R&B legend Diana Ross first hit the stage at age 15 as a member of the Detroit girl group The Primettes. Eventually that quartet met Motown Records guru Berry Gordy, who signed them to his label and rechristened them The Supremes. The girls went on to top the charts with a dozen tunes, opening the door to mainstream success for other African-American pop musicians. Starting in the ’70s, Ross was featured on the big screen in films like Lady Sings the Blues, Mahogany and The Wiz. Acknowledged as an influence by artists Michael Jackson, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and The Pointer Sisters, in recent years, the Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer has received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
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