Biography:
Diana Ross was born on the 26th of March, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. While still in high school Ross became the fourth and final member of the Primettes, who recorded for Lu-Pine in 1960, signed to Motown Records in 1961 and then changed their name to the Supremes. She was a backing vocalist on the group's early releases, until Motown supremo Berry Gordy insisted that she become their lead singer, a role she retained for the next six years. In recognition of her prominent position in the Supremes, she received individual billing on all their releases from 1967 onwards. Throughout her final years with the gro up, Ross was being groomed for a solo career under the close personal supervision of Gordy, with whom she was rumoured to have romantic links. In late 1969, he announced that Ross would be leaving the Supremes, and she played her final concert with the group in January 1970. Later that year Ross began a long series of successful solo releases with the chart-topping 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'. In April 1971, she married businessman Robert Silberstein, but they were divorced in 1976 after renewed speculation about her relationship with Gordy.

As she continued to enjoy success with lightweight love songs in the early 70s, Motown's plan to widen Ross's appeal led her to host a television special, Diana!, in 1971. In 1972, she starred in Motown's film biography of Billie Holiday, Lady Sings The Blues , winning an Oscar nomination for her stirring portrayal of the jazz singer's physical decline into drug addiction. However, subsequent starring roles in Mahogany (1975) and The Wiz (1978) drew a mixed critical response. In 1973, Ross released an album of duets with Marvin Gaye, though allegedly the pair did not meet during the recording of the project. She enjoyed another US number 1 with 'Touch Me In The Morning', and repeated that success with the theme song from Mahogany in 1975. 'Love Hangover' in 1976 saw her moving into the contemporary disco field, a shift of direction that was consolidated on the 1980 album Diana, produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic. Her choice of hit material continued to be inspired and the 80s started with a major hit, 'Upside Down', which rooted itself at the top of the US chart for a month; similar but lesser success followed with 'I'm Coming Out' and 'It's My Turn'. The following year a collaboration with Lionel Richie produced the title track to the film Endless Love ; this tear-jerker spent more than two months at the top of the US chart. By now, Ross was as much a media personality as a soul singer, winning column inches for her liaison with Gene Simmons of Kiss. There was also intense speculation about the nature of her relations hip with Michael Jackson, whose career she had helped to guide since 1969.

After months of rumour about her future, Ross left Motown in 1981, and signed contracts with RCA for North America, and Capitol for the rest of the world. She formed her own production company and had further hits. A reworking of Frankie Lymon 's 'Why Do Fools Fall In Love' and Michael Jackson's 'Muscles' confirmed her pre-eminence in the field of disco-pop. During the remainder of the 80s only 'Missing You', a tribute to the late Marvin Gaye, brought her the success to which she had become accustomed. In Britain, however, she achieved a number 1 hit in 1986 with 'Chain Reaction', an affectionate recrea tion of her days with the Supremes, written and produced by the Bee Gees. In 1986, Ross married a Norwegian shipping magnate, effectively quashing renewed rumours that she might wed Berry Gordy and return to Motown. Since then, she has won more publicity for her epic live performances, notably an open-air concert in New York's Central Park in a torrential storm, than for her sporadic releases of new material, which continue to occupy the lighter end of the black music market.

Diana continues to achieve chart success. Another UK number one was achieved in 1991 with 'When You Tell Me That You Love Me', and other hits such as 'One Shining Moment'. During the 90s hits such as 'Voice of the Heart', and a cover of 'I Will Survive' are examples. Recently she released her latest album, again on Motown, 'Everyday Is A New Day', with the hit single 'Not Over You Yet'. Recently Diana appeared on Divas 2000, a tribute to her, the first Di va's show to be in tribute to a single artist. Mariah Carey and Donna Summer were among the classic Divas who appeared to pay tribute.

     Taken from Yahoo! Music and brought up to date by Greg Smith.