Diana Ross sings.
Diane Ernestine Earle Ross ( born March 26 , 1944 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress , and record producer . Born and raised in Detroit , Michigan , Ross rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group The Supremes , which , during the 1960s , became Motown 's most successful act , and is to this day the United States ' most successful vocal group , as well as one of the world 's best-selling girl groups of all time . Ross ' success as lead singer of The Supremes made it possible for future African-American R&B and soul acts to find mainstream success . She later released the album Touch Me in the Morning in 1973 ; its title track reached number 1 , as her second solo hit . That same year , her album `` Lady Sings The Blues '' , which was the original soundtrack of her film based on the life of jazz singer Billie Holiday , went to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200 Albums Chart , selling more than 300,000 copies within its first 8 days of release .