50 years ago this week, Jet magazine officially reported that Diana Ross would leave the Supremes for a solo career, and that Jean Terrell would take her place as lead singer of the Motown group. The article is pure Motown publicity machine, touting Diana’s offers from “top motion picture, Broadway, and television producers” to do solo work (in reality, she was already studying the life and music of Billie Holiday for Lady Sings The Blues) and noting that she was “helping Miss Terrell learn the style of The Supremes” (a job which actually fell to Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong).
Just months later, Miss Ross and The Supremes would complete a “Farewell” engagement at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, and both acts would immediately move on to their next projects. It was, of course, the end of an era — but also the beginning of an exciting new musical journey for everyone involved.
Read the original 1969 Jet article below…then explore this chapter in music history here on THE DIANA ROSS PROJECT.
I recommend you start here:
Farewell by Diana Ross and The Supremes
Then go here:
Right On by The Supremes
And finally, here:
Diana Ross by Diana Ross
THE DIANA ROSS PROJECT 
WOW I was 8 yrs old in 1969 and was more interested in LEGO than anything else, that would soon change! I had no idea that the “end” of Diana Ross & the Supremes was announced in such a low key manner and just a few short weeks before the break happen. How different things would be handled today… A twitter post followed by a year long Farewell Tour with a collectors edition DVD. A Live recording of the concert available on CD, a book commemorating the group and various TV appearances- breakfast TV, Talk Shows and of course all the merch!
You are so right — what a different time. It’s funny that this wasn’t even a cover story in JET — it was tucked away in the magazine with very little fanfare. The article cracks me up, as it was so obviously cooked up by Motown publicists!
Paul I discovered an article posted in Billboard Magazine edition published 8th November 1969. It appeared under “General News” on page 3 of the magazine! Is there someway I might send you a copy?
Diana Ross to
Quit Supremes
For Solo Route
NEW YORK – Diana Ross
will leave the Motown vocal
group, Diana Ross & the Su- premes, in January to go out as
a solo performer. Singer Jean Terrell, sister of former heavy- weight boxer, Ernie Terrell, will join the other two singers in the group, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, to form the “new” Supremes.
Miss Ross and the “new”
Supremes have renewed longterm contracts with Motown and
its affiliated companies. Miss Ross will coach Miss
Terrell (no relation to Motown
singer Tammi Terrell) on the Supremes’ style before the act
is unveiled early in 1970. The
group, with Miss Ross, are headlining their own television
special with the Temptations on NBC Wednesday (12). Their
last network television appear- ance will be on a special Ed Sullivan show on CBS -TV on
Dec. 21.
Both Miss Ross and the Supremes will continue under the personal management of Inter- national Management Co. (IMC) and William Morris, their booking agency.
Humperdinck
I’d never seen this! Thank you for sharing it!