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Mary Wilson

geboren am 6.3.1944 in Detroit, MI, USA

gestorben am 8.2.2021 in Las Vegas, NV, USA

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Mary Wilson (singer)

aus Wikipedia, der freien Enzyklopädie

Mary Wilson (singer)

Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944) is an American vocalist, best known as a founding member of The Supremes, the Motown Label flagship group which charted 33 top forty singles from 1963 to 1976. Wilson remained with the group following the departures of other original members, Florence Ballard in 1967 and Diana Ross in 1970. Following Wilson's own departure in 1977, the group disbanded. Wilson has since released three solo albums, five singles and two best selling autobiographies, Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme, a record setter for sales in its genre and Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together, both books later released as an updated combination. She has maintained a long and active solo career as a concert performer, musicians right's activist, musical theater performer and organizer of various museum displays of the Supremes' famed costumes. Wilson was inducted along with Ross and Ballard (as members of the Supremes) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Today, Wilson is increasingly noted for her critically acclaimed jazz and blues cabaret show and vocal appearances in James Gavin's The Lena Horne Story, an international touring ensemble work about the life of America's famed first African American musical movie star.

Life and career

Early life

Mary Wilson was born to Sam and Johnnie Mae Wilson in Greenville, Mississippi. Wilson was the eldest of Johnnie Mae's three children including a brother, Roosevelt, and a sister, Katherine. Wilson lived with her parents and moved to St. Louis and later to Chicago before living with her aunt Ivory "I.V." and uncle John L. Pippin in Detroit. Wilson reunited with her mother and siblings at the age of 9. To make ends meet, Wilson's mother worked as a domestic worker. Before reaching her teenage years, Wilson and her family had settled at Detroit's upstart housing project, the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects.

Mary Wilson first met Florence Ballard at an elementary school in Detroit. The duo became friends while singing in the school's talent show. In 1959, Ballard asked Wilson to audition for Milton Jenkins, who was forming a sister group to his male vocal quartet, the Primes. Wilson was soon accepted in the group known as The Primettes, with Diana Ross and Betty McGlown. Wilson graduated from Detroit's Northeastern High School in 1962. Despite her mother's insistence she go to college, Wilson instead focused on her music career.

Music career

Main article: The Supremes

The Primettes signed to Motown Records in 1961, changing their name to The Supremes. In between that period, McGlown left to get married and was replaced by Barbara Martin. In 1962, the group was reduced to a trio after Martin's departure. The Supremes scored their first hit in 1963 with the song, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes", and reached number-one on the pop charts for the first time with the hit, "Where Did Our Love Go", becoming their first of twelve number-one singles for which Wilson was credited as member of the group (it later emerged that Motown used in house back ground singers for the hits Love Child and Someday We'll Be Together).

By 1964, the group had become international superstars. In 1967, Motown president Berry Gordy changed the name of the group to Diana Ross & The Supremes and, after a period of tension, Florence Ballard was removed from the Supremes that July. Cindy Birdsong was chosen to take her place. The new lineup continued to record hit singles,although several stalled outside of the top 20 chart range until Ross' departure in early 1970. At their final performance with Ross, Jean Terrell was introduced as the replacement for Ross. According to Wilson in her memoirs, Berry Gordy told Wilson that he thought of having Syreeta Wright join the group in a last minute change, after Terrell had already been introduced as lead singer, to which Wilson refused.

With Terrell, the Supremes recorded 7 top forty hit singles in a three period. One River Deep/Mountain High was a collaboration with the Four Tops. Others included "Up the Ladder to the Roof", "Stoned Love", "Nathan Jones" and "Floy Joy". Of these releases, only Stoned Love reached a # 1 status (R&B Chart). Unlike the latter years with Ross, however, all but one of the hits Automatically Sunshine succeeded in reaching the top 20 charts, with two breaking into the top 10. During this period Wilson contributed lead or co-lead vocals to several Supremes songs including the hits "Floy Joy" and "Automatically Sunshine" and the title track of the 1971 album Touch.

