"INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO: DIANA ROSS" MON., FEB. 19,2007
LEGENDARY SINGER AND ACTRESS DIANA ROSS SITS DOWN WITH BRAVO'S JAMESLIPTONON "INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO" FOR A SPECIAL TWO-HOUR PREMIERE MONDAY,FEBRUARY 19, 2006, 8-10 PM ET/PT
Ross Wows The Actors Studio Audience, Performing 8 Songs Of Classic Hits And New Releases NEW YORK - February 13, 2007 - Host James Lipton sits down with the legendary actress and singer Diana Ross for the special two-hour premiere of Bravo's 12-time Emmy-nominated series "Inside the Actor Studio: Diana Ross"on Monday, February 19, 2007, 8-10 PM ET/PT.
Lipton,who is well known for his ability to get personal with the lives and careersof his guests, delves into Ross' life and career, which the Golden Globe winning "Dreamgirls" is loosely based. In addition, Ross will grace the stage to perform a compilation of hit songs including "Baby Love" and "Do You Know Where You Are Going" along with songs from her current album "I Love You."
Durin her wide-ranging interview with Lipton, Ross reveals how she handled fame at the age of 14; what life was like with her former manager Berry Gordy and her critically acclaimed role in "Lady Sings The Blues," among other topics. The following are excerpts from the interview.
ON HOW SHE GOT INVOLVED WITH THE PRIMETTES: "Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, they wanted to put together a girlsgroup and they came and asked my parents if I would sing with the Primettes.They heard I could sing and asked if I would sing with the group."
ON BEING TURNED DOWN BY BERRY GORDY: "I was only 14 years old at the time and Berry Gordy said I was too young and should go back to school. So I persevered and got a job working with Berry Gordy as his secretary. I couldn't type or anything so I would organize his desk. I was a really good organizer."
ON BERRY GORDY BEING A MENTOR: "He was the person who gave everyone inspirations. I wouldn't be here today if he didn't believe in me. Not only as a performer but also as an actress"
ON BECOMING THE SUPREMES: "They were trying to find names that were really catchy, they asked us to go away and come up with something other than the Primettes because they didn't think that had the right ring to it. Florence [Ballard] was the one who came back with the name "The Supremes."
ON FINDING FAME AT A YOUNG AGE: "I don't think we ever tried to figure out how many records we were selling. It was just something you never really imagined was going to happen to your life."
ON BERRY GORDY'S PROFESSIONAL FOCUS ON DIANA ROSS: "As time went on it was expressed that it did put a strain on the group. At the time I didn't think that it did. I felt like we were all growing in different directions. I don't really know if it was Berry's focus on me, I think it was just time, it was part of growing."
ON LEAVING THE SUPREMES TO PERSUE HER SOLO CAREER: "It was like stepping into the darkness, not knowing really if it was the right thing to do or not."
ON PREPARING FOR THE ROLE OF BILLIE HOLIDAY IN "LADY SINGS THE BLUES": "I read a lot, I watched everything I could about Billie Holiday. No one taught me this. I had to learn this all on my own. All I listened to was Billie Holiday so it just became a part of me like osmosis or something."
ON HER CAREER TODAY: "The record industry is changing so much. They don't have time for veteran artists. And I guess that's the way it is, we are supposed to move over for the younger artists. But I think that until they drag me off the stage, I want to continue!"
ON HER NEW CD "I LOVE YOU": "I'm so grateful to the record company that helped me release this message because this is a message of love. It is what I want to be able to give out and every song is a positive affirmation of love."
Best known as the lead singer of the popular 1960s singing group The Supremes, Ross was born in Detroit, Michigan, the second of six children. Ross started singing in the gospel choir of a Baptist church and at age 14, she formed a vocal group, "The Primettes," with friends Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and Barbara Martin. Later, Martin left the group and the remaining three girls inked a deal with Motown Records and were renamed The Supremes. Ross became the lead signer of the group and they were renamed "Diana Ross and the Supremes." From 1965 to 1969, The Supremes had astring of #1 records.
In late 1969, Ross left the group to begin a solo career. Ross' first two songs reached #1 on both the pop and R&B charts. She later won the title role in the Billie Holiday biopic "Lady Sings the Blues" (1972), which was extremely successful at the box office, and had the distinction of being nominated for an Academy Award for her first film. The movie's soundtrack reached #1 on the U.S. charts. Ross later starred in "Mahogany" (1975) and "The Wiz" (1978).
She was also nominated for a Golden Gobe for her role in the TV movie "Out of Darkness" and won a Tony Award for her one-woman show on Broadway.
Ross recently released her first album in over six years, I Love You. The new album proved to be a comeback of sorts, achieving Hot Shot Debut status on the Billboard 200 by debuting at no. 32, and giving Diana her first Top 40 album on that chart since Swept Away, over two decades earlier.
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