Diana Ross spotted at Chow's

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Diana Ross tour leads way in event safety

L-R: Andy Cotton (TAO Group), Chris Marsh (production manager / FOH sound engineer), Mike Droke (tour manager). Photos courtesy of Media Ink PR / Anna Morgan.


Europe - TAO Misc (part of the TAO Group) and Major Tom have joined forces to deliver a new level of health and safety for the touring industry, pioneered on Diana Ross' European I Love You tour.

Highlighting the lack of awareness of responsibility for health and safety issues on tour, and seeking to eliminate the 'fingers crossed' approach to this important issue, TAO's Andy Cotton, who lecturers for the UK Home Office on event safety, and Major Tom's Chris Marsh, Diana Ross sound engineer / production manager have developed the approach to ensure all legal requirements and safety measures are met, proving it can be done in a cost effective manner on a medium size tour.

For the recent Diana tour, TAO produced all health and safety documentation and risk assessments (including fire under the new Regulatory Reform Act), event guidance documentation, produced crew tour welfare books listing nearest amenities and basic principals of safe working, and signed off rigging, staging, lighting and sound systems.

They liaised with American crew and suppliers, monitored crowd movement and reaction during the show, oversaw traffic and pedestrian management, addressed changes during the tour and handled all nitty gritty specifics concerning health, safety, welfare and security. "Our role and focus was to look around site, highlight H&S issues, and not only report the problem, but provide the solution," explained Cotton."

"Having fully researched current health and safety regulations and legislations I found it scary to see how many things you thought were just practice or venue related ideas that were possibly an obstruction to your every day work, are actually a legal requirement," continued Marsh, "and as production manager the buck stops with you. I'd worked with Andy Cotton before and respected his approach. The health and safety of your crew and audience shouldn't be swept under the carpet and we both strongly felt shows like this need someone to oversee this whole area. As experts, TAO developed a complete strategy, providing total peace of mind and enabling the crew and myself to get on with our jobs."

Diana Ross' tour manager, Mike Droke agreed, "It's a great guard against litigious action, so things where normally we've said that's fine and deemed safe, we're taking a second look at. I've seen a bit of this in Australia, but the States isn't all over it yet. On this tour every sheet and curtain is fire retardant, every cable is taped properly, and we know no-one is going to sue the sound engineer because the sound is too high."

"We think it's important that industry starts to implement this practice on every tour," stresses Marsh. "Our biggest fear is people will only wake up to this when something goes really, really wrong. I'l continue to work with TAO to take this to every tour I am involved with. I'd rather be one of the first test cases of introducing this health and safety practice rather than one of the first in court defending my name."

Miss Diana Ross performance, May 19th at the Ahoy, Rotterdam,The Netherlands.

Miss Ross performance May 19th at the Ahoy, Rotterdam,The Netherlands.



What can I say?? We were around 16.30 at the Ahoy and saw many fans were standing at The Ahoy waiting for Miss Ross. Miss Ross arrived around 17.00 in a silver mercedes with blinded windows. There were a lot of fans who brought CD's and pictures in the hope she would sign them just as she did in 2004. But the car drove immediately into the garage from the Ahoy. (see Europe Tour 2007)



We went to the Ahoy Café with some fans to talk and meet each other. Some we've never seen in real life, but we knew each other from the old ROSS magazine and the internet groups.



There were are a lot of fans coming from other countries. From the U.S.A, Bernard from L.A nice to see him again! From the U.K, Andrew Roland and Glen Stevens with his mom (guys nice to speak and to see you both) And Andreas, Carolin,Uli, Maria, Sebastian, Alberto, Franz and Michael from Germany, Patrick Ibens, a very nice guy from Belgium, Miguel Silva from Portugal, Bruno, Francesco (Bruno thanks for the DVD's, speak to you soon) from Italy Angelo and Andreas from Greece you are such a kind person, always caring for me, thanks!!



Many Dutch ROSS friends Thea, Frans,Hans H, Hans D,Bart,Michael van Gooi; nice to meet you, Michael Pieplenbosch (you always think of me with sending pictures and files), Helen, Quint I could only wave to you, Ron, Steve, Rick, Jaap, Niels, Henk, Kees, John, Walther & Hasan a long time friend,Angelique van den Burg sorry for forgotten you after so many years, Esther van der Hel thanks for saying hello, the girls Annie & Hilda you both are so sweet being around Ron & me. My other Girl "The Dutch Diana Ross" you are the best and it was so nice that Diana played with you at the concert, so funny how she reacted on you and your dress. Gonny, Rietje, Rina, Janine, Jolanda, dad and mom (Ron's parents) nice to have you with us.



So many people who came to me to thank me, during the evening, outside The Ahoy, at the concert, before and after the show in the Ahoy Café. Sorry I could not talk to everyone. I wished I could split myself in hundred pieces to give you more attention and speak longer with you!! For all the others I forgot....nice to meet you!! I hope you had a wonderful evening just as we did.



The concert was great!! We enjoyed ourselves very much.

I was lucky to have permission to take pictures with the Dutch press during the first 3 songs, here are some pictures I have made,more will follow!!