In 1972, Cindy Birdsong left the group following marriage and pregnancy and was replaced by Lynda Lawrence. The group's popularity and place on record charts dropped significantly. For the first time in a decade two singles in a row failed to break into the top forty, including the Stevie Wonder penned and produced Bad Weather. Discouraged, Jean Terrell and Lynda Lawrence both departed in late 1973. Scherrie Payne was recruited from the Holland-Dozier-Holland record group (the team which composed ten of the Supremes #1 sixties singles.Cindy Birdsong also returned. Beginning with this line up change, Wilson began doing almost half of the group's lead vocal duties, as she was considered the group's main attraction and reason for continuing. In 1976, the group scored their final hit single with "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland Group and included on the H-D-H produced album High Energy, Birdsong again departed, just prior to the album's release and was replaced by the group's final official member Susaye Green whose voice was dubbed over two songs. High Energy produced a flurry of positive reviews and sales, but a follow up effort H-D-H effort in 1977 failed to ignite much interest. In late 1977 Wilson left The Supremes following a performance at London's Drury Lane Theatre. After Payne and Greene unsuccessfully lobbied to get a replacement for Wilson, the Supremes officially disbanded.

Wilson got involved in a protracted legal battle with Motown over management of the Supremes. After an out-of-court settlement, Wilson signed with Motown for solo work, releasing a disco-heavy self-titled album in 1979. A single, from the album, "Red Hot" has a modest showing of # 90 on the pop charts. Midway through production of a second solo album in 1980, Motown dropped her from their roster. Throughout the mid 1980s, Wilson focused on performances in musical theater productions including Beehive, Dancing in the Streets and Supreme Soul.

Wilson found major success once more with the released her memoirs, Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supremein 1986. The book remained on the national best seller list for months and established a sales record for the genre. The book focused on the early career of the Supremes and its success during the 1960s. Four years later, in 1990, Wilson released her second memoirs, Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together, also a best seller, which focused on the Supremes' in the seventies . In between this period, Wilson became a frequent guest on several TV shows and talk shows and began regularly performing in Las Vegas casinos and resorts. In 1987, Wilson almost signed a deal with Atlantic Records and Neal Bogard but the label eventually canceled on the deal after the death of Bogard. Wilson then recorded a cover version of "Ooh Child" for the Motorcity label in 1990. A year later, she signed with CEO Records and released the album, Walk the Line, in 1992. The label filed for bankruptcy the day after its national release, Wilson maintains she was deceived about the financial status of the label. The available copies of the album quickly sold out however and Wilson continued her success as a concert performer. Wilson fought two court cases with former employees over usage of the Supremes name; Supremes' replacement singers Lynda Lawrence and Scherrie Payne and a former backing vocalist from her 1980's concert work, Kaaren Ragland In both cases The court's found for the employees.[1] This prompted Wilson to take a high profile role in lobbying for "Truth in Music" legislation, which prohibits usage of musical acts names, unless an original member of the group is in the act or the group is properly licensed by the last person to hold right of title to the name. So, far her efforts have succeeded in more than 28 US states. In 1995, Wilson released a song, ".U", for Contract Recording Company and the song charted in the UK. A year later, Wilson released the song, "Turn Around" for Da Bridge Records.

In late 1999, a proposition to reunite the 1967-1970 lineup of the Supremes of Ross, Wilson and Birdsong for a Summer 2000 tour, under their "Diana Ross & The Supremes" moniker was negotiated by Ross and SFX. Wilson publically stated she was contacted only after several months into preparation and was offered 2 million. Publically she stated she countered with 5 million and settled for 4 million and after accepting Wilson (and Birdsong) were informed their offers were withdrawn. The tour instead went forward with Wilson's former employees, Scherrie Payne and Linda Lawrence, but was cancelled mid-tour because of low ticket sales, following a spate of high scrutiny by the public and press of the absence of Wilson and the dispute between versions of events. That year, Wilson released an updated version of her autobiographies as a single combined book.[2] That year, an album, I Am Changing, was released by Mary Wilson Enterprises, produced through her and her then management, Duryea Entertainment.

