Madonna was raised in the Detroit suburbs ...

Madonna was raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township (now Rochester Hills). Madonna' mother died of breast cancer at age 30 on December 1, 1963. Madonna' father married the family housekeeper, Joan Gustafson, and they had two children; Jennifer and Mario Ciccone. "I didn't accept my stepmother when I was growing up," Madonna said, "in retrospect I think I was really hard on her."

Madonna convinced her father to allow Madonna' to take ballet classes. She attended St. Frederick's Elementary School and St. Andrew's Elementary School (present day Holy Family Regional) and West Middle School. Madonna attended Rochester Adams High School, becoming a straight-A student and a member of the cheerleading squad. She received a dance scholarship to the University of Michigan after graduating from high school.