Rhonda Ross Kendrick

Rhonda Ross Kendrick
Kendrick in 2019
Born
Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein

(1971-08-14) August 14, 1971 (age 53)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names
  • Rhonda Ross
EducationBrown University
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Years active1985–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1997)​
Children1
Parents
Robert Ellis Silberstein (legal father)
Relatives
Musical career
Genres
Instrument
  • Vocals
Websiterhondarosskendrick.com

Rhonda Ross Kendrick (born Rhonda Suzanne Silberstein; August 14, 1971) is an American singer and former actress. Kendrick is the daughter of singer and actress Diana Ross and the biological child of Motown Records founder Berry Gordy; however, her legal father is Robert Ellis Silberstein, as her mother was married to him before she was born and he is the father who raised her.

Early life

At the time of Rhonda's birth, Diana Ross was married to her first husband, Robert Ellis Silberstein.[1] Ross, Gordy, and Silberstein all knew of Rhonda's parentage. She was publicly presented as the daughter of Ross and Silberstein, and he raised her.[2] When she was 13, she was told Gordy was her biological father. Ross Kendrick has said that the revelation came as a relief. She was beginning to notice physical differences between herself and her younger sisters. The revelation gave her an answer to the situation. Rhonda Ross Kendrick is the eldest of Diana Ross' five children and the seventh of Berry Gordy's eight biological children. She is a graduate of Brown University.

Career

Ross Kendrick's most famous acting credit is Toni Burrell on Another World.[3] She played the role from 1997 to 1999 and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1998.[4] She also appeared in the movie The Personals (1999) with Malik Yoba as well as The Temptations miniseries with her relative Bianca Lawson. In 2004, she released her debut live album Rhonda Ross Live Featuring Rodney Kendrick.[5]

After working for two years as an agent with the firm Citi Habitats, she founded Ross Realty International, a real-estate brokerage firm in New York City in 2008.[6]

In 2013, she joined her mother on the In the Name of Love Tour as the opening act for her concerts.[7] In July 2016, she released her first studio album In Case You Didn't Know.[8] The album spawned the singles "Summer Day" and "In Case You Didn't Know".[9]

During the COVID-19 lockdown, Rhonda contributed her songwriting talents to her mother's Grammy nominated album Thank You released on Decca Records in late 2021. The album included the single "All is Well" co-written by Rhonda, her mother, and celebrated songwriter and background singer Fred White.

Personal life

On September 14, 1997, she married jazz musician Rodney Kendrick.[10] On August 7, 2009, she gave birth to their son.[11]

Discography

  • Rhonda Ross Live Featuring Rodney Kendrick (2004)
  • In Case You Didn't Know (2016)

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Last Dragon 7th Heaven Dancer
1992 Diana Ross Live! The Lady Sings... Jazz & Blues: Stolen Moments Herself Television documentary
1994 Out of Darkness Young Paulie Cooper Television film
1997–1999 Another World Toni Burrell Series regular
Nominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series (1998)
1997 Oddville, MTV
1997 Cosby Episode: "Dating Games"
1998 Franchesca Page
1998 The Temptations Maxine Television miniseries
1999 Personals Sheila
2000 Girlfriends Laurie Episode: "The Remains of the Date"
2018 Crackdown Big City Blues Reta
2023 Protector of the Gods Goddess Maat

References

  1. ^ "Showbiz Wiz". People Magazine. January 15, 1979.
  2. ^ Anderson, Stacie (April 15, 2011). "Week in Rock History: Elvis Dies at Graceland". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
  3. ^ Castro, Peter (September 1, 1997). "Legends of the Fall". People. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on June 27, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  4. ^ "ABC tops Emmy noms | Variety". October 2, 2013. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013.
  5. ^ Rhonda Ross Live Featuring Rodney Kendrick – Album by Rhonda Ross on Apple Music. iTunes. Retrieved on April 25, 2017
  6. ^ Ross Realty International Archived July 10, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Hardy, Ernest (August 4, 2013). "Review: Diana Ross still show-stopping at the Hollywood Bowl". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  8. ^ In Case You Didn't Know – Album by Rhonda Ross on Apple Music. iTunes. Retrieved on April 25, 2017
  9. ^ Summer Day – Single by Rhonda Ross on Apple Music. iTunes. Retrieved on April 25, 2017
  10. ^ "Rhonda Ross on Instagram: "Sept 14, 1997 --- 20 years ago today I married #RodneyKendrick the love of my life..."". Instagram.
  11. ^ "Rhonda Ross Talks About Her Decade Long Struggle To Conceive". bckonline.com. September 28, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2022.