Fun new disco throwback from Miss Ross, off her first studio album since 2006.
Speaking of The Boss: At the recommendation of my friend Greg, I have also been listening to some of Diana's records from the 1980s, which our high school friend Joel Avery used to rave about back in the day when we'd been swept away by the new wave. (Where have you gone, Dobson High Class of '85er?)
The Wall Street Journal caught up with producer Eric Kupper, whose Diana Ross remixes have created three recent chart-toppers and an entry point to a new generation of fans. Read HERE.
To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Motown Records has made available 60 previously unreleased songs by Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Diana Ross & the Supremes and others. (Swoon!)
The Detroit Free Press writes:
The set of 60 previously unreleased tracks comes as part of Motown’s year-long 60th anniversary celebration, which included a CBS tribute show in the spring and a Showtime documentary in August. The festivities will culminate this weekend in Detroit with a Saturday gospel concert and a Sunday “Hitsville Honors” program with guests including Berry Gordy, the Four Tops, Temptations, Martha Reeves, Big Sean, Kem and Ne-Yo.
Not sure how I forgot to mention seeing Diana Ross at Radio City Music Hall in June. She was fabulous, opening with "I'm Coming Out" (natch) before working her way into "My World Is Empty Without You," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "Come See About Me," "You Can't Hurry Love" all in a row. ("Love Child" wasn't far behind.) The evening included five costume changes, children being pulled up onto the stage and a "The Boss," "Upside Down," "Love Hangover" 1-2-3 punch that still has me spinning. (The guy dancing to my right told me he was at her rain-soaked concert in Central Park back in 1983!) As we learned the hard way with Eddie Money and Ric Ocasek, you never know how long our childhood favorites are to be around, so see 'em while you can. Full setlist HERE.
I remembered my oversight after seeing Mary Wilson in the New York Times, telling the untold story of "Supreme style." The dream girl is a contestant on this season of “Dancing With the Stars”! Read HERE.
The group's ninth chart topper (out of 12), released at the beginning of 1967. (Not a bad year!)
During Pride weekend in Washington I told my (10-years-younger) boyfriend that the standard date question when someone my age first came out was, "Do your parents know?," always asked in a somber tone in case they didn't or things hadn't gone well. So imagine my surprise yesterday when a guy I have known for 19 years -- the first few of which he worked for me (I hired him!) -- came out to me and a bunch of our former colleagues in a lighthearted group Facebook message in which he poked fun at himself for being upset that the NBA Finals preempted a new episode of his beloved "Bachelorette." (I haven't had to "come out" to anyone since, what, 1987. And I don't think anyone other than my two best friends have ever come out to me!) At first we weren't even sure what he was saying -- he's in his early 40s now and we had no real reason to even think about it now that we mostly just see each other online. But he eventually alluded to a man in his life and their buying a house, which led me to private message him my congratulations, etc. (My ex [Michael] once saw "him" coming out of Barracuda. But just like on your favorite soap, it turns out my friend really does have a twin brother, so I always assumed the twin was gay and that my friend's uncomfortable reaction to my bringing up the sighting was because I'd outed his twin!) I realize he's not someone I see regularly anymore. But nonetheless it's a strange feeling to have known someone for nearly 20 years and then have them come out to you. Like the handful of people I had to "tell" back in the day, I'm just happy that he's happy. It turns out he's been with his partner for 10 years now and his mom is pressuring him to tie the knot, which only goes to prove what we've been saying all along: Homos aren't so different from heteros, after all!
The title track from Diana's platinum-selling 1981 album, the beauty's first after leaving the Motown label. Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards (Chic) were slated to produce this follow-up to the megahit "Diana" album they had done together, but the duo was committed to producing Debbie Harry's solo debut, "Koo Koo," and Johnny Mathis' "I Love My Lady," which unlike the singer failed to ever officially come out. Ross ended up producing it herself and the results were fantastic!
These jukebox musicals don't really appeal to me. But I sure wish I'd been there for the recent backstage fun at "Motown," where Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Mary Wilson and Miss Ross herself were on hand for the show’s much-anticipated premiere at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Has anyone been yet? My parents are looking for a show when they come in June and this seems like it might be right up their Detroit alley. Read HERE.
The Boss turned 69 today. It's hard to pick a favorite Diana Ross or Supremes song -- there are so many -- but "The Boss," "Someday We'll Be Together," "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "I Ain't Been Licked," "Chain Reaction" and "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" all come to mind. It's kind of been interesting to see someone who was SOOOOO famous become less so with age. Marilyn Monroe died at 36, so using the two of them as a template, I will be curious to see how Madonna is perceived at 69.
Diana Ross supposedly threw a hissy fit when she was told she couldn't be seated at La Scala in Beverly Hills until her complete party was there, but I find it hard to believe someone who would dress like this would act like a diva. Read HERE.
