November 19, 2017, she received the American Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. She performed many of her hits and brought her grandchildren on stage. In December 2017, she launched her first fragrance, Diamond Diana. The fragrance sold out quickly.

In 2019, Diana was honored at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards. She performed "The Best Years of My Life" and "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)". Her song "The Boss" was remixed as "The Boss 2019" and reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Dance Chart.

In May 2020, Diana released Supertonic: Mixes, a collection of her hits remixed for dance clubs. In November 2021, she released her twenty-fifth studio album, Thank You. This album was written and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

Ross performing live at Longleat in Wiltshire, England, 2022

In May 2022, she released the single "Turn Up the Sunshine", a song with Tame Impala. This song was for the movie Minions: The Rise of Gru. On June 4, 2022, Diana performed at the Platinum Party at the Palace to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II. She also performed at the Glastonbury Festival on June 26.

In November 2022, Thank You was nominated for a Grammy Award. In June 2023, Diana started The Music Legacy Tour in the U.S., celebrating her number-one hits.

Personal Life and Family

Diana Ross has been married twice and has five children. She had a relationship with Motown CEO Berry Gordy in 1965. Their daughter, Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein, was born in August 1971.

In January 1971, Diana married music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein. He raised Rhonda as his own daughter. Diana told Rhonda that Gordy was her biological father when Rhonda was 13. Diana and Robert had two more daughters, Tracee Joy Silberstein (born 1972) and Chudney Lane Silberstein (born 1975). Diana and Robert divorced in 1977.

Diana met her second husband, Norwegian shipping magnate Arne Næss Jr., in 1985. They married in 1986. She became stepmother to his three older children. They had two sons together: Ross Arne (born 1987) and Evan Olav (born 1988). Diana and Arne divorced in 2000. Arne passed away in a mountain climbing accident in 2004. Diana remains close with her stepchildren.

Diana has seven grandchildren.

Religious Views

Diana Ross was raised in the Baptist church. Her first performances were in the Bessemer Baptist Church in Bessemer, Alabama. Her maternal grandfather, Pastor William Moten, led the church and helped raise her and her siblings.

Legacy and Influence

In 1982, Diana Ross received her first star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Apart from this star, Ross also received a second for her work with the Supremes.

Diana Ross has inspired many artists, including Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, and Madonna.

Many of Diana's songs have been covered or used as samples in other songs. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was featured in the movie Chicken Little. Janet Jackson sampled "Love Hangover" and other Supremes songs in her music. "It's My House" was sampled by Lady Gaga for her song "Replay."

Diana Ross's career and life have inspired various works. The character of Deena Jones in the play and film Dreamgirls was inspired by Diana Ross. Motown: The Musical is a Broadway show about Berry Gordy and his relationship with Diana Ross.

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. The Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. They received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994.

As the lead singer of the Supremes and as a solo artist, Diana Ross has earned 18 number-one singles. She is the only female artist to have number-one singles as a solo artist, in a duet, in a trio, and as part of a large group (like "We Are the World"). Her voice from "I'm Coming Out" was sampled in the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1997 number-one hit "Mo Money Mo Problems".

Billboard magazine named Diana Ross the "female entertainer of the century" in 1976. She is one of the few artists with two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Diana Ross Playground was named in her honor after her 1983 Central Park concert.

Berry Gordy asked Diana Ross to introduce The Jackson Five to the public. Because of this, many people mistakenly thought Diana discovered them. Gordy decided this was "good for business," so her "discovery" became part of Motown's marketing. Their first album was even titled Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5. Diana became a close friend and mother figure to Michael Jackson.

In 2006, Diana was one of 25 African-American women honored at Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball. This event celebrated their contributions to art, entertainment, and civil rights. Diana Ross is known as one of the "Five Mighty Pop Divas of the Sixties."

Awards and Nominations

On November 16, 2016, Diana Ross was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian honor in the United States. In 2023, Diana Ross and the late Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard (Supremes co-founders) received the Grammys' Lifetime Achievement Award. Diana became the first woman to win this award twice (she also won a solo honor in 2012).

