Difficult Divas---Have There Ever Been Any Opposites?

[daviddesper]

Someone has commented in the Dusty thread about her being difficult due to her insecurity. At various other times, I have read also about Dionne, Shirley, Anita Baker, and maybe some others being likewise hard to handle. So that made me think of this question....Are there now or have there ever been any mega-stars who handled the pressures of their careers but yet managed to remain consistently nice, approachable, maybe even to the point that they were almost TOO sweet? In other words, has there ever been a singer that everybody loved and you simply never heard a bad word about her?

I have one in mind but instead of mentioning her first, I will wait to see if her name comes up from anyone else. I don't know one way or the other if she fits my question, but I always thought she had the sweetest smile, and it made me think she might be a wonderful person as well. If no one else mentions her, I will bring her up eventually for discussion before the thread dies.

[jobeterob]

Lesley Gore?

[marv2]

Someone has commented in the Dusty thread about her being difficult due to her insecurity. At various other times, I have read also about Dionne, Shirley, Anita Baker, and maybe some others being likewise hard to handle. So that made me think of this question....Are there now or have there ever been any mega-stars who handled the pressures of their careers but yet managed to remain consistently nice, approachable, maybe even to the point that they were almost TOO sweet? In other words, has there ever been a singer that everybody loved and you simply never heard a bad word about her?

I have one in mind but instead of mentioning her first, I will wait to see if her name comes up from anyone else. I don't know one way or the other if she fits my question, but I always thought she had the sweetest smile, and it made me think she might be a wonderful person as well. If no one else mentions her, I will bring her up eventually for discussion before the thread dies.

Yeah, Whitney Houston. You never heard of her mistreating anyone but herself.

[Albator]

Not Whitney, we have heard she was unpleasant to the max, at least in UK.
Well ... Cher, Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer and Diana Ross ! LOL

[Bokiluis]

If you have standards and demand respect, a woman is labeled difficult. Chump is the most disgusting, overweight, mendacious creature to grace the campaign trail......but all you hear about is Sec. Clinton's pantsuits and trustworthiness. There's a truly barbaric, unfair treatment given to women. James Brown was supposedly extremely difficult. Can't say I heard him refer to as a "bitch" or "bastard". And until you walk in their shoes, are you sure you would always be graceful under pressure?
And yes, we had to cancel all backstage greetings for Whitney on her second tour after she had sold 10 million albums. We thought that just this once you could thank radio, retail and press for your initial success. It just wasn't possible for her to handle. But most nights she wowed the audiences with dazzling performances. At the end of the day, isn't that what people pay to experience?

[luke]

Adele seems humble and can laugh at herself and celebrity.

[midnightman]

I have a feeling MOST celebrities are very complex. Not everyone is gonna be "pleasant" but I feel that a lot of them, especially the divas, are misunderstood for the most part.

[arr&bee]

Minnie mouse?

[marv2]

Not Whitney, we have heard she was unpleasant to the max, at least in UK.
Well ... Cher, Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer and Diana Ross ! LOL

Here in America, we did not hear any stories of Whitney Houston being unpleasant to folks.

[glencro]

Here in America, we did not hear any stories of Whitney Houston being unpleasant to folks.

Did you ever watch "Being Bobby Brown"? Whitney went ham on a few friends on a few occasions and it wasn't pretty

[StuBass1]

Gladys Knight...by all accounts a warm and genuine person...despite several personal issues and setbacks...

[StuBass1]

Not Whitney, we have heard she was unpleasant to the max, at least in UK.
Well ... Cher, Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer and Diana Ross ! LOL

Whitney was reportedly very sweet and accommodating until the drugs kicked in and her public persona changed quite a bit...

[marv2]

Never heard of Chaka Khan messing over people either.

[marv2]

Did you ever watch "Being Bobby Brown"? Whitney went ham on a few friends on a few occasions and it wasn't pretty

I thought he meant with the general public and not what may have went on in their private lives.