More from the concert !!www.dianarossfanclub.net

Tommie Ross - Miss Sweetheart 2007 as Diana Ross and The Supremes

What can we say...it's the legendary Tommie Ross giving us an awesome talent performance as she went on to win this year's Mr. and Miss Sweetheart Internatinal pageant in Hollywood, Florida.

DIANA ROSS IN CONCERT!! HOLLAND 19 MEI 2007.

Diana Ross
Op zaterdag 19 mei 2007 geeft Diana Ross een eenmalig concert in Ahoy Rotterdam. Het concert is onderdeel van de 'I Love You' Tour van de Amerikaanse popdiva. Het Nederlandse publiek maakte in de 60’s voor het eerst kennis met Diana Ross, toen nog als lid van het succesvolle trio The Supremes. Het besluit van Diana Ross om in 1970 als solo artiest verder te gaan bleek een gouden greep. Met een carrière die inmiddels meer dan 40 jaar overspant wist Ross uit te groeien tot één van de grootste popdiva’s ter wereld.

Met onder andere ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, ‘Reach Out And Touch’, ‘Upside Down’, ‘Why Do Fools Fall In Love’ en ‘Endless Love’ scoorde de soul diva hit na hit. Haar hitsingle ‘When You Tell Me That You Love Me’ werd in 2005 opnieuw uitgebracht in duet met boy band Westlife.

Tijdens het concert in Ahoy in Rotterdam zingt Diana Ross nummers van haar laatste album dat eind vorig jaar uitkwam: ‘I Love You’, en hits uit haar gehele repertoire. De zangeres gaf nog een uitverkocht concert in Nederland in maart 2004.

Meer informatie www.dianarossfanclub.net

Diana Ross,The epitome of a diva

A quick lesson on the essence of divadom:

Originally an opera term co-opted by snarky pop music critics, "diva" is used to describe a female singer who has 1 successfully untethered herself from reality, (2) spent most of her life living in a perfumed cloud of fabulousness, (3) slapped one or more butlers.

A diva has no idea how much a quart of milk costs; a diva has 10 assistants to research that information for her. Music writers love to toss around the D-word, but few singers have actually earned it.

Beyonce? Too self-aware. Mary J.? Too humble. Christina? Too married. Mariah, however, is filling out the paperwork as we speak.

No singer defines divadom quite like R&B goddess Diana Ross. Remember a few years ago, on the MTV Video Music Awards, when Ms. Ross jiggled the bosom of rapper Lil' Kim? Only a diva can get away with that; the rest of us either go to jail or get stabbed by one of Kim's henchmen.

But also remember this: A diva gets to be a diva by having more talent than the rest of the room. And Ross, with that flirty soulful croon, is certainly in that category. Helming the most successful act in Motown history, Ross and the Supremes cranked out hit after hit: Stop! In the Name of Love, Baby Love, Where Did Our Love Go? She went solo in 1970, but the hits didn't stop: Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand), Touch Me in the Morning, I'm Coming Out, Upside Down.

She'll no doubt perform all of these hits tonight. Why? Because the one thing divas love more than themselves is the sweet sound of applause.

Diana Ross performs at 8 tonight, Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. $49.50-$125. (727) 791-7400; www.rutheckerdhall.com.

Sean Daly can be reached at (727) 893-8467 or sdaly@sptimes.com His blog is at blogs.tampabay.com/popmusic.

THE CHART TOPPING HITS OF SOUL Number 1's

THE CHART TOPPING HITS OF SOUL HEARD DECADE BY DECADE IN FOUR NEW
SOUL Number 1’s COLLECTIONS COVERING THE
‘60S, ‘70S, ‘80S AND ‘90S PLUS JAMES BROWN NUMBER 1’S



Soul is at the heart of hip-hop, providing the inspiration for today’s chart-topping hip-hop tracks. Now four new compilations present the best of soul--a total of 67 recordings, every track a #1 (nearly all on the R&B chart)--from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. Each of the Hip-O/UMe Soul Number 1’s albums in the new UMe Number 1’s series is set for release April 3, 2007 and packaged in a ground-breaking environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable.

In the ‘60s, soul was cool. ’60s Soul Number 1’s brings together the late-night vibe of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” the sophistication of Ramsey Lewis’ “The ‘In’ Crowd,” the group vocals of The Dells’ “Stay In My Corner,” the Chicago cool of Jerry “The Iceman” Butler (“Only The Strong Survive”) and Curtis Mayfield (with The Impressions’ “We’re A Winner”). 60s Soul Number 1’s also includes Sam & Dave’s genre-defining “Soul Man,” James Brown’s “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag - Pt. 1” and Motown smashes “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” (Four Tops), “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (The Supremes), “I Can’t Get Next To You” (The Temptations) and “Shotgun” (Jr. Walker & The All Stars). Other tracks are Little Milton’s “We’re Gonna Make It,” Hugh Masekela’s “Grazing In The Grass,” Johnnie Taylor’s “Who’s Making Love,” The Originals’ “Baby, I’m For Real,” Fontella Bass’ “Rescue Me” and Joe Hinton’s take on the Willie Nelson-penned “Funny (How Time Slips Away).”

