Who Would Have Thought: Diana Ross can now sing better than Martha Reeves

[dzMusica]

Diana Ross can now sing better than Martha Reeves. Hows that for diva revenge!

[Jimi LaLumia]

true dat.... but then, I ALWAYS thought she could, I am a fan of both, big time, but Ross much more!

[Roberta75]

Diana Ross can now sing better than Martha Reeves. Hows that for diva revenge!

Oh I must respectfully disagree with you dzmusic. While Diane Ross sounds great and puts on a real good show nobody sounds as fabulous as Martha Reeves.

No disrespect to Miss Diane Ross, as I do like her a lot, but Martha has the whole package. Martha Reeves has the looks, the glamor and the stage presence and she touches her audience like no other.

I should add that I am a wee bit biased as Martha is my favorite artist of all time.

Yours, with every good wish.

Roberta

[BabyLuv64]

I've always enjoyed Diana's voice over Martha Reeves.

[Jimi LaLumia]

and ,sad to say it, based on recent tv appearances [[Jimmy Kimmel, Dancing With The Stars), Martha's once brilliant voice is, for all intents and purposes, a ghost of it's former self...happy to see that she's still out there, though, doing her thing..

[Roberta75]

and ,sad to say it, based on recent tv appearances [[Jimmy Kimmel, Dancing With The Stars), Martha's once brilliant voice is, for all intents and purposes, a ghost of it's former self...happy to see that she's still out there, though, doing her thing..

Martha sounded great on Jimmy Kimmel and looked and sounded fabulous on Dancing With The Stars. The woman has one of the best voices around today and the audience and judges on Dancing With The Stars loved Martha Reeves.

Best regards,

Roberta

[jobeterob]

Roberta, you are a good woman for standing by someone you loved from your younger days.

These voices are all in the eyes and ears of the beholder, and to each his own. I'm glad we all appreciate the voices of Motown.

I love the Martha Reeves of I'm Ready For Love and Benjamin and Nowhere To Run but I thought that voice was gone by the time of the Motown Superbowl Appearance in 95 or 96 or 97, whenever it was.

Diana Ross does not have as strong a voice as Martha once did, nor as Gladys, nor Aretha, but she conveys more feeling and vulnerability than those ladies. Whitney Houston and Diana share in common that they sang the majority of their songs without histrionics, conveying simple feeling and more feeling than the belters in the process.

[BigAl]

Ross and Reeves are as different as apples and oranges and it's really not possible to compare their voices using a single set of criteria. Each has a niche in the musical pantheon and to attempt to rank one over the other does both a disservice. I tend to agree that the years have probably been less kind to Martha's voice, but that's only because she has used it so much more "athletically" than Diane has ever used hers. Martha has never shied away from taking greater musical risks with her voice, while Diane by contrast has taken a path of less resistance and hasn't subjected her vocal cords to the same rigors. Having seen both in performance many times, I would be hard pressed to tag one or the other has having a greater audience rapport. Both are so loved and when onstage they give that love back tenfold. Let's not prop one up by putting the other down.

[dzMusica]

I think she lost her voice due to drugs. Some fans are die-hard, Roberta can stand by Martha if she wants. Sadly, if it wasn't Martha Reeves most people would agree she no longer can sing.

[loveblind]

Comparing Reeves and Ross is like comparing Aretha to Roberta Flack...very different. Reeves is doing wonderful this year...major TV appearances,high profile in-person apearences like the Howard theatre Gala and the tribute to Mr. Gordy at Carneigie Hall, a new record currently rising on the Billboard record chart, and high profile work with AFTRA.. She has also been making noise this year as a spokes person for SoundExchange, a non-profit performance rights organization that collects royalties on behalf of sound recording copyright owners and featured artists for non-interactive digital transmissions, including satellite and internet radio.

Ross has been on a successful tour this year that is still going strong and she won her very first GRAMMY this year!...Can we just stay on the positve tip for these legendary Divas that should be at the end of their careers but are instead thriving....

I never understood why people keep comparing these two icons~

[carlo]

Diana Ross does not have as strong a voice as Martha once did, nor as Gladys, nor Aretha, but she conveys more feeling and vulnerability than those ladies.

Have you seen Gladys in concert in recent years? I saw her two years ago and she sounded amazing. Her voice has changed the least out of the ladies you mentioned above, in my opinion.

I agree that it's unfair to compare them. I hate these "who's the greatest diva" arguments. It's silly. I love Diana, Martha, Aretha, Gladys, etc. and I still pay to see them all, even if their voices have changed. They're legends in their own right. Each one of them have earned their status and so I respect and love them as individuals and not because one is better than all of the others.

[kenneth]

Have you seen Gladys in concert in recent years? I saw her two years ago and she sounded amazing. Her voice has changed the least out of the ladies you mentioned above, in my opinion.

