An Evening with Diana Ross

An Evening with Diana Ross is a 1977 live double album released by American singer Diana Ross on the Motown label. It was recorded live at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles in December 1976 during the international tour of Ross' one-woman show, for which she was awarded a special Tony Award after the show's run at Broadway's Palace Theater, followed by an Emmy-nominated TV special of the same name. It marked the first time in history a solo female headlined a 90-minute TV special. The album reached #29 in the USA (#14 R&B). The album showcased her live performances for the second time as a solo performer, following 1974's Live At Caesars Palace. It was the last live album Ross released until 1989's Greatest Hits Live.

An Evening with Diana Ross
Live album by
ReleasedJanuary 18, 1977
RecordedDecember 1976
GenreSoul, pop
Length66:05
LabelMotown
Diana Ross chronology
Diana Ross' Greatest Hits
(1976)
An Evening with Diana Ross
(1977)
Baby It's Me
(1977)

The album includes a number of songs unique to this collection that Ross never recorded as studio tracks. These include a number of songs from Harry Nilsson's 1970 album and animated feature The Point!, selections from the Broadway hit musical A Chorus Line and covers of Dionne Warwick's "Here I Am' and longtime Motown collaborator Johnny Bristol's "I Wouldn't Change A Thing".

This album was certified Silver in the UK for sales in excess of 60,000 copies.[1]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic link
Christgau's Record GuideB−[2]

Track listing

edit

Side A

edit
  1. "Overture" - 2:35
  2. "Here I Am" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David) - 1:02
  3. "I Wouldn't Change A Thing" (Johnny Bristol) - 1:50
  4. "The Lady Is a Tramp" (Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers) - 2:00
  5. "Touch Me in the Morning" (Michael Masser, Ron Miller) - 2:54
  6. "Smile"/"Send In the Clowns" (Charlie Chaplin, Geoffrey Parsons, John Turner)/(Stephen Sondheim) - 4:30
  7. "Love Hangover" (Marilyn McLeod, Pam Sawyer) - 4:49

Side B

edit
  1. "Girls" (John Phillips) - 1:20

The Point

  1. "Everybody's Got 'Em" (Harry Nilsson) - 1:05
  2. "Me and My Arrow" (Nilsson) - 1:17
  3. "Lifeline" (Nilsson) - 3:01
  4. "Everybody's Got 'Em" (Reprise) (Nilsson) - 1:07

The Working Girls (Billie Holiday, Josephine Baker, Ethel Waters, Bessie Smith)

  1. "Lady Sings The Blues" (Holiday, Herbie Nichols) - 1:00
  2. "T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do" (Grainger, Prince, Williams) - 1:02
  3. "I Cried For You" (Arnheim, Freed, Lyman) - 0:53
  4. "Aux Iles Hawaii" (Bastia) - 1:00
  5. "Stormy Weather" (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) - 1:50
  6. "Jump in the Pot (And Let's Get Hot)" (Instrumental) - 0:23
  7. "I Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl" (Brymn, Smalls, Williams) - 2:13
  8. "My Man" (Jacques Charles, Channing Pollack, Albert Willemetz, Maurice Yvain) - 2:18

Side C

edit

The Motown Story - 4:52

  1. "Motown Overture"
  2. "Money (That's What I Want)" (Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy)
  3. "Please Mr. Postman" (Robert Bateman, Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland)
  4. "I Want You Back" (The Corporation)
  5. "Fingertips" (Clarence Paul, Henry Cosby)

The Supremes - 6:28

  1. "You Keep Me Hanging On" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
  2. "Baby Love" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
  3. "Someday We'll Be Together" (Johnny Bristol, Jackey Beavers, Harvey Fuqua)
  4. "Stop! In the Name of Love" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
  5. "You Can't Hurry Love" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
  6. "Reflections" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
  7. "My World Is Empty Without You" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)
  8. "I Hear a Symphony" (Holland-Dozier-Holland)

Reach Out

  1. "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) - 2:49

Side D

edit

One Giant Step

  1. "The Music in the Mirror" (Hamlisch, Kleban) - 3:35
  2. "What I Did for Love" (Hamlisch, Kleban) - 2:17
  3. "Improvisations" - 1:19
  4. "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three" (Hamlisch, Kleban) - 2:59
  5. "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To)" (Gerald Goffin, Michael Masser) - 1:15
  6. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (Ashford, Simpson) - 4:05

Personnel

edit

Charts

edit
Chart (1977) Peak
position
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[3] 21
UK Albums (OCC)[4] 52
US Billboard 200[5] 29
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[6] 14

Certifications

edit
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[7] Silver 60,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

edit
  1. ^ "UK Certified Awards Search > Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: R". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 12, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5266a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  4. ^ "Diana Ross | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  5. ^ "Diana Ross Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  6. ^ "Diana Ross Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  7. ^ "British album certifications – Diana Ross – An Evening with Diana Ross". British Phonographic Industry.