In the ‘70s, sexy cool became sexy hot. ’70s Soul Number 1’s ranges from the Godfather of Soul’s “Make It Funky” and Ohio Players’ “Fire” to George Clinton and Parliament’s “Flash Light” and Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Sweet Thing.” Scorching the charts were Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1),” Rick James’ “You And I,” Kool & The Gang’s “Hollywood Swinging,” William Bell’s “Tryin’ To Love Two,” the Pointer Sisters’ “How Long (Betcha’ Got A Chick On The Side)” and the Commodores’ “Three Times A Lady.” Other #1s are “Dancing Machine” (Jackson 5), “Float On” (The Floaters), “Love Hangover” (Diana Ross), “Reunited” (Peaches & Herb), “Strawberry Letter 23” (The Brothers Johnson), “Theme Song From Which Way Is Up” (Stargard), “(Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again” (L.T.D.) and “Walk Away From Love” (David Ruffin).

In the ‘80s, soul took on the sound of the future. ’80s Soul Number 1’s includes the slow-dancin’ “Special Lady” (Ray, Goodman & Brown), “All Night Long (All Night)” (Lionel Richie), “The Rain” (Oran “Juice” Jones), “Save Your Love (For #1)” (René & Angela), and the uptempo “She Works Hard For The Money” (Donna Summer), “Let It Whip” (Dazz Band), “My Prerogative” (Bobby Brown), “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” (Jennifer Holliday) and Dance #1 “New Attitude” (Patti LaBelle). Heard too are Cameo’s “She’s Strange,” Yarbrough & Peoples’ “Don’t Stop The Music,” Smokey Robinson’s “Being With You,” Ready For The World’s “Love You Down,” Pebbles’ “Girlfriend,” New Edition’s “Can You Stand The Rain” and Jody Watley’s “Looking For A New Love.”

In the ‘90s, soul, R&B and hip-hop came together. ’90s Soul Number 1’s mixes Boyz II Men (“I’ll Make Love To You”), New Edition (“Hit Me Off”) and Vanessa Williams (“Save The Best For Last”) with BLACKstreet (featuring Dr. Dre on “No Diggity”), Dru Hill (“Never Make A Promise”) and Bobby Brown (“Humpin’ Around”). Richie (“Do It To Me”) and Quincy Jones (and El DeBarge, James Ingram, Al B. Sure! and Barry White on “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)”) are at home next to Brian McKnight (“Anytime”), Jodeci (“Stay”), Shanice (“I Love Your Smile”), Montell Jordan (“This Is How We Do It”), Pebbles (“Giving You The Benefit”), Soul For Real (“Candy Rain”), Aaron Hall (“Don’t Be Afraid”) and Tony! Toni! Toné! (“It Never Rains (In Southern California)”).

With James Brown - Number 1’s (available March 27), the Godfather of Soul rolls out hit after hit such as “Get On The Good Foot, Pt. 1,” “Say It Loud (I’m Black And I’m Proud),” “Hot Pants, Pt. 1,” “I Got The Feelin’,” “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag (Pt. 1),” “Get Up I feel Like Being A Sex Machine,” “Try Me” and “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” With tracks like “Hot Pants, Pt. 1,” “The Payback, Pt. 1,” “Cold Sweat (Part 1) and “Super Bad, Pts. 1&2, “ James Brown proves there is only room for Number 1’s.


http://www.ilovethatsong.com/

Available Titles:

James Brown - Number 1’s
Marvin Gaye - Number 1’s
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Number 1’s
Temptations - Number 1’s
Motown Number 1’s
Motown Number 1’s Volume 2
Love Songs Number 1’s
Jazz Number 1’s
Country Number 1’s
Dance Number 1’s
Soundtrack Smashes Number 1’s
60s Pop Number 1’s
70s Pop Number 1’s
80s Pop Number 1’s
60s Soul Number 1’s
70’s Soul Number 1’s
80’s Soul Number 1’s
90s Soul Number 1’s

Motown's Chart Topping hits the Number 1's

MOTOWN’S CHART-TOPPING HITS ON Motown Number 1’s and
Motown Number 1’s: Vol. 2, and Number 1’s Collections From DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES, Marvin Gaye and The Temptations


Motown has been home to some of the greatest artists in history and many of the most popular songs ever recorded. Now the best of the best has been collected on four Motown/UMe albums in the new and ongoing Number 1’s series from UMe, each released April 3, 2007 in a ground-breaking, environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable.

Motown Number 1’s Vol. 2 follows its 2004 best-selling Motown Number 1’s. Together they offer 47 No. 1 hits, songs that topped the Pop, R&B, Dance/Disco and/or Adult Contemporary industry charts. The sequel opens with the label’s first R&B #1: “Shop Around” from The Miracles.

The Supremes are also here with the most selections: “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Someday We’ll Be Together.” The Sixties are also represented by “Do You Love Me” from The Contours, “I Second That Emotion” from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, “You’re All I Need To Get By” from Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” from Jr. Walker & The All Stars and “I Can’t Get Next To You” from the Temptations.

