Diana Ross

As a solo artist, Diana Ross is one of the most successful female singers of the rock era. If you factor in her work as the lead singer of The Supremes in the 1960s, she may be the most successful. With her friends Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard, and Barbara Martin, Ross formed The Primettes vocal quartet in 1959. In 1960, they were signed to local Motown Records, changing their name to The Supremes in 1961. Martin then left, and the group continued as a trio. Over the next eight years, The Supremes (renamed "Diana Ross And The Supremes" in 1967, when Cindy Birdsong replaced Ballard) scored 12 number one pop hits. After the last one, "Someday We'll Be Together" (October 1969), Ross launched a solo career.



Motown initially paired her with writer/producers Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson, who gave her four Top 40 pop hits, including the number one "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (July 1970). Ross branched out into acting, starring in a film biography of Billie Holiday, Lady Sings the Blues (November 1972). The soundtrack went to number one, and Ross was nominated for an Academy Award.

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