About the Author

A Lifetime of MilestonesIn the annals of popular music, Diana Ross is without rival in history-making feats.As lead singer of the Pop group the Supremes, and as a solo artist, Diana Ross achieved the unprecedented feat of singing 18 number one hit records, second only to the Beatles at 20.Starting a solo career in the '70s that has spanned over two decades, she continues to deliver hit after hit.Her repertoire has included the works of such diverse and legendary writers as Sam Cooke, Jules Stein, and Rodgers & Hart. When she made her film-acting debut in 1972, portraying the late Billie Holliday in the film that won her an Academy Award nomination, Lady Sings the Blues, she also showed her extraordinary gift for Jazz performance.Ms. Ross has also recorded with Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, and Julio Iglesias. Her duet with Lionel Richie, "Endless Love," topped the U.S. charts for nine weeks - one of the longest stints at the top of the charts in the history of American music.Diana continues to break records and receive honors. In Japan, she was the best-selling foreign artist for the past two years. In Britain, she was invited to headline the Royal Command Performance, appearing before Her Majesty the Queen. Diana has been recognized by The Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful female artist of all time, with over 70 hit singles to date. Her album, One Woman: The Ultimate Collection, released in the U.K. achieved triple platinum sales.A particularly prestigious honor, France's Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters, was presented to Diana at the request of the country's Minister for Culture. An entire day of celebration during the international MIDEM festival in Cannes was dedicated to Ms. Ross.Diana's achievements do not lie solely within the music industry. After receiving an Oscar nomination for the motion picture, Lady Sings the Blues, she also went on to star in the popular feature films, Mahogany and The Wiz.Through her own company, Anaid Film Productions, Inc., Ms. Ross served as executive producer of her last five television specials for ABC, CBS, HBO, and Showtime. Including Diana In Central Park and Diana!In 1992 Diana Ross starred in a special pay-per-view television event entitled, Diana Ross Live.The Lady Sings. The program featured Ms. Ross performing jazz and Blues and music that she loves, and was shot live from New York City in an intimate setting, evoking a smoky, after hours scene.At Christmastime, 1992, Ms. Ross came together with two of the world's greatest tenors of the 20th Century: Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo. The three performed a special Christmas concert which was seen around the world.1993 was an exceptional year, marking her 30th anniversary as a performing artist. A distinctive 30th Anniversary 4-CD commemorative box set album was released, and Random House published the artist's very special and long-awaited memoirs, Secrets Of A Sparrow; au