The Temptations are heard in the Seventies with “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me).” The Jackson 5 chime in with “ABC” and “I’ll Be There”; former Temptation Eddie Kendricks with “Keep On Truckin’ (Pt. 1)”; Stevie Wonder with “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours”; Gladys Knight & The Pips with “If I Were Your Woman” and Gaye with “Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1),” which zoomed to No. 1 on three major charts – Pop, R&B and Dance. Supremes diva Diana Ross hit No. 1 in the Eighties with “Upside Down.” Other No. 1’s from that decade are Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long (All Night),” Rick James’ “Give It To Me Baby,” the Dazz Band’s “Let It Whip” and the Commodores’ “Nightshift.” The most recent track is 1994’s “On Bended Knee,” from Boyz II Men.

The original Motown Number 1’s, now reissued in the new eco-pak, kicks off with Motown’s debut Pop #1: Please Mr. Postman” by The Marvelettes. The Sixties also yield “(Love Is Like A) Heat Wave” (Martha & The Vandellas), “My Guy” (Mary Wells) and “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg” (The Temptations). The Supremes contribute “Where Did Our Love Go” and “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” while the Four Tops’ No. 1’s include “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and “Reach Out, I’ll Be There.” The decade also adds “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (Wonder), “I Want You Back” (Jackson 5), “Shotgun” (Jr. Walker & The All Stars) and Marvin’s “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and, with Tammi, “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing.”

From the Seventies are Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and “Let’s Get It On”; “The Tears Of A Clown” (Smokey Robinson & The Miracles), “Love Machine (Part 1)” (The Miracles); “War” (Edwin Starr), “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (Thelma Houston), also No. 1 across three charts; and “Three Times A Lady” (Commodores). The lone Eighties selection is the Richie-Ross duet “Endless Love,” No. 1 for more than two months. From the Nineties is “I’ll Make Love To You” (Boyz II Men) and from 2003 is Michael McDonald’s rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

For Marvin Gaye – Number 1’s, highlights include “Let’s Get It On,” “What’s Going On,” “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing,” “You’re All I Need To Get By,” “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Got To Give It Up (Pt. 1).” Also included are Marvin’s huge comeback hit, “Sexual Healing,” plus more of his Sixties No. 1’s, “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby,” “Ain’t That Peculiar” and “I’ll Be Doggone.” From the Seventies, his other No. 1’s are “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler),” “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” and “I Want You.” There’s more too: as bonus tracks, the collection includes his smash No. 2 hits, from the solo singles, “Pride And Joy” and “That’s The Way Love Is,” to his duets with Tammi Terrell, “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You” and “Your Precious Love.”

The Temptations – Number 1’s features an astonishing 20 No. 1 hits, encompassing more 30 years of hits from the group. “My Girl” is here of course, plus from the Sixties the smash hits “I Can’t Get Next To You,” “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg,” “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” “Get Ready,” “Beauty Is Only Skin Deep,” “(I Know) I’m Losing You,” “You’re My Everything,” “I Wish It Would Rain,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” (with Diana Ross & The Supremes), “I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)” and “Run Away Child, Running Wild.”

From the Seventies are “Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today),” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone,” “Masterpiece,” “Let Your Hair Down,” “Happy People” (missing from previous Tempts collections) and “Shakey Ground.” The collection concludes with “Stay,” the group’s 1998 return to the top of the charts.

Additionally, UMe is re-releasing in the eco-pak the successful Diana Ross & The Supremes – Number 1’s collection, first released in 2003: 23 era-defining tracks, 15 from the Motown group, from “Where Did Our Love Go” through “Stoned Love” (with Jean Terrell replacing Ms. Ross); plus eight more from Ms. Ross solo, from “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” through Endless Love” with Lionel Richie. Included is a bonus track, the Almighty Mix of “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.”


www.ilovethatsong.com


Available Titles:

James Brown - Number 1’s
Marvin Gaye - Number 1’s
Diana Ross & The Supremes - Number 1’s
Temptations - Number 1’s
Motown Number 1’s
Motown Number 1’s Volume 2
Love Songs Number 1’s
Jazz Number 1’s
Country Number 1’s
Dance Number 1’s
Soundtrack Smashes Number 1’s
60s Pop Number 1’s
70s Pop Number 1’s
80s Pop Number 1’s
60s Soul Number 1’s
70’s Soul Number 1’s
80’s Soul Number 1’s
90s Soul Number 1’s

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Diana Ross;Reflections on a Diva Who Withers Not

By STEPHEN HOLDEN
Published: April 9, 2007
Diana Ross didn’t wield a scepter or a magic wand during her concert on Friday evening, but she might as well have. During a show at the Theater at Madison Square Garden that lasted barely an hour and a half Ms. Ross disappeared every 20 minutes or so, only to re-emerge swathed in new shades of ruffles and feathers, and swan around the stage in a glittering, form-fitting gown.

Richard Termine for The New York Times
Diana Ross performing at Madison Square Garden on Friday night.

The word queen came to mind: beauty queen, disco queen, fashion queen, queen of Motown, fairy queen, queen of the mermaids (in the skin-tight salmon outfit chosen for her grand entrance to the strains of “I’m Coming Out”). Flashing her Miss America smile and brushing back the forest of jet-black hair that has been her tonsorial trademark since the 1970s, Ms. Ross graciously bestowed her royal blessings on her besotted subjects, one of whom kept shouting at the stage, “You look 35!” And she did.

