THE SUPREMES

Biography

America's most successful female vocal group of all time was formed by four Detroit schoolgirls in the late 50s. Diana Ross (b. 26 March 1944, Detroit, Michigan, USA), Betty Hutton, Florence Ballard (b. 30 June 1943, Detroit, Michigan, USA, d. 22 February 1976) and Mary Wilson (b. 6 March 1944, Greenville, Mississippi, USA) named themselves the Primettes in tribute to the local male group, the Primes - who themselves found fame in the 60s as the Temptations. Having issued a solitary single on a small local label, the Primettes were signed to Berry Gordy's Motown Records stable, where they initially found public acceptance hard to find. For more than two years, they issued a succession of flop singles, despite the best efforts of top Motown writer/producer Smokey Robinson to find them a suitable vehicle for their unsophisticated talents. Only when Diana Ross supplanted Florence Ballard as the group's regular lead vocalist, at Gordy's suggestion, did the Supremes break into the US charts. The dynamic “When The Lovelight Starts Shining In His Eyes”, modeled on the production style of Phil Spector, was the group's first hit in 1963.

The follow-up single flopped, so Gordy handed over the group to the newly formed Holland/Dozier/Holland writing and production team. They concocted the slight, but effervescent, “Where Did Our Love Go” for the Supremes, which topped the US charts and was also a major hit in Britain. This achievement inaugurated a remarkable run of successes for the group and their producers, as their next four releases – “Baby Love”, “Come See About Me”, “Stop! In The Name Of Love” and “Back In My Arms Again” - all topped the US singles charts, while ‘Baby Love' became the only record by an American group to reach number 1 in Britain during the beat-dominated year of 1964. All these singles were hinged around insistent, very danceable rhythms with repetitive lyrics and melodies, which placed no great strain on Ross” fragile voice. With their girl-next-door looks and endearingly unsophisticated demeanor, the Supremes became role models for young black Americans and their name was used to promote a range of merchandising, even (ironically) a brand of white bread. The rather perfunctory “Nothing But Heartaches” broke the chart-topping sequence, which was immediately restored by the more ambitious “I Hear A Symphony”. As Holland/Dozier/Holland moved into their prime, and Ross increased in confidence, the group's repertoire grew more mature.

They recorded albums of Broadway standards, played residencies at expensive nightclubs, and were expertly groomed by Motown staff as all-round entertainers. Meanwhile, the hits kept coming, with four more US number 1 hits in the shape of “You Can't Hurry Love”, “You Keep Me Hanging On”. “Love Is Here And Now You're Gone” and “The Happening” - the last of which was a blatant attempt to cash in on the psychedelic movement. Behind the scenes, the group's future was in some jeopardy; Florence Ballard had grown increasingly unhappy in the supporting role into which Berry Gordy had coerced her, and her occasionally erratic and troublesome behavior was ultimately used as an excuse to force her out of the group. Without fanfare, Ballard was ousted in mid-1967, and replaced by Cindy Birdsong; most fans simply did not notice. At the same time, Ross’s prime position in the group's hierarchy was confirmed in public, when she was given individual credit on the group's records, a move that prompted a flurry of similar demands from the lead singers of other Motown groups. “Reflections”, an eerie, gripping song that was one of Motown's most adventurous productions to date, introduced the new era. Motown's loss of Holland/Dozier/Holland slowed the group's progress in 1968, before they bounced back with two controversial slices of overt social commentary, “Love Child” and “I'm Livin' In Shame”, the first of which was yet another US number 1. The Supremes also formed a successful recording partnership with the Temptations, exemplified by the hit single “I'm Gonna Make You Love Me”. During 1969, there were persistent rumors that Berry Gordy was about to launch Diana Ross on a solo career. These were confirmed at the end of the year, when the Supremes staged a farewell performance, and Ross bade goodbye to the group with the elegiac “Someday We'll Be Together” - a US chart-topper on which, ironically, she was the only member of the Supremes to appear. Ross was replaced by Jean Terrell, sister of heavyweight boxer Ernie Terrell. The new line-up, with Terrell and Mary Wilson alternating lead vocal duties, found immediate success with “Up The Ladder To The Roof” in early 1970, while “Stoned Love”, the group's biggest UK hit for four years, revived memories of their early successes with its rhythmic base and repetitive hook. The Supremes also tried to revive the atmosphere of their earlier recordings with the Temptations on a series of albums with the Four Tops. Gradually, their momentum was lost, and as Motown shifted its centre of activity from Detroit to California, the Supremes were left behind.

