With tickets in hand to see the Diana Ross last night (the latest in an unofficial concert series I’ve inelegantly dubbed “Divas to See Before They Die”), I entered the Chicago Theatre expecting the 66-year-old Motown legend would leave the vocal heavy-lifting to her backup singers, but I was happily proven otherwise.

From Supreme memories to solo success, pausing to pay tribute to both Lady Day and The Wiz, Ross was in excellent voice, treating the sold-out crowd to a tour through career highlights (and a series of colorful costume changes). Besides “Reflections” and “Love Child,” my favorite moment was the inclusion of her 1995 single, “Take Me Higher.”

Though the dance-centric “Take Me Higher” failed to crack the Billboard Hot 100 and stalled at #77 on the R&B chart, the song was embraced in a big way by DJs and beat-happy clubgoers. On December 2, 1995, Ross reached the top spot on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, making “Take Me Higher” her fifth such #1, and her first since 1980’s “I’m Coming Out.” Hear here:

Purchase Diana Ross – “Take Me Higher” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.