Talk about illusion. On March 26 Ms. Ross turned 63. Not since Marlene Dietrich has a pop diva staked so much on maintaining a fixed image of time-resistant, hard-shell glamour. That image is carried off much more effectively on the stage than on television. As a guest coach on “American Idol” recently Ms. Ross looked and acted closer to her actual age and sang not half as well as Melinda Doolittle, the contest’s front-runner.

Onstage, however, she reigned. Her perfectly groomed beauty was as reassuring as the parade of Supremes hits that she performed with an efficient band and two backup singers. As long as we can sing along with “Where Did Our Love Go?,” “Baby Love” and “Stop! In the Name of Love,” and shake our collective flabby booty, we are all forever youthful in the Sound of Young America.

It has been a long time since Ms. Ross sold records in significant quantities, and her recent album, “I Love You” (Manhattan/EMI), from which she sang two numbers on Friday, hasn’t burned up the charts. Produced by Peter Asher and Steve Tyrell, this studious attempt at a personalized oldies museum on the order of Rod Stewart’s “Still the Same: Great Rock Classics of Our Time” is as sterile as its prototype, polite but lifeless.

Those two numbers were the 1969 Spiral Starecase hit, “More Today Than Yesterday,” arranged with a toughened disco beat, and a treacly new ballad, “I Love You (That’s All That Really Matters),” written by Fred White, which Ms. Ross poured over the audience like watered down corn syrup.

Her voice, never powerful to begin with, has diminished in strength and flexibility. In particular her version of “Don’t Explain” during a brief Billie Holiday segment faltered on several sour notes. As she did in “Lady Sings the Blues” all those years ago, Ms. Ross translated Holiday’s animal woundedness into a weepy, soap-opera pseudo-sincerity.

It would be foolish, however, to underestimate the influence of Ms. Ross’s singing, which established a style of sassy, streetwise girl talk as a permanent strain of pop. You could even argue that she was pop’s original Mean Girl, who enabled Madonna, Britney and the rest.

Ms. Ross’s most revealing performance on Friday was her version of “It’s My House,” from the 1979 album “The Boss.” While singing this curt expression of self-empowerment, she coyly shimmied and did some discreet bumps and grinds.

The song may be about real estate, but Ms. Ross transformed it into an expression of physical self-possession, a celebration of the body beautiful. I imagine that she will be singing it into her 80s and that — with the help of makeup, costumes and lighting — she will still look approximately the same as she did on Friday: as the man said, 35.

From Diana Ross, hits and a few misses

By Kevin L. Carter
For The Inquirer


Associated Press, File
Diana Ross . Visual highs and some musical onesat the sold-out Borgata.
For a self-described "aging diva," Diana Ross certainly looked beautiful Saturday night at the Borgata. As she always does when performing, she made a series of wardrobe changes during the show, each more spectacular than the next.

Shame that her music wasn't always as beautiful as she was.
The majority of Ross' hits, especially during her Supremes and post-Supremes period, were characterized by sophisticated, multilayered orchestral backdrops that surrounded her soft but dramatic - even melodramatic - singing style.

But at the Borgata, Ross, 63, performing with a stripped-down seven-piece band, only sometimes achieved the intended effects of her three-decade array of hits.

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is, arguably, one of the greatest pop songs ever written and recorded. The lyrics (by Ashford and Simpson), the meticulous, clockwork-precise instrumental and vocal charts, and Ross' partly spoken, partly sung lead on the recording were all spectacular then and remain so today. But live, the song came out as little more than a weak, ghostly projection of the original. A quarter-century after the fact, you would have a right to expect a bit of a dropoff, but this was just too disappointing.

Nevertheless, Ross did provide the sold-out crowd with some nice moments in the quick-moving 90-minute show, even a few that were gorgeous. She was sassy on the assertive "My House" and "The Boss," shaking and shimmying her shoulders sexily.

"Love Child" began earnestly but lost focus and passion, which she and her band regained by adding an exuberant Latin coda.

Later, an instant of pure beauty: playing an intimate version of "Don't Explain," Ross commanded full attention with her exacting, jazzily enunciated wordplay. While she never had a jazz diva's voice, she always had the attitude and certainty. It came out to great effect when Ross was at her most quiet and vulnerable.

Diana Ross still reigns supreme.

Diana Ross still reigns supreme
Saturday, April 07, 2007
By RAY KELLYrkelly@repub.com

MASHANTUCKET, Conn. - Fresh from a stint as a coach on "American Idol," Diana Ross continues to show would-be pop divas how to do it right.

Ross kicked off her North American tour Thursday night at Foxwoods Casino's intimate 1,463-seat Fox Theater. The sold-out show served as a warm up for last night's scheduled stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

In a 75-minute set, Ross managed to pack in 18 fabulous songs and five dazzling costume changes.


She teasingly opened the show by singing "I'm Coming Out" off-stage before making a grand entrance in a form-flattering, red sequin gown. Her slightest shake or shimmy provided squeals from the audience.

Ross quickly followed with a faithful cover The Spiral Starecase's "More Than Yesterday," which is featured on her new album, "I Love You," a collection of classic love songs.

"We're going back to the good old days," Ross promised the audience before beginning a trio of No. 1 hits from her days with The Supremes: "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love" and "Stop! In the Name of Love."

Those early Motown classics were followed by two solid Ross solo hits, "Touch Me in the Morning" and "Love Hangover."