I agree that it's unfair to compare them. I hate these "who's the greatest diva" arguments. It's silly. I love Diana, Martha, Aretha, Gladys, etc. and I still pay to see them all, even if their voices have changed. They're legends in their own right. Each one of them have earned their status and so I respect and love them as individuals and not because one is better than all of the others.

I agree. They are all so different stylistically. Martha and Aretha are much more in the soul vein than is Diane. Gladys seems to be comfortable either as a "belter" or, as in her Buddah years, much more in turn with ballads. Diane is much more of a stylist who never had a big voice but still had the chops in terms of phrasing and charisma to put almost any song over. In my opinion, they are all great singers. Of course, we all have our favorites!

[marybrewster]

Where's Ralph?

[R. Mark Desjardins]

I feel very lucky to have been born a "baby boomer" and got to be able to witness the rise of the Tamla/Motown Sound in the mid sixties. Of course I also developed a taste for the female talent coming out of Stax and Atlantic Records as well. I don't want to pick a favorite, I love all the ladies of soull. From time to time I have DJ'd charity events and rubbed shoulders with some youngbloods whose music is one a memory stick that they plug into their computers. When I've slipped obscure Diana Ross, Millie Jackson or Jackie Moore tracks into my set, they ask, "who's that?" I have developed some appreciation for current crop of female hip hop recording artists, but the talent pool I grew up with just doesn't seem to be evident to my ears. Call me old fashioned, but I am glad I won't be around a hundred years from now. Mind you, I wouldn't mind a "peek" for about an hour, but in my imagination of the future and what the music of that time may hold, I believe that the "golden age" of music is what most of the member of this site lived through.

[Roberta75]

I think she lost her voice due to drugs. Some fans are die-hard, Roberta can stand by Martha if she wants. Sadly, if it wasn't Martha Reeves most people would agree she no longer can sing.

Martha Reeves hasn't lost her voice and yes, daMusica, I will stand by the First Lady of Motown, Miss Martha Reeves.
She is a lady and a legend, with a beautiful heart, mind and soul.

Martha Reeves can and will continue to sing.

Roberta

[Roberta75]

Have you seen Gladys in concert in recent years? I saw her two years ago and she sounded amazing. Her voice has changed the least out of the ladies you mentioned above, in my opinion.

I agree that it's unfair to compare them. I hate these "who's the greatest diva" arguments. It's silly. I love Diana, Martha, Aretha, Gladys, etc. and I still pay to see them all, even if their voices have changed. They're legends in their own right. Each one of them have earned their status and so I respect and love them as individuals and not because one is better than all of the others.

Amen Carlo. You are a true gentleman.

God bless you.

Yours, with every good wish,

Roberta

[dzMusica]

gladys knight can still sing!! Aint no doubt about that!!!

[dzMusica]

What do we need ralph for?

[dzMusica]

Amen Carlo. You are a true gentleman.

God bless you.

Yours, with every good wish,

Roberta

Well Roberta you definitely give Martha no Flack LOL

[Roberta75]

Roberta, you are a good woman for standing by someone you loved from your younger days.

These voices are all in the eyes and ears of the beholder, and to each his own. I'm glad we all appreciate the voices of Motown.

I love the Martha Reeves of I'm Ready For Love and Benjamin and Nowhere To Run but I thought that voice was gone by the time of the Motown Superbowl Appearance in 95 or 96 or 97, whenever it was.

Diana Ross does not have as strong a voice as Martha once did, nor as Gladys, nor Aretha, but she conveys more feeling and vulnerability than those ladies. Whitney Houston and Diana share in common that they sang the majority of their songs without histrionics, conveying simple feeling and more feeling than the belters in the process.

Martha Reeves still has the best voice out of all the Motown ladies IMO. Martha is a gorgeous woman who can stand on a stage, sing her heart out and radiate good feeling. Martha Reeves is beautiful inside and out. I have a framed signed photo from Miss Reeves that is right smack in the middle of my Motown wall in my spare room.

I've always thought Martha should be modeling and acting as well as singing.

May God continue to bless Miss Martha Reeves-The First Lady of Motown Records.

Fondly,

Roberta

[dzMusica]

Miss Martha Reeves-The First Lady of Motown Records.

Fondly,

Roberta

She married Berry Gordy too?

[carlo]

Amen Carlo. You are a true gentleman.

God bless you.

Yours, with every good wish,

Roberta

Thank you Roberta. God Bless you too.

[jobeterob]

dzmusica..........you should be getting the vibe that no one here likes anyone to kick at or throw sand in the face of voices of the legends...........Martha included, but also Roberta, Diana, Aretha, Gladys etc.

