Personal Problems (And Biases) Should Not Detract From Accom
08/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are several singing artists who have been inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame twice, once as part of a group and then again individually as solo artists. Those that come to mind immediately are Paul Simon, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon.
Diana Ross, of course, was inducted along with the rest of The Supremes in 1988, which is hardly surprising when you consider their massive array of hit singles and best-selling albums from 1962 to 1969. That is reflected in the fact that they are one a very few [maybe the only ones] to have two volumes in this Millenium series.
But come on, folks, Ms. Ross also went on to post 41 Hot 100 singles as a solo act from 1970 to 1986, including six # 1s and 27 Top 40s. Her personal problems have been aired out plenty on TV for all to see over the years, and she did and said things that may not have endeared her to some of the public, but that should not detract from her considerable success as a performer. As Joel Whitburn of Billboard says "Ross would rank among the Top 5 artists of the rock era if her solo and Supremes' hits were combined." That's ALL artists - not just female. And let's face it, she WAS the Supremes. Her induction as a solo artist was way past due when they finally recognized her.
There are numerous Diana Ross CDs available, most with many more tracks than you'll find here. But this neat little package does give you eleven of those solo hits, including all six # 1s, her last being the 1981 duet with Lionel Ritchie on Endless Love. With the fold-out insert you get three pages of liner notes by Barry Walters and three more nice shots of Diana to go along with the cover photo and one on the reverse showing her while performing in a magnificent glittering gown.
One of the better volumes in the series by far."