Ross' five-piece band and two backup singers continued to play "Love Hangover," while she exited the stage for a quick costume change. Returning in a yellow sequin gown with feathered cape that would have made other women resemble Big Bird, Ross launched into "The Boss" and "It's My House."

Ross and company shined on a calypso-tinged "Love Child," the well-received "Upside Down" and the jubilant "Ease on Down the Road" from the box office dud "The Wiz."

The musical high point of the night came in a pair of songs from the 1972 Billie Holiday film biography "Lady Sings the Blues," which earned Ross an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. "Fine & Mellow" and "Don't Explain" showcased Ross sans back-up singers and most of her band and revealed how well her 63-year-old voice has aged.

The full-band returned for a rousing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," the stirring "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" and Ross' first solo hit "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."

Ross ended the night with the Gloria Gaynor disco-era hit "I Will Survive," which she recorded for her 1995 disc "Take Me Higher."

Will Diana Ross Style Cause A Chain Reaction?

Singing sensation Diana Ross attended Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XIII at the Marriot Desert Ridge Resort and Spa wearing a monochrome pattern dress.

Diana Ross, who shot to fame in girl group The Supremes, is something of a music icon, even though in 2005 she teamed up with Westlife for a remake of her 1991 hit When You Tell Me That You Love Me.

We'll forgive Diana for that particular misdemeanour, after all people have done worse things. But we won't forgive (or forget) the shawl she has teamed with her gorgeous monochrome dress!

She arrived at Muhammad Ali's Celebrity Fight Night XIII on trend with a monochrome dress but undid all her good style work by throwing the fuchsia coloured shawl over her shoulder.
Never mind Why Do Fools Fall In Love? this is more a case of Why Do Fools Team Fuchsia Pink With Monochrome?!

Monochrome is a hot trend for the spring summer 07 season and the look works well when top to toe monochrome marries subtle splashes of red and orangey tones in shoes, make up and accessories (see bottom right).

If you're going to snap up the latest fashion trend go for John Zack's Monochrome Wrap Dress - but don't team it with fuchsia like Diana.

Hopefully the fashion faux pas won't cause a Chain Reaction and Diana will look in the Mirror, Mirror before going out!
Talk to the Style Team today over at MySpace!

CELEBRITY FIGHT NIGHT XIII with musical performances by Diana Ross and more...

Billy Crystal, Donald Trump, David Foster, Reba McEntire, Sharon Stone, Muhammad Ali, Diana Ross, Patricia Smith, Emmitt Smith, Kevin Sorbo, Khalia Ali, Michael Buble, Shaun White, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Doug Flutie, John Elway, Tony Hawk, Lhotse Merriam, Derrek Lee, Michael Johnson, Missy Peregrym, Buzz Aldrin, Kurt Warner

(News Item):CELEBRITY FIGHT NIGHT XIII with musical performances by Diana Ross, Michael Bublé and Neil Sedaka under the direction of David Foster.

Muhammad Ali will honor Sharon Stone with the “Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award,” Donald Trump will receive the “Muhammad Ali Entrepreneur Award,” Steve Nash will receive the “Muhammad Ali Sports Achievement Award” and John Elway will be honored with the “Muhammad Ali Sports Legend Award.”

This black tie event begins with cocktails and a silent auction with dinner, a live auction and entertainment immediately to follow.

The Celebrity Fight Night Foundation established The Muhammad Ali Awards as a way to acknowledge leaders in the sports, entertainment and business communities who best represent the qualities associated with the Champ and his fight to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease.

In recent years, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Magic Johnson, Tony Hawk, Billy Crystal, Michael J. Fox, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chevy Chase, Jack Nicklaus, Wayne Gretzky, Joe Montana, Barry Bonds, Emmitt Smith, Evander Holyfield, Chris Evert, and Jerry Colangelo have received these awards.

Additional award recipients have included Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Luis Gonzalez, Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, and Bob Emfield and Tony Margolis, Founders of Tommy Bahama. Each year dozens of celebrity guests attend the event that has raised more than $38 million dollars in twelve years

Diana Ross' teen could be the next big thing

In the movie "ATL," someone told the character Ant, "You tell me. You're the one that's shinin'."
The same could be said of the acting career of Evan Ross, who made his film debut as Ant.

This is a big year for 18-year-old Ross. Earlier this month, he co-starred in the HBO film "Life Support" with Queen Latifah.

And on Friday, his latest project, "Pride," opens to tell the true story of a black swim team in Philadelphia. Ross plays the stuttering, shy Reggie, who comes up with the bright idea to form the team.

"Things are good; heading in the right direction," says Ross in a recent telephone interview from Los Angeles. "I'm so passionate about what I'm doing. My focus is in the right place."

In fact, Ross -- the youngest son of Detroit native Diana Ross -- is so focused on acting that he says his mother worries about him constantly. When he's home, he resides with her. Like most mothers, the Motown diva gets concerned about whether her baby is eating properly and getting enough rest when he's on location.

"My mom tells me, 'Don't get overtired, and don't get yourself sick."
Of course, the teen always listens to his mother, but on this point, the actor, singer and dancer says he's taking advice from Terrance Howard, his "Pride" co-star: "Let me get through the door, and then I'll sleep."

