Diana Ross began her professional music career in 1959 as a member of the Primettes, a vocal group formed in Detroit. Born in 1944, she later fronted the Supremes, a group that secured twelve number-one pop singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, establishing a standard for female vocal ensembles in the American recording industry during the 1960s.
Early Development in Detroit
Raised in the North End of Detroit near Highland Park, Ross attended Cass Technical High School, where she studied tailoring, pattern making, and millinery with aspirations toward a career in fashion design. Her education was temporarily interrupted by a brief relocation to Bessemer, Alabama, but she returned to graduate from Cass Tech in 1962. During her teenage years, she worked at a downtown Hudson's department store and provided cosmetology services to local residents to supplement her income.
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After joining the Primettes at age fifteen, Ross and her bandmates—Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Barbara Martin—frequently visited Hitsville U.S.A. to assist with Motown recordings. Berry Gordy initially advised the group to complete their education before signing with his label. In 1961, the group officially signed with Motown under the name the Supremes after meeting Gordy's condition for a name change. Beyond her vocal contributions, Ross managed the group's early costume design, makeup, and hairstyling.
Solo Career and Film Work
Ross departed the Supremes in 1970 to pursue a solo career, debuting with an eponymous studio album. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she achieved sustained commercial success, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with solo singles including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Upside Down," and "Endless Love." Her transition to cinema began with the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues, where her performance as Billie Holiday earned an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award. She later appeared in feature films such as Mahogany and The Wiz.
Professional Recognition
The breadth of her work in music and film has resulted in numerous accolades. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes in 1988. Among her formal honors are the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 2016. Additionally, she received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 and holds two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Fast facts
- Born: 1944, Detroit
- Education: Cass Technical High School
- Primary Occupations: Singer, Actor
- Notable Group: The Supremes
- Presidential Medal of Freedom: 2016
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award: 2012
- Religion: Baptists
- Citizenship: United States
Questions readers ask
What was the first major film role for Diana Ross?
Her first major role was the portrayal of Billie Holiday in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues.
How many number-one U.S. singles did Ross achieve between 1964 and 1981?
She sang on eighteen number-one U.S. singles during that period as both a solo artist and a member of the Supremes.
Achievements
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award — 2012
- Presidential Medal of Freedom — 2016
- Kennedy Center Honors
- Michigan Women's Hall of Fame — 2016
- Instruments: voice
- Genres: pop music, soul and rhythm and blues