[Roberta75]

dzmusica..........you should be getting the vibe that no one here likes anyone to kick at or throw sand in the face of voices of the legends...........Martha included, but also Roberta, Diana, Aretha, Gladys etc.

Yes, that's right Jobeterob. I am ignoring all negative postings that diminish any of our Motown Legends.

All of the ladies mentioned in this thread deserve our good positive vibes and the utmost respect.

Yours, with every good wish.

Roberta

[dzMusica]

dzmusica..........you should be getting the vibe that no one here likes anyone to kick at or throw sand in the face of voices of the legends...........Martha included, but also Roberta, Diana, Aretha, Gladys etc.

Since ya'll are so high and mighty what ya'll think about all the ddrugs they were using

[Roberta75]

Since ya'll are so high and mighty what ya'll think about all the ddrugs they were using

What I think about that is stated below in three quotes taken from the holy scriptures:

“Judge not, and you will not be judged, condemn not, and you will not be condemned, forgive, and you will be forgiven"

"Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her"

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses"

Roberta

[David J]

Martha Reeves still has the best voice out of all the Motown ladies IMO. Martha is a gorgeous woman who can stand on a stage, sing her heart out and radiate good feeling. Martha Reeves is beautiful inside and out. I have a framed signed photo from Miss Reeves that is right smack in the middle of my Motown wall in my spare room.

I've always thought Martha should be modeling and acting as well as singing.

May God continue to bless Miss Martha Reeves-The First Lady of Motown Records.

Fondly,

Roberta

Roberta, I really love, admire and respect the love, loyalty and admiration you have for Martha Reeves, if only other fans could be as loyal as you

But personally speaking for myself, for me Diana Ross is the best female singer that's come out of Motown, for me she will be forever beautiful, classy, got tons of stage presence and a forever beautiful voice to go with it, I always see myself as a number 1 Diana Ross fan and they don't come any bigger when it comes to my loyalty to Diana.

For me and I can only speak for myself, Ms Ross is the best thing since slice bread she could do no wrong in my eyes.
There are many framed photos of Diana on my living room wall, when visitors come to visit, they are always in awe of my love and dedcation to the only and only Miss Diana Ross.

So Roberta, you keep loving Martha the way you do and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise

[dzMusica]

What I think about that is stated below in three quotes taken from the holy scriptures:

“Judge not, and you will not be judged, condemn not, and you will not be condemned, forgive, and you will be forgiven"

"Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her"

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses"

Roberta

In spiritual warfare, Satan uses scripture against those who stand on the Word of God. You will know a man by his fruit the Bible says as well. If you really loved God then you wouldn't be worshipping Martha Reeves. You would be worshipping My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

[marv2]

...beware of those who pray in public.......

[kenneth]

...beware of those who pray in public.......

Amen, Brother!

[captainjames]

wow Not sure where this thread is trying to go but here goes;
Also, thought Martha was a strong singer [[gritty, soulful, bluesy, etc.), Diana to me was classy, sexy, and could announicate the hell out of a song where I knew each word in her songs. Hard to put the two in the same category, however right now to this day I would prefer to hear Ross.

[Roberta75]

Roberta, I really love, admire and respect the love, loyalty and admiration you have for Martha Reeves, if only other fans could be as loyal as you

But personally speaking for myself, for me Diana Ross is the best female singer that's come out of Motown, for me she will be forever beautiful, classy, got tons of stage presence and a forever beautiful voice to go with it, I always see myself as a number 1 Diana Ross fan and they don't come any bigger when it comes to my loyalty to Diana.

For me and I can only speak for myself, Ms Ross is the best thing since slice bread she could do no wrong in my eyes.
There are many framed photos of Diana on my living room wall, when visitors come to visit, they are always in awe of my love and dedcation to the only and only Miss Diana Ross.

So Roberta, you keep loving Martha the way you do and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise

Thank you for your kind words David J.

Have a blessed and beautiful day.

Roberta

[Roberta75]

In spiritual warfare, Satan uses scripture against those who stand on the Word of God. You will know a man by his fruit the Bible says as well. If you really loved God then you wouldn't be worshipping Martha Reeves. You would be worshipping My Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I admire, respect and love Miss Martha Reeves. I also believe IMO, that Martha is the best singer to come out of Motown.
However, I do not worship Martha Reeves. The only person I worship is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the son of God.

I suspect your posting is in retaliation to my response to the personal message you sent me yesterday, where you tried to engage me in gossip and hearsay about Miss Reeves.

Yours, with every good wish.

Roberta

[carlo]

I agree that Diana's phrasing and delivery is so unique. Those qualities are even more obvious when you listen to many of these alternate vocals that are being included on the Hip-O Select releases. Some of these versions can be so different from the original just from the way she sings them. It's very interesting to hear.