"Terrance said something like that. I said to him, 'You've got back-to-back films, and you're shooting two at the same time.' He said, 'Until I get comfortable, I'm going to work and work and work until I canpass out for a minute.'

"There are no breaks," Ross says. "There is nothing given to you, even when you think there is. You take things in your own hands; that's how things get done."

It's that attitude that has Ross rising so fast in his career, says Nelson George, pop culture critic and director of "Life Support."

"It always sounds corny when people say somebody is going to be a big star, but Evan Ross is going to be a big star. When I first saw him in 'ATL,' I was like, 'Who is that kid?' "

Ross is heading straight for the top because he possesses the right attitude, work ethic and talent, George says.

"He's got all the elements. He's got vulnerability, and he's got lookability," George explains. "He's got acting chops. He can project pain and anger. He's really committed to be a great actor. He gets in there, he's super prepared and he's thought the character through very well.

"Yeah, he's Diana Ross' son, but that's not a big part of why you hire him. You feel like he's totally committed to what he's doing. There's none of that rich kid (stuff). None of that."

Lately, Ross has been filming "Life is Hot in Crack Town" and "Brooklyn to Manhattan." Soon, he will begin work on "Burning Sands." Those films are set for release next year.

He says acting doesn't look like it, but it's really hard work. He says the work also can take a toll on his emotions.

In "Life Support," he played Omari, a gay young man who was born HIV-positive. His biological sister, Tracee Ellis Ross, played his sister in the film, and that, he says, was especially emotional for him.

"I have a lot of emotions," he says. "A lot of people don't know this. A lot about people don't know about my struggles, and that's not important for them to know."

One of his struggles, he says, was spending time with street kids to learn about them for his upcoming movie "Gardens of the Night," his third 2007 release.

In the film, he plays 17-year-old Donnie, who is among a group of children who were abducted into a prostitution ring. They escape but continue having sex for food and cigarettes while living on the street.

"It was hard sitting in that room and listening to them and being around them for the day," Ross says. "It puts so much pressure on your heart."

While true love hasn't happened for Ross yet, he has been romantically linked to Lindsay Lohan. And no Hollywood actor can be taken seriously as a star until he's romantically linked to Lohan, quips Robert Thompson, professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University.

On a more serious note, though, Thompson has paid close attention to Ross' career, and rattles off information about him effortlessly.

"Every now and then, you see someone and you think you are watching them at the very beginning of a big career," he says. "I watched every episode of 'St. Elsewhere.' It was amazing how little that show used Denzel Washington, and I never got that sense watching him that here is a really big star. I didn't get it when I watched Jim Carrey in the sitcom 'Duck Factory.'

"Evan Ross is 18 years old, and you can see this guy could really be a big star. … If I was asked to invest in the futures market of stars, he would be a good bet."

Ross says he never thinks about whether he will be a star. He is, however, beginning to realize his heritage as the son of singing and acting star Diana Ross.

"I don't mind being in such an incredible shadow," he says. "More and more, I've been watching her career and learning about her career in the Supremes. She's so incredible, and she's done such amazing things. I'm in awe and I'm inspired by the things she's done. I saw a clip of her playing a schizophrenic, and I was like, 'Oh, my gosh! I'll work harder.' "

When he's not working, he's just working on being himself.
In free moments, he says he enjoys shopping and partying. He says he's already getting flak for wearing his hair long, a deviation from his close-cropped look in "ATL."

With that and the rumors about his $100,000 birthday shopping spree, which he says aren't true, he's found people want you to be who they want you to be, and he has empathy for young Hollywood stars such as Britney Spears and Lohan.

"I hope to affect people," Ross says, "and I want to keep doing things differently. I'm not trying to look like everybody else. I'm wearing my hair long, and I'm comfortable being different, being new. You don't have to be one way, look one way. You can go against the grain. That's what I'm doing."

Diana Ross on American Idol review!!

It was Diana Ross night on American Idol’s first finals show Tuesday, and the women reigned supreme. Most of the men misfired attempting to sing material from Ross or The Supremesa.

Brandon Rogers delivered a lukewarm You Can’t Hurry Love, Phil Stacy demolished I’m Gonna Make You Love Me and the Sanjaya Malakar travesty worsened with a pathetically weak Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.

Even front-runners Chris Sligh and Blake Lewis flopped with rearragements, Sligh injecting a Coldplay vibe into, oddly, Endless Love and Lewis executing a sub-par You Keep Me Hanging On.





The women were at least competent — a passable Love Child by Gina Glocksen, an appealing Missing You by Haley Scarnato — and at times better than that. LaKisha Jones won the night with an impressively nuanced God Bless the Child.

And Melinda Doolittle and Jordin Sparks picked dull Ross ballads (Home, If We Hold On Together) but sang them skillfully. The first finalist is eliminated tonight (Fox, 9 ET/PT). Malakar would be the logical choice.

Diana Ross Gets 'Idolized!'

Delicious diva DIANA ROSS is heading out on tour, with a valentine for her audience in the form of her I Love You CD. One of the stops along the way is FOX's monster hit series, "American Idol," where the music icon will mentor the Final 12 as they prepare to sing songs from her catalog for Tuesday night's competition.