[Bluebrock]

Not Whitney, we have heard she was unpleasant to the max, at least in UK.
Well ... Cher, Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer and Diana Ross ! LOL

Much as i loved Whitney she could be very difficult. I worked with her on two occasions First time was in 1985 when she was clean. Whilst she fell short of being downright rude she was rather awkward and unco=operative at times, yet she could be as sweet as honey if she was in a good mood. The second occasion was in the late 80;s during the MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE era. I am not going into detail but to say she was difficult would be a gross understatement. Having said that she apologised to me for her behaviour and i gladly accepted that apology. I loved Whitney and could forgive her anything.

[phil]

Minnie mouse?

Another Minnie : Minnie Riperton.

[jobeterob]

Rick James said Diana Ross was one of the finest people he ever met.

Considering they were divergent people, that says something.

[marv2]

Rick James said Diana Ross was one of the finest people he ever met.

Considering they were divergent people, that says something.

Rick James also had a severe drug addiction problem. He would not have been a good judge of anything. Interestingly, Diane was good friends briefly with Rick's protege, Val Young who was also from the Brewster Projects...........

[marv2]

Another Minnie : Minnie Riperton.

Good choice. Great singer, beautiful woman, no bad attitude. The same can be said of Marilyn McCoo.

[marv2]

Much as i loved Whitney she could be very difficult. I worked with her on two occasions First time was in 1985 when she was clean. Whilst she fell short of being downright rude she was rather awkward and unco=operative at times, yet she could be as sweet as honey if she was in a good mood. The second occasion was in the late 80;s during the MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE era. I am not going into detail but to say she was difficult would be a gross understatement. Having said that she apologised to me for her behaviour and i gladly accepted that apology. I loved Whitney and could forgive her anything.

You're not in America, are you? Whitney Houston did not have that reputation here. When she passed, it was like a national day of mourning. Her funeral was given more than 4 hours of coverage.

[Roberta75]

You're not in America, are you? Whitney Houston did not have that reputation here. When passed, it was like a national day of mourning. Her funeral was given more than 4 hours of coverage.

And Whitney wasnt even cold before Mark Bego trashed her reputation in his horrible book and Bego and mary Wilson promoted that trashy book.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx4dfG5Sj7Y

[theboyfromxtown]

Kylie Minogue is apparently a real nice lady. Here in the UK, she is MEGA.

[Bluebrock]

You're not in America, are you? Whitney Houston did not have that reputation here. When she passed, it was like a national day of mourning. Her funeral was given more than 4 hours of coverage.

I can only speak as i find. I was a huge Whitney fan but sometimes it is best not to meet your idols. I was only answering a question in an honest way.

[satipe]

I don't know if she could be considered a mega star but I have always found Mavis Staples to be ever so nice to everyone. Sometimes, her sister used to have to tell her, "I mean it, we have to go."

[midnightman]

Much as i loved Whitney she could be very difficult. I worked with her on two occasions First time was in 1985 when she was clean. Whilst she fell short of being downright rude she was rather awkward and unco=operative at times, yet she could be as sweet as honey if she was in a good mood. The second occasion was in the late 80;s during the MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE era. I am not going into detail but to say she was difficult would be a gross understatement. Having said that she apologised to me for her behaviour and i gladly accepted that apology. I loved Whitney and could forgive her anything.

Whitney was stressed out in ways many can't imagine. Least she apologized to you though.

[daviddesper]

So far no one has touched on the one I had in mind, but you have come up with some interesting "nice" people. The ones mentioned so far that I might personally agree with the most would be Gladys Knight, Olivia Newton-John, and Marilyn McCoo. Keep the feedback coming!

[marv2]

So far no one has touched on the one I had in mind, but you have come up with some interesting "nice" people. The ones mentioned so far that I might personally agree with the most would be Gladys Knight, Olivia Newton-John, and Marilyn McCoo. Keep the feedback coming!

Mary Wilson is a bona-fide sweetheart!

[detmotownguy]

Here in America, we did not hear any stories of Whitney Houston being unpleasant to folks.

My sisters boyfriend was Whitney's limo driver; she was very nice and did not act out the "I am a star" act.

[Bluebrock]

Mary Wilson is a bona-fide sweetheart!

Ian Levine might not agree with you on that one!