The death of Donna Summer has really put me on notice to appreciate my divas while they're still around to adore. Debbie Harry -- who is three years older than Donna -- gets plenty of lovin' around my house. But I've been paying a little special attention to a few other women of a certain age, including Barbra, Carly, Aretha, Kim Carnes and Diana, whose "Chain Reaction" should have been one of the biggest singles of her career. Miss Ross + Bee Gees = Perfection. It stalled at No. 66 on the Billboard 100, but skyrocketed to No. 1 in the U.K. (Brits have great taste in some things.) If you don't know it, here you go. And if you do, enjoy!
While its timing is about as bad as the rain that struck that day -- DVD sales are at an all-time low, this should have come out 10-15 years ago! -- still tickled to see that The Boss' legendary 1983 concert in Central Park is finally being released DVD. Says Miss Ross: "Now, almost 30 years later, I can still say Central Park was one of the peak experiences of my career, an historical event -- rain and shine." Order yours HERE.
Details: On July 21, 1983, Diana Ross -- already a legendary superstar for more than two decades -- arrived in all her radiant glory on the makeshift Central Park stage and began singing her heart out. From her first number, Diana had the audience’s love. She wanted to give them her all and she was well on her way, but nature had something else in mind. What started as a hair-whipping wind and bothersome drizzle soon became a threatening torrential downpour. Diana -- soaked through and through but never leaving the open-air stage -- braved the rain as long as she could, but ultimately put an end to the show at the halfway mark. Not one to disappoint, Diana promised to return the next day. And she did! Over the two-day event it was estimated that over a million fans attended the two concerts. Now, with the release of "Diana Ross: Live In Central Park" by Shout! Factory, the entire spectacular concert, and the rain-shortened concert that preceded it, will be made available for the first time on DVD.
I was running on the treadmill the other day when "The Boss" came on by Diana Ross and I thought to myself, this is the greatest song ever. I got Michael and his disco-loving pal Benny to brainstorm with me and here's my unofficial Top 20 Best Disco Songs list for ya. (One title per artist, or else Diana abd Donna would have taken over the whole thing!)
"The Boss" by Diana Ross
"Last Dance" by Donna Summer
"Shame" by Evelyn "Champagne" King
"If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman
"You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" by Sylvester
"I Love The Nightlife" by Alicia Bridges
"Take Me Home" by Cher
"Can't Get Enough of Your Love" by Barry White
"Never Can Say Goodbye" by Gloria Gaynor
"Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston
"Love Is in the Air" by John Paul Young
"More Than a Woman" by Tavares
"Young Heart Run Free" by Candi Staton
"Got to Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn
"Native New Yorker" by Odyssey
"Knock On Wood" by Amii Stewart
"That's the Way (I Like It)" by KC and the Sunshine Band
"Come to Me" by France Joli
"More More More" by Andrea True Connection
"Doctor's Orders" by Carol Douglas
One more clue that I'm getting a little long in the tooth: I bought an impulse-purchase CD at Starbucks today as I was getting an iced coffee. Isn't this exactly the type of thing I'd make fun of my mom for doing? But there those sad eyes were staring at me: Miss Ross -- The Boss: Diana Ross:"Blue" -- The Unreleased 1972 Album of Standards, by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and More. Last time I saw her royal Supremeness she was drunk off her ass in a police video falling down in the parking lot of a Blockbuster Video in Tucson, tacky rental car in the background. And now here was a chance to experience Diana Ross at the height of her fame -- riding high off the success of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and her Oscar-nominated role as Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues." It doesn't get any better than that.
In my defense, it turns out this isn't a Starbucks-only release (that would have been really embarrassing), it's coming out in wide release on June 20 (not sure why Starbucks has first dibs on it). It seems that there was a lot of outrage back in 1972 over Diana's pop interpretations of Billie Holiday's work back then -- an approach Berry Gordy claims was his idea to make her "more relatable to a general audience" -- and these jazzier, more true versions were recorded back then as well, to be released as a companion to the film and the film's original motion picture soundtrack. This project, however, was shelved (not sure why) and "lost in the vaults" until recently. Talk about "a find"! Diana nails it with a group of top jazz musicians supporting her , with beautiful arrangements by Benny Golson and Oliver Nelson. Her renditions of "Had You Been Around," "I Love Ya Porgy," "Smile" and "But Beautiful" give me goosebumps.
Had a wonderful time seeing legendary songwriter Jimmy Webb at City Winery with my friends David, Lynn and Lucy. Webb, who is now 80 but sti...
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One more clue that I'm getting a little long in the tooth: I bought an impulse-purchase CD at Starbucks today as I was getting an iced coffee. Isn't this exactly the type of thing I'd make fun of my mom for doing? But there those sad eyes were staring at me: Miss Ross -- The Boss: Diana Ross: "Blue" -- The Unreleased 1972 Album of Standards, by Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, and More. Last time I saw her royal Supremeness she was drunk off her ass in a police video falling down in the parking lot of a Blockbuster Video in Tucson, tacky rental car in the background. And now here was a chance to experience Diana Ross at the height of her fame -- riding high off the success of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and her Oscar-nominated role as Billie Holiday in "Lady Sings the Blues." It doesn't get any better than that.
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