For Ross, who will perform live on the Wednesday night results show, the most exciting part of her "Idol" visit is mentoring the contestants."I like the idea of them knowing that they have someone they can talk to who has a supportive voice," she tells ET's KEVIN FRAZIER in a one-on-one sit-down. "Not someone who is there to criticize them, or someone who is trying to tell them what to do.

As I told them, I want to be supportive to help them bring out the best from who they are."Ross says it is incredible how much pressure these 12 hopefuls are under during this process. Truth be told, she has never undergone anything like it in her career. Still, she hopes to teach them to turn a negative into a positive."They said they were nervous with me, and I was trying to tell them that nervous and excited feel the same, so they should change their language and say they are excited.

Turn nerves into excitement and use it as a good thing," she explains.As for the criticism and advice that is imparted by the three judges -- PAULA ABDUL, RANDY JACKSON and SIMON COWELL --

Ross feels that the recipients need to listen, but not necessarily internalize the comments."There are a lot of people who can pi$$ on your dreams," she adds. "I remember there was someone who tried to keep me from being a performer. I wouldn't be here today, if I had listened to that. You have to learn what to listen to."Ross knows that the price of fame can be high.

While she has successfully raised her four children, her life has not been without its own difficulties, so when asked about the very public trials and tribulations of young pop stars such as BRITNEY SPEARS, she has the following to say: "It is not an easy task to have this attention all the time. You hope they can recover and have a life that is graceful."

Diana Ross on American Idol.

WORLD-RENOWNED ARTIST DIANA ROSS
TO COACH TOP 12 AND PERFORM ON “AMERICAN IDOL”
TUESDAY, MARCH 13, AND WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, ON FOX

World-renowned artist Diana Ross will work with the Top 12 finalists this week on AMERICAN IDOL Tuesday, March 13 (8:00-10:00 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed), and will perform on the results show Wednesday, March 14 (9:00-9:30 PM ET live/PT tape-delayed) on FOX. The contestants will perform songs from the Diana Ross and the Supremes songbook.

In a remarkable career spanning four decades, Ross has proven to be the consummate music artist, as well as one of the iconic female singers of all time. Beginning in the 1960s as lead singer of the world-renowned group the Supremes, and later as a solo performer, Ross achieved the unprecedented feat of 18 No. 1 singles in the U.S., rivaled only by the Beatles for the position of the biggest hit group of that generation.

In 1970, Ross moved to a solo career and for over three decades has continued to produce chart singles and sell-out tours, at the same time showing herself to be a successful business woman. Her many accomplishments include an Oscar nomination for her first film role, an extraordinary performance as Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues." She recently returned to the U.S. charts with her highest-debuting album in two decades, "I Love You."

DIANA ROSS' SON WORRIED ABOUT SMOKING ROLE AS GAY HIV VICTIM

DIANA ROSS' teenage son EVAN feared he'd upset his famous mum if he took on a role as a gay HIV sufferer in QUEEN LATIFAH's new TV movie LIFE SUPPORT - because the character smoked.

See picture;

Tracee & Evan Ross

Evan Ross, 18, joined big sister TRACEE ELLIS ROSS in the hardhitting new movie but had to make sure his mum would approve of his character before signing up. Ellis Ross recalls, "Evan called me when he thought he might get the role... and the interesting thing, which I thought says a lot about our family, is it wasn't the issue of playing gay or having HIV.

"It was the concern about smoking because we don't smoke in our family, and Evan was like, 'What do you think mom's gonna think of that?'" But mum Diana was thrilled to hear her son was furthering his acting career with a challenging part - and his portrayal in the film impressed writer/director NELSON GEORGE.

He explains, "A lot of young actors were afraid of that part because they didn't want it to seem that they were gay... He was very courageous because he dived right in and had no fear."

"INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO: DIANA ROSS" MON., FEB. 19, 2007

"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.

Bravo is the cable network that plugs people into arts, entertainment and pop culture with original programming, acclaimed drama series, movies, comedy and music specials, and by showing a whole different side of celebrities.

Currently available in more than 83 million homes, Bravo is known for breaking exciting new personalities, shaking up the way we lookat style, media, fame and Hollywood, pulling back the curtain on the creative process, and making influential and inventive original programming. Its critically acclaimed original programming includes the Emmy-nominated"Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List," 12-time Emmy-nominated "Inside the Actors Studio," "The Real Housewives of Orange County," "Top Chef," "Celebrity Poker Showdown," as well as the 2004 Emmy winner for Outstanding Reality Program, "Queer Eye," and the four-time Emmy-nominated hit competition series, "Project Runway."

DIANA ROSS TO THE ACADEMY: ARE YOU KIDDING?

We hear that the Academy of Motion pictures had the colossal nerve to ask Diana Ross to sing one of the nominated songs from Dreamgirls on the Oscar show.

Are they out of touch or WHAT? First of all, when Diana was asked by Diane Sawyer what she thought of the movie, Diana replied " I haven't seen it - maybe I should see it with my lawyer."

The movie is based on the Supremes, but doesn't focus on the "Diana" character. Diana recently released an album "I Love You" and sales are dismal.

We can only IMAGINE what she thought when the Academy asked her to sing a Dreamgirls song. So far, no response.