Lynda Laurence replaced Cindy Birdsong in the line-up in 1972; Birdsong returned in 1974 when Laurence became pregnant. The latter move coincided with the departure of Jean Terrell, whose place was taken by Scherrie Payne (b. 14 November 1944, Detroit, Michigan, USA). With the group recording only rarely, Birdsong quit again, leaving Mary Wilson - at last established as the unchallenged leader - to recruit Susaye Greene in her place. This trio recorded the self-explanatory Mary, Scherrie And Susaye in 1976, before disbanding the following year. Mary Wilson attempted to assemble a new set of Supremes for recording purposes, and actually toured Britain in 1978 with Karen Rowland and Karen Jackson in the line-up. The termination of her Motown contract stymied this move, however, and since then the use of the Supremes' name has legally resided with Motown. They have chosen not to sully the memory of their most famous group by concocting an ersatz Supremes to cash in on their heritage. Jean Terrell, Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence won the rights to use the Supremes' name in the UK. Payne began recording disco material with producer Ian Levine in 1989, for the Nightmare and Motor City labels. Levine also signed Laurence, Wilson and ex-Supreme Susaye Greene to solo contracts and recorded Terrell, Lawrence and Greene for a remake of “Stoned Love”. The career of Mary Wilson has also continued with a starring role in the Toronto, Canada production of the stage musical The Beehive in 1989 and the publication of the second volume of her autobiography in 1990. In 1988, the Supremes were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Discography: Meet The Supremes (Motown 1963)***, Where Did Our Love Go? (Motown 1964)***, A Bit Of Liverpool (Motown 1964)**, The Supremes Sing Country, Western And Pop (Motown 1964)*, We Remember Sam Cooke (Motown 1965)***, More Hits By The Supremes (Motown 1965)***, Merry Christmas (Motown 1965)***, The Supremes At The Copa (Motown 1965)***, I Hear A Symphony (Motown 1966)***, The Supremes A-Go-Go (Motown 1966)***, The Supremes Sing Holland, Dozier, Holland (Motown 1967)****, The Supremes Sing Rodgers And Hart (Motown 1967)**, Right On (Motown 1970)***, with the Four Tops The Magnificent Seven (Motown 1970)****, New Ways But Love Stays (Motown 1970)***, Touch (Motown 1971)**, with the Four Tops The Return Of The Magnificent Seven (Motown 1971)**, with the Four Tops Dynamite (Motown 1971)***, Floy Joy (Motown 1972)***, The Supremes (Motown 1975)**, High Energy (Motown 1976)**, Mary, Scherrie And Susaye (Motown 1976)***. As Diana Ross And The Supremes: Reflections (Motown 1968)***, Diana Ross And The Supremes Sing And Perform “Funny Girl” (Motown 1968)*, Diana Ross And The Supremes Live At London's Talk Of The Town (Motown 1968)***, with the Temptations Diana Ross And The Supremes Join The Temptations (Motown 1968)***, Love Child (Motown 1968)***, with the Temptations TCB (Motown 1968)***, Let The Sunshine In (Motown 1969)**, with the Temptations Together (Motown 1969)***, Cream Of The Crop (Motown 1969)**, with the Temptations Diana Ross And The Supremes On Broadway (Motown 1969)**, Farewell (Motown 1970)**.

Compilations: Diana Ross And The Supremes Greatest Hits (Motown 1967)****, Diana Ross And The Supremes Greatest Hits, Volume 2 (Motown 1967)****, Diana Ross And The Supremes Greatest Hits, Volume 3 (Motown 1969)***, Anthology 1962-69 (Motown 1974)****, Supremes At Their Best (Motown 1978)***, 20 Greatest Hits (Motown 1986)****, 25th Anniversary (Motown 1986)****, Early Classics (Spectrum 1996)***, The Ultimate Collection (Motown 1998)****, The Supremes 5-CD box set (Motown 2000)****.

Bibliography: Reflections, Johnny Bond. Dreamgirl: My Life As A Supreme, Mary Wilson. Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together, Mary Wilson with Patricia Romanowski. All That Glittered: My Life With The Supremes, Tony Turner and Barbara Aria.

Filmography: Beach Ball (1965).

From - Encyclopedia of Popular Music