Diana Ross Left the Supremes — Then Opened Her Solo Career With a No. 1 Classic
A new beginning for Diana Ross
In 1970, Diana Ross was standing at the beginning of a completely new chapter.
After years as the lead singer of The Supremes, one of Motown's most successful groups, Ross was preparing to establish herself as a solo artist.
Then came “Ain't No Mountain High Enough.”
The song had already been recorded successfully by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell in 1967. But Ross and producer Ashford & Simpson transformed it into something dramatically different.
Instead of the upbeat duet of the original, Ross's version became a sweeping, emotional production built around her powerful vocal.
From Motown star to solo artist
The recording appeared on Ross's self-titled debut solo album.
At first, it didn't sound like a conventional pop single. The arrangement gradually builds, with Ross moving from intimate verses into increasingly emotional passages before the famous spoken-word section and climactic finale.
It was ambitious.
And it worked.
“Ain't No Mountain High Enough” became Ross's first solo No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.
Suddenly, there was no question that Diana Ross could succeed without The Supremes.
The beginning of another legendary career
The success of the song helped launch one of the most successful solo careers in popular music.
Ross would go on to score major hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s, while also becoming a celebrated actress.
But this recording remains special because of what it represented.
It wasn't simply another Motown hit.
It was Diana Ross announcing that she had a future beyond The Supremes.
One group had made her famous.
This song proved she could stand alone.
Listen to “Ain't No Mountain High Enough”
▶️ Diana Ross – Ain't No Mountain High Enough
Ray Charles Took an Old Song and Made It His Own — Then “Georgia on My Mind” Became a Timeless Classic
A song waiting for the right voice
In 1960, Ray Charles recorded “Georgia on My Mind,” a song originally written decades earlier by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell.
The song had already been recorded by other artists.
But Ray Charles heard something different in it.
With his soulful voice, gospel-influenced phrasing and deeply expressive piano playing, he transformed the old standard into something intimate and unforgettable.
It no longer sounded like just another popular song.
It sounded personal.
Ray changed the feeling
Charles recorded the song during a remarkable period in his career, when he was breaking down the boundaries between rhythm and blues, soul, jazz and country music.
His version was slower and more emotionally direct than many earlier recordings.
The arrangement gave his voice room to breathe.
Every phrase seemed to carry weight.
Instead of trying to overpower the melody, Charles let the emotion build naturally, creating a performance that felt both sophisticated and deeply human.
Then it became a huge hit
Released in 1960, “Georgia on My Mind” became one of Ray Charles's signature recordings.
It reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and also topped the Billboard R&B chart.
The success helped demonstrate just how far Charles could take a song when he brought his unique musical identity to it.
More than a Ray Charles classic
Over the years, “Georgia on My Mind” became closely associated with the state of Georgia itself.
In 1979, Georgia officially adopted Ray Charles's recording as the state's official state song.
That gave the performance a legacy far beyond the charts.
Ray Charles didn't write “Georgia on My Mind.”
But he gave it a voice that generations would remember.
Sometimes a great singer doesn't need to write the song.
They simply need to make it impossible to imagine anyone else singing it.
Listen to “Georgia on My Mind”
▶️ Ray Charles – Georgia on My Mind
