Diana Ross is an iconic American singer and actress with a $250 million net worth. In the 1960s, Ross was a member of the popular group The Supremes before embarking on a highly successful solo career. She is the only performer in history to have number-one singles as a solo artist, a duet, and a trio. Diana has sold more than 75 million CDs globally over her different singing personas.
Early Life and Beginnings of Career
On March 26, 1944, Diana Ross was born in Detroit, Michigan, as the second-oldest child of Ernestine and Fred Ross, Sr. She graduated in January 1962 from Cass Technical High School in downtown Detroit. There, she studied topics such as garment design, millinery, pattern making, and tailoring, as her first goal was to become a fashion designer.
Ross joined the Primettes, the sister group of the male vocal group the Primes, at the age of fifteen. After winning a talent competition in Windsor, Ontario, the Primettes were invited by Motown Records to audition. Ross approached his former neighbor William “Smokey” Robinson, who agreed to send the Primettes to Motown in exchange for his band, the Miracles, hiring their guitarist, Marv Tarplin.
Motown executives were fascinated with the Primettes but considered that they were too young to be recording artists. Berry Gordy, the creator of Motown, then instructed them to return after completing high school. The Primettes did everything from hand claps to background vocals when they showed up at Motown’s Hitsville headquarters to offer assistance on recordings.
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In January 1961, Gordy eventually signed the group on the condition that they change their name. A year later, Barbara Martin quit the group, leaving Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson as the lone members under their new moniker, the Supremes.
Personal Life
Ross is a two-time married father of five children. In 1965, she began a relationship with Motown CEO Berry Gordy, with whom she had a daughter, Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein. However, Gordy did not assist raise Rhonda, as Ross married music businessman Robert Ellis Silberstein two months into her pregnancy in 1971.
Silberstein raised Rhonda as his own despite being aware of her biological father. Ross and Silberstein went on to produce two children, Tracee Joy and Chudney Lane. Following her divorce from Ross and Silberstein in 1977, she relocated to New York City.
From 1980 to 1983, Ross dated Kiss guitarist and vocalist Gene Simmons.
In 1986, she wed Norwegian shipping mogul Arne Naess Jr., whom she met in 1985. Together, they produced two sons, Ross Arne and Evan Olav Ross. In 2014, Evan would marry singer Ashlee Simpson after years of courtship. Thus, Ashlee Simpson is the daughter-in-law of Diana Ross. Evan is the stepfather to Ashlee’s children from her first marriage to singer Pete Wentz.
Ross and Nss separated in 2000 after rumors that Nss had fathered another kid with a lady in Norway. In 2004, Nss sadly fell to his death while mountain climbing in South Africa.
They are the Supremes
The Supremes’ first hit with Motown was “When the Lovelight Begins to Shine in His Eyes” (1963). It reached its highest position on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 23. After 1963, Gordy appointed Ross as the group’s lead singer. The Supremes were Motown’s most successful vocal act of the 1960s, with 10 No. 1 singles between August 1964 and May 1967.
Gordy dismissed Ballard from the group in 1967 because of her troubles and struggles with alcoholism. He also changed the name of the group to Diana Ross & the Supremes. This new moniker allowed him to charge more for his performances. At the time, they were still a successful and popular act, therefore he decided against Ross leaving the group.
However, she began to take on an increasing number of solo ventures outside of the group, including solo performances on television specials such as “The Dinah Shore Show.” Ross left the group in 1970, making her final appearance with the Supremes on January 14, 1970, in Las Vegas.
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Solo Career
Ross’ self-titled debut solo album was published by Motown in May 1970, followed by “Everything is Everything” (1970) and “Surrender” (1970). (1971). She starred in her debut solo television special, “Diana!”, in late 1971. Ross began negotiations to depart the Motown label at the end of 1980. After 20 years with the label, she received a $250,000 severance package.
Ross then signed a $20 million, seven-year contract with RCA Records, which at the time was the most expensive music contract in history. Why Do Fools Fall in Love, her first album for RCA, was released in 1981 and was a commercial triumph, selling over a million copies?
Ross has recorded more than twenty studio albums as a solo artist, and if live albums and soundtrack albums are included, she has released over thirty records throughout her solo career. She has also released over 90 singles, 17 of which have reached the Billboard Top 40, 12 of which have reached the Top 10, and six of which have reached No. 1.
Acting Profession
Ross has also dabbled in acting in addition to her musical career. Her performance in the 1972 film “Lady Sing the Blues” got her nominations for both the Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award. She also appeared in the feature films “Mahogany” (1975) and “The Wiz” (1978) as well as the television films “Out of the Darkness” (1994) and “Double Platinum” (1999).
Diana Ross Age
The birth date of Diana Ross is March 26, 1944. In 2022, she celebrated her 78th birthday.
She was the second oldest child of Ernestine (1916 – 1984) and Fred Ross, Sr (1920 – 2007) and was born in the Hutzel Women’s Hospital in Detroit. Barbara Ross-Lee, an American physician, is her older sister.
Her mother named her Diane, but due to an error, her birth certificate lists her name as Diana. On early Supremes records, she was referred to as Diane. Her family and friends continue to call her Diane.
Diana took classes in garment design, millinery, pattern creation, and tailoring in her early teens because she desired to become a fashion designer.
What is Diana Ross’s Signature Song?
I’m Coming Out (1980)
Written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic, this is the ultimate pride hymn.
Who is Diana Ross’s Husband Now?
No, Diana Ross is not currently married. The 77-year-old has been married twice before. Robert Ellis Silberstein, an American music executive, was her first husband. The couple was married for six years from 1971 until 1977.
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What Did Diana Ross Sing at the Jubilee?
Behind her, projections of the words “Thank You” and “Love” flashed on the Palace as she sang her song “Thank You.” Ross concluded his performance with No Mountain High Enough, supported by choir and orchestra.
Diana Ross’s Songs List
- I’m Coming Out
- Surrender
- Touch Me In The Morning
- It’s My House
- I’m Still Waiting
- Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)
- Doobedood’ndoobe, Doobedood’ndoobe, Doobedood’ndoo
- Ease On Down The Road (with Michael Jackson)
- Take Me Higher
- My Old Piano
Is Diana Ross Still Working?
Diana Ross is currently on tour in six countries with twenty-four forthcoming gigs. Their following tour stop will be at Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, followed by Childerley Orchard in Cambridge.
Soul icon Diana Ross has confirmed she’ll play Glastonbury’s coveted “legend slot” in 2022. The Motown star was originally due to make her debut at the festival in 2020 before the event was called off during the pandemic.
Real Estate
Diana’s permanent abode has been a magnificent mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut, for many years. At one time in 2007, she put the 5-acre property for sale at $39.5 million. After the real estate market crisis, she successfully pushed to secure a refund for property taxes that, in hindsight, did not reflect the property’s true value.
It is technically two properties, one of which is assessed at approximately $9 million, and the other, which is waterfront, is assessed at $10 million.