-New Urban MEDIA- Diana Ross Takes the Stage at the American Music Awards As She is Bestowed Prestigious "Lifetime Achievement" Honor

(Courtesy of The American Music Awards)

"The Boss" Ms. Ross, Hitting the Red Carpet with Daughter
and (Emmy© Award Winning Actress) AMA Host Tracee Ellis Ross

Sunday night marked an evening of high energy musical celebration at Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles with ABC television's 43rd annual American Music Awards. The show, presented by Dick Clark Productions and hosted by Emmy- winning sitcom star Tracee Ellis Ross, devoted a segment of its' telecast to honor music icon (and Tracee's mother) Diana Ross with The American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement.  Formerly known as the "American Music Award of Merit", the honor is in recognition of the entertainer's extraordinary life-long career and outstanding artistic contributions to entertainment and popular culture. Having been a staple on US music charts for over half a century, Ms. Ross has a long history with the American Music Awards, as both a recipient of honors in pop, rock, soul & r&b music, as well as serving as one of their most popular hosts and presenters in past years. As described per the AMA website:

"  A seven-time American Music Awards winner, Ms. Ross has a long-standing connection to the AMAs. In addition to attending the very first show in 1974 and leading several show-stopping performances throughout the years – including a star-studded performance of “We Are The World” in 1986, she hosted the show in both 1986 and 1987 and was on-hand in 2014 to present the first ever “Dick Clark Award for Excellence” to Taylor Swift. As this year’s “American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement” recipient, the legendary singer will take the stage for a rare performance."  

Ms. Ross has said of the honor,  “I have endless memories of all the years that I have appeared on the American Music Awards...It started with Dick Clark and The Caravan of Stars and American Bandstand.  It was Dick Clark who said, ‘Music is the soundtrack of our lives.’ So true. I am so excited to be receiving this honorable award.”

The “American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement,” is selected for artists who have made exceptional, lifelong contributions to the music industry. The award was last given in 2016 to Sting. Additional previous honorees include Michael Jackson, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Gloria Estefan,  Billy Joel, Bon Jovi, Annie Lennox, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, and Tammy Wynette.

 The 73 year-old pop diva and actress was introduced by star of The Hunger Games and Fox tv drama, "Star", her son Evan Ross. Ms. Ross then took to the stage to sing some of her biggest hits, including those that helped garner the singer 6 previous American Music Awards (with her first AMA win dating back to 1974 for Favorite Pop/Rock Album for "Lady Sings the Blues"). She was joined by a bevy of grandchildren who danced as their grandmother belted out her award-winning classic, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".  Immediately following, Ms. Ross closed the show by accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award surrounded by family, and joined by Motown iconclasts Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson.