Diana Ross Is Almost 77, Owns Massive 'Quarry Farm'

Feb 12, 2021

Though many musicians have achieved significant success over the past century, few are considered legends. Not many have the talent, charisma and drive to stand the test of time and become irrefutable icons.

Among that small handful of people is none other than Diana Ross. Ross began her music career well over half a century ago, taking the world by storm with her phenomenal voice. Even as a teenager, Ross showed she had that special something that only future stars seem to have.

Today, she remains one of the most successful and influential divas of her time. 

When someone reaches the kind of status that Ross has achieved, it is always interesting looking at where she came from. Many celebrities and musicians are born into wealth or families that make their climb to stardom easier. Ross' origins, however, are of an inspiring and humble nature. Ross was born in the projects of Detroit, Michigan, on March 26, 1944, according to IMDb. Her father was a former U.S. Army soldier and her mother was a school teacher. Ross was the second of six children total and often took on the responsibilities of an older sibling.

Ross kept herself busy for most of her childhood and adolescence. She became close friends with other kids in the neighborhood who happened to include future producer Smokey Robinson. She attended Cass Technical High School as a teenager. At the time, Ross aspired to be a fashion designer and dedicated her time to classes that would help her become one. On top of clothing design and tailoring classes, Ross also took classes in modeling and cosmetology.

You can safely say that Ross' work ethic was clear even from a young age. Somewhere along the way, however, Ross' career aspirations began to change. Before she had even graduated, she was invited to join a new all-female singing group called The Primettes. At the age of 15, she was one of the four members of the group that would quickly take the world by storm. If you don't remember The Primettes, you may have an easier time recalling their later, more widely known name: The Supremes.

The Primettes were originally created as the female equivalent of The Primes, an all-male singing group based in Detroit. The all-female group consisted of two members at first: Florence Ballard and Betty McGlown. The third member to join was Ballard's best friend Mary Wilson, who consequently recruited her talented classmate — a young Ross.

At only 15 years old, Ross was suddenly a part of something much larger than herself. The Primettes were performing at talent contests, sock hops and clubs all around Detroit. They were diligent, performing anywhere they could where they could have an audience. With their catchy duo-wop style and vocal talents, the quartette gained recognition and a solid local fan base rather quickly.

Not everything was a piece of cake, though. Despite scoring an audition with Berry Gordy of Motown Records thanks to Ross' connection to Robinson, they were turned away because of their age, according to the Los Angeles Sentinel. Plus, to top it off, McGlown had to be replaced when she got engaged, introducing new girl Barbara Martin to the group.

It wasn't all a loss, though. Gordy was finally swayed by their determination and passion, and he agreed to sign the girls to Motown Records in 1961, as the Los Angeles Sentinel reports. Their work had paid off. However, there was an important catch: they had to change their name. After much deliberation, and despite Ross not caring for the name, the group signed to Motown Records as The Supremes.

Changing the name of the group, however, may have been one of the greatest things to happen to Ross. Despite losing another member of the group, Martin, in 1962 and becoming a trio, The Supremes were about to experience their first big success. Just two years after signing, The Supremes managed to score their first Billboard Hot 100 hit with "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" (1963).

Shortly following this achievement, Diana Ross was officially made the lead vocalist of the group. Even though she wasn't always singing lead, the new role did establish her position as the frontrunner of the group.

That wasn't all The Supremes would achieve, though. The ladies were in for a tidal wave of successes with not only their first No. 1 Billboard hit but a slew of them! "Where Did Our Love Go" (1964) soared to the coveted first spot on the charts, and it was only the beginning. The hits kept coming with songs like "Baby Love" (1964), "Come See About Me" (1964), "Stop! In the Name of Love" (1965) and "Back in My Arms Again" (1965) all going to No. 1. It was one win after another for The Supremes. They earned twelve No. 1 songs on the Billboard 100 and two Grammy nominations within the next decade.

During that decade, there was of course the occasional obstacle. One of the original members of the group, Ballard, began to struggle with the pressures she was facing. Ultimately, Gordy was forced to remove Ballard from the group and find a suitable replacement. As a result, Cindy Birdsong took Ballard's place as the third member of the group. 

Additionally, production behind Motown Records was tense. Certain people involved with production left the company, and sales began to suffer. It was simply time for Motown Records to shake things up, and Gordy knew just what to do.

Ross leaving The Supremes was quickly becoming an inevitable reality. Though all the women in the group were talented, Ross was clearly a powerhouse who belonged in the spotlight. Motown Records even changed the group's name to Diana Ross & the Supremes. It was clear as day to everyone that Ross had something that set her apart from her bandmates.

