Diana Ross Has Proudly Hit the Stage at the Weddings of Her Children

Photo credit: Instagram
Photo credit: Instagram

From Oprah Magazine

  • Diana Ross may be best known for her powerful and legendary voice, but the Motown singer is also a mom to five children: Rhonda, 48, Tracee Ellis, 46, Chudney, 43, Ross, 32, and Evan, 31.

  • The late Arne Naess was the father of Ross and Evan, while Robert Ellis Silberstein is the father of Rhonda, Tracee, and Chudney.


Plain and simple: Diana Ross is a musical legend. She has won numerous American Music Awards, several "Lifetime Achievement" awards, and in 2016, President Barack Obama awarded Ross with the Presidential Medal of Freedom—and for good reason. Miss Ross was one of the most successful female singers of the rock and roll era and the lead singer of the Supremes, one of the best charting girl groups in U.S. history. But she is also a proud parent: Ross has five super successful children who, earlier this year, came together to help the singer celebrate her 75th birthday.

The star-studded affair was attended by O's very ownGayle King, Diddy, Bette Midler, Debbie Allen, Beyoncé, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Angela Bassett, Jesse Williams, Gabrielle Union, Heidi Klum, and Kris Jenner, to name a few. Queen Bey even performed at the event. But the icing on the proverbial cake was being able to celebrate the day with her kids.

In an emotional 2011 special, Oprah interviewed Ross and opened up about how the musician influenced her life. "Imagine, for me, being 10 years old watching The Ed Sullivan Show on welfare, no possibility that I could ever sing, and watching her for the first time in a culture that had no Black people on television," Oprah said, before shedding several tears. "When you first see somebody on television like Diana Ross, who was glamorous and beautiful and represented literally possibility and hope—it was life-changing for me."

Here's everything we know about mama Ross and her clan.


Rhonda Ross Kendrick

Photo credit: Josh Brasted - Getty Images
Photo credit: Josh Brasted - Getty Images

Born in 1971, Rhonda Ross Kendrick—also known as Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein—has followed in her mother's footsteps. She is an actress, singer, songwriter, and public speaker. In 2013, she joined mama Ross on her In the Name of Love tour, where Rhonda was the opening act. Earlier this year, she participated in a 32-day summer tour, also with her mom. Prior to embarking on said tour, Rhonda shared a sweet throwback video of her and Diana singing together with the hashtags #ILoveYou and #FollowOurJourney.

Rhonda also has a child, Raif-Henok Emmanuel Kendrick.

Photo credit: Images Press - Getty Images
Photo credit: Images Press - Getty Images

Tracee Ellis Ross

Photo credit: Amy Sussman - Getty Images
Photo credit: Amy Sussman - Getty Images

Best known for her role as Rainbow Johnson on Black-ish, Tracee Ellis Ross—born Tracee Joy Silberstein—was born in 1972. Tracee studied theater at Brown University, she worked as a model (albeit for a short time), and in 1996 she made her big screen debut, portraying Kiki in Far Harbor.


When asked what it was like to be the child of a pop culture icon, Tracee told Elle Canada, “I felt like I grew up in her [Diana Ross'] embrace, not her shadow. And that is a testament to her. [Her children] were always more important than fame.”


Chudney Ross

Photo credit: Brian To - Getty Images
Photo credit: Brian To - Getty Images

While Tracee, Rhonda, and mama Ross made names for themselves on stage or in front of the camera, Chudney Ross Silberstein opted to stay behind it. After graduating from Georgetown University, Chudney became a producer and production manager, working on films like Mesmerized and Fame. She also penned a children's book, Lone Bean; is the founder and owner of her own store, bakery, and enrichment center, called Books and Cookies; and Chudney has two children, Callaway and Everlee.

As for what it's like to be Chudney's mother and Callaway and Everlee's grandmother, the "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" singer admitted her kids are her light and life. "I have so much to be proud of," Diana wrote on Instagram, "[and] my best examples are my children." And that sense of pride is reciprocal. Chudney shared the same post, doting on her mother's heart, strength, grace, and humility.


Ross Naess

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A post shared by Ross Naess (@rossnaess) on Mar 14, 2018 at 2:03am PDT

Born in 1977, Ross Arne Naess has also worked in Hollywood as an actor and producer. Ross is a dedicated husband and father. He married his longtime girlfriend, Kimberly Ryan, in 2017, and Diana officiated—and sang at—the ceremony, which Ross described as perfect. "A perfect moment during a perfect weekend with my mom, my pregnant bride, and my first born son," she wrote in the 'gram below.

The couple have two children, Leif and Indigo.


Evan Ross

Photo credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images
Photo credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin - Getty Images

Evan Ross may be the youngest member of the Ross clan—he is just 31 years old—but he has been in the "family business" for half his life. Ross made his acting debut in the 2006 film ATL, and since that time, he has worked on several features, including The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 & 2.

As for family, Ross is married to singer Ashlee Simpson. (Yes, Diana performed at their wedding too). The two have a daughter together, Jagger. Ross is also stepfather to Simpson’s son, Bronx, and when Simpson gave birth to Jagger, mama D was in the room. The pair jokingly told People no one can hold Diana back, not even in labor and delivery.

Photo credit: Jeff Kravitz/AMA2017 - Getty Images
Photo credit: Jeff Kravitz/AMA2017 - Getty Images

"[The most memorable moment, aside from Jagger's birth] was our parents coming in before it was time to come,” Ross said “I was like, ‘What are y’all doing... we were going to do it just us, but then we saw both our parents behind the curtain watching.... nurses can’t stop my mom! Like, Diana Ross just walks in.”


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