[Bluebrock]

Adele seems humble and can laugh at herself and celebrity.

Adele is wonderful company. Witty, warm and very potty mouthed!! I am proud to have been her friend for several years before she became famous. She is fully deserving of her vast success.

[marv2]

Ian Levine might not agree with you on that one!

I've met and spent time around Ian Levine. He is strange. Many of the artists he recorded in Detroit want his head.

[Bluebrock]

I've met and spent time around Ian Levine. He is strange. Many of the artists he recorded in Detroit want his head.

So his opinion doesn't count then? Strange or not he is a very astute guy.

[marv2]

So his opinion doesn't count then? Strange or not he is a very astute guy.

I'll just say this. Donald Trump is not the only one that did not pay people for services rendered.....

[Bluebrock]

I'll just say this. Donald Trump is not the only one that did not pay people for services rendered.....

I think you will find thatyou have got that one somewhat wrong.

[jobeterob]

Aretha Franklin apparently pays when the feeling hits her

[StuBass1]

Aretha Franklin apparently pays when the feeling hits her

I can tell you that's a fact...and the feeling often doesn't hit her...

[marv2]

I think you will find thatyou have got that one somewhat wrong.

No I don't. That's all I am able to say here and now.

[jobeterob]

She believes the Queen of Soul is exempt from any rules but hers

[marv2]

She believes the Queen of Soul is exempt from any rules but hers

She may be. Any time an important national celebration in America is scheduled, she is the one that they ALWAYS invites! She is the Queen!

[luke]

Mary Wilson has always been so gracious and down to earth.

[Roberta75]

Mary Wilson has always been so gracious and down to earth.

Ive been told a Mary Wilson can actuallywalk on water.

[thomas96]

Ella Fitzgerald.

The beautiful Nancy Wilson.

[thomas96]

And Ian Levine is a dirtbag.

[jobeterob]

Ian didn't have money to pay many who had never got much for what they did but ranks higher than the Queen of Soul for ethics

If Mary walks on water Diana can fly

[Bluebrock]

No I don't. That's all I am able to say here and now.

Is that so.

[Bluebrock]

She believes the Queen of Soul is exempt from any rules but hers

I have never met Aretha and don't wish to. I love her talent but the horror stories my friends have told me make me want to just love the music and not get involved on a personal level.

[marv2]

Ian didn't have money to pay many who had never got much for what they did but ranks higher than the Queen of Soul for ethics

If Mary walks on water Diana can fly

You really don't know what you are talking about now.

[midnightman]

Aretha, I've heard both good and horrible stories about her. I often feel she suffers from bipolar disorder, the death of her mother and the struggles of living under the watchful eye of a minister father who himself was running amok sleeping with women - and occasionally molesting teenage girls [[one of which gave birth to one of his "illegitimate" children) and then getting turned out at 13 by the guy who ended up fathering her first child. Aretha never got a chance to be a kid and was forced to grow up rather early. Bettye LaVette recalls smoking weed and drinking with Aretha when they were young. The stories of her telling Mahalia Jackson that "b*tch you ain't so grand" after Mahalia refused to help her father [[for the 1,567th time) after he got busted for weed possession in Miami, or when she refused to talk to Mavis Staples for a time because Mavis brought up how Aretha's mother abandoned her [[which technically wasn't true; it's just that her father refused to let his children live with her in Buffalo so instead of living in Buffalo, the Franklin children had to make conjugal visits during the summer prior to Barbara Franklin's death when Aretha was 10).

Sometimes hardships can harden someone. Doesn't make one evil but they're sure difficult to deal with at times. Aretha also developed a stubbornness that co-aligns with her Aries side [[much like Marvin) that continues to this day.

Anyway, this is not about Mary Wilson. Stop it.

[blackguy69]

Kids settle down. It's not that serious

[midnightman]

ANYWAYS, like I said, most celebrities, especially the really talented ones like Diana, Aretha, Patti, etc., are complex individuals. We shouldn't look at one side of their personalities and disregard their legacies. Unfortunately being difficult comes with the territory. Even the seemingly nice ones can be difficult to someone in their lives. It just happens.