The Supremes

The Supremes were from 1959 to 1977, a US women's rock band in which many fans of soul music is well known, as well as the general public. The group was one of the figureheads of the Motown sound for videos in the sixties and had great commercial success. In the years 1965-1969 they were among the most popular bands in America and Europe. Along with The Temptations, The Four Tops , Martha & The Vandellas and other black rock bands, they made ​​an important contribution to the global breakthrough of the African-American rhythm and blues music .

The original members were Florence Ballard , Diana Ross , Mary Wilson and left early Betty McGlown, who was replaced by Barbara Martin which was not long. Cindy Birdsong was for many years a member of the group, which later Jean Terrell , Lynda Laurence , Scherrie Payne and Greene Susaye belonged.

Well-known songs from the Supremes included Where Did Our Love Go , Baby Love (which they first ladies group had a No. 1 hit in England), Stop! In the Name of Love ,Back in My Arms Again , You Can't Hurry Love , You Keep Me Hangin 'On , Love Is Here And Now You're Gone and The Happening .

Contents

 * 1 Career
 * 1.1 Early Years
 * 1.2 Success Years
 * 1.3 Diana Ross and the Supremes
 * 1.4 Jean Terrell-years
 * 1.5 Final years
 * 2 Discography
 * 2.1 Albums
 * 2.2 Singles
 * 2.3 Radio 2 Top 2000

Early Years
The Supremes began around 1959 as a ladies quartet called The Primettes, with Florence Ballard (who is also the founder), Mary Wilson, Betty McGlown and Diana Ross. They were all four grew up in the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects, a large apartment complex in east Detroit. The Primettes were a sister group The Primes, which later Temptations Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams sat.

During this period, the ladies sang mostly in clubs and talent shows. Diana Ross asked her former neighbor Smokey Robinson if they could audition for the burgeoningrecord label Motown Records . The owner Berry Gordy felt the ladies were too young and had to finish their school. Shortly thereafter they took for Lu Pine Records number Tears of Sorrow, that flopped.

Betty McGlown left the group in 1960 and was replaced by Barbara Martin. The ladies were found every day after school at the Motown Studio. Berry Gordy finally let them background singing and hand clapping for artists such as Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells . In January 1961 they were finally offered a contract, provided that they changed their name. Founder Florence Ballard chose "The Supremes". Between 1961 and 1963 took the Supremes some numbers. None of these songs made the Top 40 and left in 1962 Barbara Martin the Supremes to start a family. The group continued as a trio further.

Years success
After seven songs that were not successful, names The Supremes in late 1963 for the first time a song in which the Billboard Hot 100reached. When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes debuted at number 23. It was the beginning of a long series of hits. In 1964, the Supremes were asked if they wanted to record the song Where did our love go, which was rejected by Motown topdamesgroep The Marvelettes . First the Supremes would take no cast-off from another group, but the writers of the song, Brian Holland , Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland, persuaded them. Meanwhile, Diana Ross was elected to lead singer to be. Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson were background singers . During a music tour lap the track at the first place of the American Billboard Hot 100 . More success followed and they won their next four songs once again the number 1 position.

Doors of clubs like the Copacabana in New York, stood before the Supremes open. They were also asked by many television programs. After the song I hear a symphony in 1965, the Supremes gained another four times the top of the American Billboard. All hits were the trio Holland-Dozier-Holland and written and produced by The Funk Brothersinstrumental accompaniment.

Diana Ross and the Supremes
Despite all their success, Florence Ballard found that Diana Ross by Berry Gordy was drawn. She felt herself and Mary Wilson cast aside in the group that she had founded. Years later, Mary Wilson that they got tired of always "baby, baby" to be singing as background to the solos of Diana Ross. Around that time, Berry Gordy and Diana Ross had a relationship. Florence Ballard became depressed and started drinking excessively. She was also much thicker and she could not wear many outfits. Meanwhile already created a substitute, Cindy Birdsong from Patti Labelle & The Bluebells, in the event of Florence Ballard would not show up. She was warned, trying to slim down. Despite her efforts she was fired in July 1967. After a few successful solo career, it was getting worse with her. Florence Ballard died at the age of 32 in 1976.

Following the resignation of Florence was Cindy Birdsong official member of the Supremes. The group's name was changed to Diana Ross & the Supremes. During this period, not Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong backing singers, but became Motown's solid backing singers The Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow and Louvain Demps) enabled for the recordings of singles. Cindy and Mary sang it during live performances, a few songs for their albums and the songs they sang along with The Temptations . The Supremes meanwhile took fewer top of the Billboard Hot 100, partly because the success writers Holland, Dozier and Holland were left with Motown. Only the song Love Child, written by the collective The Clan , won the top.

Jean Terrell-years
In 1969 it was announced that Diana Ross would start a solo career. Her final appearance with the Supremes in January 1970. Diana was replaced by Jean Terrell, although Berry Gordy tried Rita Wright (later known as Stevie Wonder's wife Syreeta) to push forward. That came to a veto by Mary Wilson, because the position had already been promised to Terrell. Jean Terrell in the group had the Supremes success with songs like Up The Ladder To The Roof , Stoned Love , Floy Joy and the duet song River Deep - Mountain High with the Four Tops . On these numbers are Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong heard again as backing vocalists. They were also given a greater role in the group. She also sang small solos in live performances. Mary Wilson as the only original member in 1971 sang lead with Jean Terrell in some songs like Touch ,Floy Joy and Automatically Sunshine .

After the recordings for the album Floy Joy Cindy Birdsong left the Supremes in April 1972. It was replaced by Lynda Laurence, a former background singer Stevie Wonder. She sang, among other I Guess I'll Miss The Man and written by Stevie Wonder Bad Weather . Jean Terrell, who found that the Supremes Motown gave too little attention, left the group in October 1973, along with Lynda Laurence.

In recent years
Scherrie Payne, from the by Holland-Dozier-Holland established soul group Glass House, was chosen as replacement for Jean Terrell. Simultaneously Cindy Birdsong returned to the Supremes. Because their contracts were not made, they could not record from late 1973 to late 1974. During this period they performed it live on. The management of the group has been by Mary Wilson's husband Pedro Ferrer settled, though Payne and Birdsong not in favor of it.

In 1975, the Supremes were allowed to record again, but the popularity of the group was dropped. Scherrie Payne was co-lead singer Mary Wilson. Although a few songs performed well on the new disco hit list, they gained no new success. In 1976, Cindy Birdsong left again, the poor relationship with Pedro Ferrer and personal circumstances. It was replaced by Susaye Green. Then in 1977 Mary Wilson left to start a solo career, the group fell apart.

Acquired at the end of the eighties, Mary Wilson, the only one who has been from the beginning to the end member of the group, in a legal proceeding against Motown ownership of the name "The Supremes". This they did for exploitation of this trademark by others than the original Supremes.