Discography

Filmography

Diana Ross at the Academy Awards in 1990

Television Appearances

• T.A.M.I. Show (with the Supremes) (1964)
• Ready, Steady, Go! (with the Supremes) (1965)
• The Mike Douglas Show (with the Supremes) (1965)
• The Tonight Show (with the Supremes) (1967)
• Tarzan (with the Supremes) (1968)
• TCB (with the Supremes and the Temptations) (1968)
• The Bing Crosby Special: Makin' Movies (with the Supremes) (1968)
• The Dinah Shore Special: Like Hep (with Dinah Shore and Lucille Ball) (1969)
• The Hollywood Palace (with the Supremes) (1969)
• G.I.T. on Broadway (with the Supremes and the Temptations) (1969)
• The Merv Griffin Show (1970)
• Diana! (1971)
• The Jackson 5ive (1971)
• Make Room for Granddaddy (1971)
• The Mike Douglas Show (1972)
• The Tonight Show (1973)
• Diana Ross at the Royal Albert Hall (BBC Show of the Week) (1973)
• The Tonight Show (1975)
• 48th Academy Awards (1976)
• Rock Music Awards (1976)
• The Tonight Show (1977)
• Here I Am: An Evening with Diana Ross (1977)
• Barbara Walters Special (1978)
• The Tonight Show (1979)
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1979)
• The Muppet Show (1980)
• Bob Hope's All Star Comedy Birthday Party (1980)
• Standing Room Only (HBO) (1980)
• Diana! (CBS TV Special) (1981)
• The Tonight Show (1981)
• 54th Academy Awards (1982)
• Super Bowl XVI (1982)
• Soul Train (1982)
• Sesame Street (1982)
• Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever (1983)
• Diana Ross: Live in Central Park/For One and For All (Showtime) (1983)
• The Tonight Show (1983)
• The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (1984)
• Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (1984)
• 57th Academy Awards (1985)
• We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song (1985)
• Motown Returns to the Apollo (1985)
• An All-Star Celebration Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. (1986)
• American Music Awards of 1986 (1986)
• American Music Awards of 1987 (1987)
• Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm & Blues (1987)
• Barbara Walters Special (1989)
• Diana Ross: Workin' Overtime HBO: World Stage (1989)
• 62nd Academy Awards (1990)
• The Larry King Show (1991)
• The Arsenio Hall Show (1991)
• The Tonight Show (1991)
• Royal Variety Performance (1991)
• Muhammed Ali's 50th Birthday Celebration (1992)
• Diana Ross Live! The Lady Sings... Jazz & Blues: Stolen Moments (1992)
• Christmas in Vienna (1992)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1993)
• First inauguration of Bill Clinton (1993)
• The Charlie Rose Show (1993)
• Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame (1993)
• Regis & Kathie Lee (1993)
• BET Walk of Fame (1993)
• Always is Forever: 30th Anniversary (1993)
• Victoires de la musique (1994)
• 1994 FIFA World Cup (1994)
• Soul Train Music Awards (1995)
• 1995 Rugby World Cup (1995)
• Regis & Kathie Lee (1995)
• Video Soul (1995)
• The Tonight Show (1995)
• The Greatest Music Party In The World (1995)
• World Music Awards (1996)
• Super Bowl XXX halftime show (NBC) (1996)
• The David Letterman Show (1996)
• 1997 Brit Awards (1997)
• Super Concert of the Century (1997)
• Motown 40: The Music is Forever (1998)
• Tonight at the London Palladium (1998)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (1999)
• BET Doc U Groove (1999)
• The View (1999)
• An Audience with Diana Ross (1999)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show (2000)
• VH1 Divas 2000: A Tribute to Diana Ross (2000)
• The Today Show (2000)
• NAACP Image Awards (2000)
• The View (2000)
• 2001 US Open (2001)
• MLB: Pre-Game Ceremony at Shea Stadium (TBS) (2001)
• Barbara Walters Special (2002)
• Pride of Britain Awards (2004)
• The View (2004)
• Billboard Music Awards (2004)
• Tsunami Aid (2005)
• 2006 US Open (2006)
• Inside the Actors Studio (2006)
• TV Land Awards (2006)
• Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball (2006)
• Good Morning America (2007)
• Late Night with David Letterman (2007)
• The Martha Stewart Show (2007)
• American Idol (2007)
• BET Awards 2007 (2007)
• Kennedy Center Honors (2007)
• Nobel Peace Prize Concert (2008)
• The Oprah Winfrey Show: Farewell and Salute (2011)
• 54th Annual Grammy Awards (2012)
• Christmas in Washington (2012)
• The Voice (2014)
• HSN (2017)
• American Music Awards 2017 (2017)
• Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2018)
• 86th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Centre (2018)
• NBC's New Year's Eve (2018)
• 61st Annual Grammy Awards (2019)
• Motown 60: A Grammy Celebration (2019)
• Platinum Party at the Palace (2022)
• Glastonbury Festival 2022 (2022)
• Diana Ross: Supreme Sensation (2023)
• Diana Ross at the BBC (2024)
• Live from Detroit: The Concert at Michigan Central (2024)

Stage Performances

• An Evening with Diana Ross (1976)

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• The Music Legacy Tour (2023)
• Beautiful Love Performances: Legacy 2024 (2024)
• Diana Ross: A Symphonic Celebration (2025)

Co-headlining Tours

• Superconcert of the Century (with Plácido Domingo and José Carreras) (1996-97; 1999)
• Return to Love Tour (with former members of the Supremes) (2000)

Residency Shows