My Endless Love For Diana Ross

A one-of-a-kind love affair

Hey, I’m as much of a fan of Led Zeppelin and any alternative rock as the next guy. But I also have a secret love I’ve known since 1965 when I first awoke to rock and pop music.

Generally, I’ve always been a bigger fan of singer/songwriters, particularly females—people like Carole King, Carly Simon, Sheryl Crow, and Alanis Morissette.

With Diana Ross, there is simply an unabashed love. I know if it wasn’t for the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, and the support of Berry Gordy, her road might have looked very different.

The first time I heard about or saw Diana Ross was in the Orange Bowl Parade in 1965. The Supremes were in the lineup, and they sang, “I Hear a Symphony.” I was captivated by the glamor and the voices. But I was only eight! So I didn’t rush out to buy the record the next day. Instead, I probably made some more “Creepy Crawlers” in my “Thing Maker!”

But I’ve always loved music, thanks in part to having a sister who was four years older. We grew up in a small city in West Texas and were fortunate to have two top 40 radio stations, the same number of television channels we had! I don’t recall hearing many Black artists. Maybe it was a racial thing. But my mom taught us to be color-blind.

In 1962, on a tour of the South, the artists and collaborators would travel by bus. They had to use back doors for restaurant service. Gas stations would prohibit them from using the restrooms. In Birmingham, their bus was shot at. The theatres where they performed were segregated. Hard to believe they had to endure that when many of them were bona fide stars.

Before we referred to leading female artists as divas, they were just known as singers. The term “diva” had not yet been ascribed. Diana, a developing diva, grew up in the streets of Detroit, not far from where “Hitsville U.S.A.” was located. As a teenager, she began at Motown doing clerical work and would pitch in as a background singer when another act was in need.

Success didn’t come quickly to Ross.

Before they were known as The Supremes, they were first The Primes, and then The Primettes. As The Supremes, their first few of attempts fell flat. Because they couldn’t come up with a song that charted, they were known around the Motown studio as the “no-hit Supremes.”

“Where Did Our Love Go?” changed everything, becoming their first of twelve number one hits in the decade.

While “Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” was her first single as a solo act, it was the next one, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” that cemented her career, landing at number one for three weeks.

I usually bought her lesser-known singles, as the big ones were playing on the radio all the time anyway. “I’m Still Waiting” and “Chain Reaction” come to mind. Both were massive hits on the U.K. charts, landing at number one but doing practically nothing here in the U.S.

“Love Hangover” was the number one song when I graduated from high school. It was a little bit classic Ross ballad and a little bit disco at the end.

By the time I was in college, songs from the 60s were oldies, and they were becoming popular again. So I bought several oldies collections albums, including this one:

The album contained a new song: a duet with Lionel Ritchie. “Endless Love” stayed at the number one spot for nine weeks in 1981. That song became the “First Dance” song at weddings for years. Being a double album, it also played an essential role in removing the seeds from your pot!

Based on a book by Berry Gordy, “Motown The Musical” hit the stage in 2013. It was a revue of musical performers playing the singers and groups from Motown’s early years.

Late in the show, the lights dimmed, and the actress who portrayed Diana Ross sat down on the edge of the stage and asked if someone in the audience would come to help her sing “Reach Out and Touch.”

Like a madman, I bulleted to the stage, leaving several in my wake. Then, to 2,500 strangers in the audience, I introduced myself as simply “Arthur,” and together, we sang:

“Reach out and touch somebody’s hand Make this world a better place, if you can.”

It was one of my life’s highlights.

Knowing she was on Twitter, I used to try to gain her attention. For instance, when I knew she’d be coming to Chicago, I’d send her tweets inviting her to my home to visit and get away from the masses. Seriously. At one point, I got some acknowledgment. I wish I had saved that! That and about Row 12 is the closest I’ve ever gotten to her.

I dream about her more than a person should. She is always very polite and acknowledges me. Is that weird? Do you dream about your celebrity crushes?

Like her or not, she has earned a spot at the top of the list of divas the music industry has produced. (Barbra Streisand may be offended, and I love her too! Mariah Carey would just be pissed off.)

I’ve seen Diana Ross’ live performances seven times, all in the Chicagoland area. But, unfortunately, I doubt she’ll ever play Albuquerque, my current home. And she is 75. How much longer can she keep this up?

She is playing at the Ravinia Festival outside Chicago this summer. So maybe we will be together again.

Here are a couple of my other stories you might enjoy in The Riff:

If you like what you’ve read, why not become a Medium member? It’s just $5/month and gives you access to all of my stories and those of all the other fine writers on Medium. Plus, I get a small commission which helps! Just click on the link below. Thanks for being a reader!