Diana Ross, and The Supremes: The Undisputed Queens of the Girl Groups of the 60's and 70's
Diana Ross was born in 1944. While at school, she and school friends Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, all from a housing estate in Detroit, got together forming The Primettes.
In 1960, Berry Gordy, founder of Tamla Motown, saw them and signed them to his label. Berry saw more in them than his current stable of girl groups, the (Marvelettes and Vandellas) and they eventually became his ultimate crossover group.
Carefully honed by the Motown people, they were taught movement and deportment. Berry changed their name to the Supremes, and under that name, they became the most successful female group in history.
Diana Ross and Supremes find Success
Their first hit was “When the Lovelight Starts Shining” which made the U.S charts. But it was when Diana started singing the lead vocals, and then Holland-Dozier Holland began producing their things started happening. It was Megahit time!
“Where Did Our Love Go”, a million seller, was a hit both in the U.S. and U.K., and from there on, Diana featured a lead vocal on all their recordings. Hit followed hit, with “Baby Love”, “My World Is Empty Without You”, “Love Child”, “The Happening”, “Come See About Me”, “Stop! In The Name of Love”, “Back In my Arms Again”, “I Hear a Symphony”.
In ’66 they scored more No. 1’s with “You Can’t Hurry Love”, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”. The Supremes are regarded as the undisputed first among girl groups, queens of the charts in the 60’s. In the mid 60’s, with Diana now seen as the centerpiece, and obviously Gordy’s favorite, the band became Diana Ross and the Supremes.
This caused unrest in the group, and after two more No, 1 hits, “Love Is here, and Now You’re Gone” and “The Happening” Florence Ballard departed. Her replacement was Cindy Birdsong, from Patti LaBelle’s Blue Bells.
With Cindy, they had the hits “Reflections” (No.2), “In and Out of Love”, (No.9 in ‘67) and “Forever Came Today”, top 30. This was their last collaboration with Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Shortly after, in 1970, the long expected solo move took place.
Diana's first solo effort, “Reach Out and Touch” made the USA top 20, also charting in the UK. The next, a reworking of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough “got to No. 1 USA and 10 in the UK.
There were three top 40’s in in the USA in 1971, but “I’m Still Waiting” which only made No. 63 USA went to No. 1 in the UK. Berry Gordy, a great supporter of Diana’s always saw her as the first Motown superstar, and, in 1972, secured for her the lead roll in the film “Lady Sings The Blues” , the Billie Holiday bio pic.
Diana had 33 top 100 singles till 1985, including “Chain Reaction” a hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
Dianna Ross Releases "The Greatest" Album!
Six decades in one brilliant album!
Diana Ross has released her greatest hits compilation, “The Greatest”, released in November 2011
The album includes both her solo and Supremes material as well as duets with Lionel Richie, Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and Marvin Gaye. The album reached number 24 in the UK and was eventually awarded a BPI Gold disc for sales of over 100,000 copies.
Including great tracks like “Baby Love”, “You Can’t Hurry Love”, and “Where Did Our Love Go” from her time with The Supremes and solo hits including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, The Greatest is a journey through her amazing six-decade spanning career.
Tracks are:
Disc 1 Side 1
1 Diana Ross With The Supremes*– Where Did Our Love Go
2 Diana Ross With The Supremes*– Baby Love
3 Diana Ross With The Supremes*– Stop! In The Name Of Love
4 Diana Ross With The Supremes*– You Can't Hurry Love
5 Diana Ross With The Supremes*– You Keep Me Hangin' On
6 Diana Ross With The Supremes*– The Happening
7 Diana Ross & The Supremes*– Reflections
8 Diana Ross & The Supremes*– Love Child
9 Diana Ross With The Supremes* And The Temptations– I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
Disc 1 Side 2
1 Diana Ross– Ain't No Mountain High Enough
2 Diana Ross– I'm Still Waiting
3 Diana Ross– Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)
4 Diana Ross– Remember Me
5 Diana Ross– Surrender
6 Diana Ross– Touch Me In The Morning
7 Diana Ross Duet with Marvin Gaye– You Are Everything
Disc 2 Side 1
1 Diana Ross– Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)
2 Diana Ross– Love Hangover
3 Diana Ross– The Boss
4 Diana Ross– It's My House
5 Diana Ross– Upside Down
6 Diana Ross– I'm Coming Out
Disc 2 Side 2
1 Diana Ross Duet With Lionel Richie– Endless Love
2 Diana Ross– Why Do Fools Fall In Love
3 Diana Ross– Work That Body
4 Diana Ross– Chain Reaction
5 Diana Ross– When You Tell Me That You Love Me
6 Diana Ross– One Shining Moment
What a great collection of Diana Ross and the Supremes classic songs. released around 2003, this album has 14 great tracks, including "Baby Love", "Come See About Me", "Touch me In The Morning", and "Reflections"
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