[jobeterob]

I always enjoy the people that keep an open mind and dont take some hard idealogical line on everything ~ we don't want to be those tired old goofs in the American Congress that take the same position again and again and are so predictable.

And you surely can at least go as far as likeing one singer without detesting others.

But it is not becoming to beat on these ladies ~ none of them; or to set up a constant war over them.

[ivyfield]

Have to say - I went to see the show a couple of years ago where she appeared with the Miracles, Jr. Walkers All-Stars [[yep, work THAT one out!) and the Commodores. Martha had Lois & Delphine as her Vandellas. Her sisters sounded great but oh boy, I felt sad for poor Martha. Her voice warbles uncontrollably - totally different to what we hear on record. Now, I know it's been a few years, and all our favourite Motown ladies are mere mortals who have to age just like us, but some of the artists are definitely sounding better than others these days. Must also add that I've also heard Diana sounding very 'pitchy' on stage. There's a couple of TV performances that she did here in the UK a few years back that were bad - that of course can also be put down to bad sound engineering/monitors.

[dzMusica]

Amen, Brother!

LOL Ya'll are too much!

[dzMusica]

I admire, respect and love Miss Martha Reeves. I also believe IMO, that Martha is the best singer to come out of Motown.
However, I do not worship Martha Reeves. The only person I worship is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the son of God.

I suspect your posting is in retaliation to my response to the personal message you sent me yesterday, where you tried to engage me in gossip and hearsay about Miss Reeves.

Yours, with every good wish.

Roberta

We see how grown-up you are Roberta. You're trying to slander me. I was asking valid questions that she made public knowledge in her book. That's not gossip. You worship Martha Reeves not God. She is your American Idol!

dz

[Roberta75]

We see how grown-up you are Roberta. You're trying to slander me. I was asking valid questions that she made public knowledge in her book. That's not gossip. You worship Martha Reeves not God. She is your American Idol!

dz

I am not trying to slander you dzMusica in anyway, shape or form. I could repost your private message to me where I politely declined your invitation to gossip about Miss Reeves, but I'll take the high road.

My relationship with my God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is very healthy and intact. My admiration of Miss Martha Reeves is that of a fan who loves and respects the public woman, but has no interest in her private, personal life as it is none of my business.

Yours, with every good wish.

Roberta

[dzMusica]

I am not trying to slander you dzMusica in anyway, shape or form. I could repost your private message to me where I politely declined your invitation to gossip about Miss Reeves, but I'll take the high road.

My relationship with my God and my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is very healthy and intact. My admiration of Miss Martha Reeves is that of a fan who loves and respects the public woman, but has no interest in her private, personal life as it is none of my business.

Yours, with every good wish.

Roberta

Um aren't you the one that brought the subject up publicly. I didn't reply to you in the private message but you couldn't resist continung the subject.

dz

[Roberta75]

I didn't reply to you in the private message but you couldn't resist continung the subject.
dz

Oh but you did my dear dzMusica. You sent me two rather vulgar replies early this morning. To thine own self be true dzMusica, for the truth shall set you free. I replied you requesting that you cease from sending me personal messages.

I think for the good of Soulful Detroit, you and I ignore one another from now on.

That said, I wish you only good things and pray that God continues to bless you and yours.

My best personal regards,

Roberta

[ralpht]

Okay, don't let this get out of hand. Please.

[jobeterob]

Good plan.

And lets let the people that think Martha is best enjoy her, the people that love Gladys best love Gladys, the people that love Aretha best love Aretha, the people that love Anita Baker best love Anita....................and then we'll be happy and peaceful in this forum; and I will make a special prayer that everyone finally understand and accept definitively that it is Diana that is truly the best.

Did I really type that?

K, I'm being bad in the later part of my post; I deserve one of them there rotten tomatoes they give.

[kenneth]

It's okay, Jobeterob. As I said, we all have our favorites. Fortunately, I never get into the Mary vs. Diane thing as Wanda is my favorite anyway, but I appreciate all the singers mentioned.

dz, what is your purpose in posting here? You seem to always want to preach at us. Roberta is one of the kindest and most considerate posters on here, including myself.

This is supposed to be about music, not who is the better Christian. Roberta worships Martha Reeves? Seriously?

I too will be ignoring dz's posts in the future.

[detmotownguy]

...beware of those who pray in public.......

Beware of those who preach and pray on soulful detroit, the she might be a he. ANyway,Both Martha and Diane can hold the stage just fine. both are equally interesting and can work the crowd.

[dzMusica]

Don't worry folks see ya in the future. nobody likes me Bye Bye!!!

[ralpht]

Well, I guess I won't delete this thread, but I will lock it. I don't see the subject going any farther. What surprises me is the conversation to begin with. You're comparing apples and oranges, and any opinion from that point is basically, pointless. Now go play nice somewhere.