Apparently, Gordy considered pulling Ross to go solo back in 1966, but held off because the group was so successful. Nonetheless, she began performing solo on television by 1968 and announced her departure just a year later. In 1970, Ross released her highly anticipated self-titled solo album, just a few months after her final performance with The Supremes as a group.

The album contained "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," which became Ross' first No. 1 as a soloist. The song also got Ross her first solo Grammy nomination.

With the overall success of her first album, Ross' career became a whirlwind of success, ambitions and various creative projects. Not only was she creating more albums, but she began working in film as well. She performed as both an actress and a vocalist on soundtracks for different projects. Perhaps her most notable performance in film was her portrayal of Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues" (1972). Despite skepticism among critics at first, her delivery garnered recognition and approval from audiences, along with a Golden Globe award and Oscar nomination. It turns out that Ross could almost do it all.

Success from her role as Holiday continued when the soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 chart. By now, Ross was a household name all on her own accord, and she kept gaining success.

Ross continued making new music, often collaborating with fellow stars such as Marvin Gaye and Lionel Richie. Over the span of the next few years, she snagged five more No. 1 songs on the Billboard 100: "Touch Me in the Morning" (1973), her rendition of "Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" (1975), "Love Hangover" (1976), "Upside Down" (1980) and "Endless Love" (1981).

Over the next few years, Ross would accumulate a vast selection of awards. In fact, she earned so many that she was eventually crowned "The Most Successful Female Singer of All Time" by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1993, according to IMDb. From her music career, Ross was nominated for 9 and won 7 American Music Awards. She earned 12 Grammy nominations and was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

Her acting chops got her an Academy Award and BAFTA Film Award nomination. She was nominated for 3 Golden Globe Awards, winning one in 1973. She even won a Tony in 1977. Ross was also inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame (1993), received a Heroes Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (1999) and was honored by various other organizations. None, though, were probably as important as the one she received at the White House.

In 2016, Diana Ross was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama himself. The president awarded her the nation's highest civilian honor for making history in the music industry like few people ever had.

Ross' life and career probably sounds so crazy, it's hard imagining her settling down with a family the way most of us do. However, Ross is just as human as the rest of us and now has a beautiful family.

Eventually, Ross did become romantically involved with Gordy, Motown's CEO who signed her in the beginning. After a long, six-year relationship, Ross and Gordy became pregnant with her first child. However, not far along in her pregnancy in 1971, Ross married her manager, Robert Ellis Silberstein. Despite knowing the child's paternity, Silberstein agreed to raise her as his own daughter.

Silberstein and Ross had two more daughters together in 1972 and 1975. Unfortunately, things didn't work out, and the couple split in 1977. Later, Ross married Arne Naess Jr. in 1986, which brought his three children into the family mix. They had two sons together in 1987 and 1988. This marriage also wasn't meant to be, as the two divorced in 2000 after rumors of Naess' infidelity. Despite this, Ross claimed that he would always be her true love and remained close to his children even after his tragic death in 2004. Ross' big family has expanded even more with seven grandchildren, born between the years 2009 and 2020.

It's been a long journey since Ross lived in her childhood home in Detroit. In fact, that same home she grew up in was recently put on the market. The home is a beautiful 2,112 square feet, two-story house that was built back in 1913. It is a four-bedroom home with large porches and 2.5 bathrooms. After being remodeled in 2018, Ross' childhood home went on the market with an asking price of $132,000, according to Architectural Digest.

It's been a long time since Ross lived there, but her previous residence there definitely drives up the value of the property! So, where has all of Diana Ross' success landed her these days?

As with all A-list celebrities, it’s difficult to say precisely where Ross resides. Though Ross likely spends a lot of time in Los Angeles, her most extravagant home actually lies elsewhere.

The most notable of her homes is probably “Quarry Farm,” her beautiful mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut. The home has an envious 11 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and numerous amenities throughout the 12,562-square-foot house, according to Berg Properties. The property truly is a dream home. Shortly after purchasing the property in 2006, Ross quickly put the mansion back on the market, asking for $39.5 million. She never sold Quarry Farm, however, and seems to have hung on to it for better or for worse.

In 2015, Quarry Farm doubled as the venue for Evan Ross and Ashlee Simpson’s spectacular boho-themed wedding, according to the Daily Mail. Photos from the event are some of the most recent we've seen of the estate. From the looks of them, Quarry Farm is still absolutely gorgeous

Ross has certainly accomplished much in her lifetime. She'll soon be turning 77 this upcoming March, and her legacy only seems to grow with every year. Her impact on music is undeniable, and she's earned every success with her incredible work ethic.

Be sure to celebrate Diana Ross' upcoming birthday by showing her accomplishments to all the music fans in your life! And let us know what you find most fascinating about her story. Finally, don't forget to pass this on to fellow Diana Ross fans.