In 2001, Wilson starred in the national tour of Leader of the Pack The Ellie Greenwich Story. A year later, Wilson was appointed by Secretary of State Colin Powell as a "culture-connect ambassador" for the U.S. State Department, appearing at international events arranged by that agency. In 2006, a live concert DVD, Mary Wilson Live at the Sands, was released. Four years later, another DVD, Mary Wilson: Live from San Francisco... Up Close, was released. During this period, Wilson became a musical activist having been part of the Truth in Music Bill, a law proposed to stop impostor groups performing under the names of the 1950s and 1960s rock and roll groups, including Motown groups The Marvelettes and The Supremes. The law was passed in 27 states. Wilson has also toured and lectured internationally as well as across the United States, speaking to various groups worldwide. Her lecture series, Dare to Dream, focuses on reaching goals and triumph over adversity. Wilson's charity work includes the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, the Easter Seals Foundation, UNICEF, The NAACP, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the All-Star Network, and Figure Skaters of Harlem, a youth organization devoted to helping children towards entering the Olympics. Most recently, Wilson became the Mine Action spokesperson for the Humpty Dumpty Institute.[3]

In April 2008, Wilson made a special appearance on 20/20 to participate in a social experiment involving pedestrians reacting to a young woman singing "Stop! In the Name of Love" with intentional amateurishness. Wilson approached the woman and gave her constructive criticism towards her style in contrast to the pedestrians whose reactions were positive yet dishonest. On March 5, 2009, she made a special appearance on The Paul O'Grady Show which ended in a special performance with her, Paul O'Grady and Graham Norton. Wilson is the creator of the Mary Wilson/Supremes Gown Collection and has had the collection on tour in an exhibition of the Supremes' former stage wear. The collection has been on exhibit at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, USA, and on May 12, 2008 commenced its UK tour, starting at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Over 50 sets of gowns are shown in rotation, starting with early formal wear from the early 1960s, and including famous gowns worn on television specials and nightclub appearances by the group in the 1960s and 1970s.[4]

Lead vocals with The Supremes

Wilson recorded an appreciable number of lead/co-lead vocals for the group, including the #1 dance chart hit "He's My Man" and the top 40 pop hits "Floy Joy" and "Automatically Sunshine". For a complete list of singles and albums, see The Supremes discography.

  • As The Primettes
    • "Pretty Baby"  b-side to "Tears of Sorrow"
  • as The Supremes
    • "(He's) Seventeen"  from the group's debut album Meet The Supremes  Mary has a brief solo on the song, saying "Ooh!" during the spoken interlude that's just before the last verse
    • "Baby Don't Go"  also from the group's debut album Meet The Supremes
    • "A Breathtaking Guy"  from the 1964 album, Where Did Our Love Go  all group members have a lead line on the songs chorus; Mary sings "Next day heart-breaking..."
    • "(The Man With The) Rock And Roll Banjo Band"  B-Side of "A Breathtaking Guy", later issued on the 1964 album, The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop  Flo & Mary sing harmony lead vocals behind Diana's main leads
    • "Long Gone Lover"  also from Where Did Our Love Go  has the lead on the intro (and repeats her part in the break), with Florence Ballard on lead on the outro and Diana Ross leading the rest of the song
    • "Baby Love"  from Where Did Our Love Go  Diana leads but Flo & Mary each has brief solos (ad-libs) on the released (second) version of the song. Mary sings "yeah, yeah" just before the last verse.
    • "How Do You Do It"  from the 1964 album, A Bit of Liverpool  all three members of the group sing the song's lead vocal in unison.
    • "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"  also from A Bit of Liverpool.  Mary sings "the harmony co-lead vocal" with Diana Ross.
    • "It Makes No Difference Now"  from the group's 1965 album The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop  this was the first released track to feature all group members on lead vocals on a song verse
    • "Sunset"  also from The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop, as a duet with Diana Ross
    • "Come and Get These Memories"  a remake of the Martha and the Vandellas hit, featured on the group's 1966 hit album The Supremes A' Go-Go, alternate mix included on "Lost & Found  Let the Music Play: Supreme Rarities 1960-1969".
    • "Falling In Love With Love"  from the group's tribute album The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart, a duet with Diana Ross; also featured on the live album Farewell
  • as Diana Ross and The Supremes
    • "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"  from the live album Farewell; first featured as a duet with Temptations singer Eddie Kendricks on the album Together
  • as The Supremes (1970s)
    • "Bridge Over Troubled Water"  from New Ways but Love Stays. Shared Vocal with Jean Terrell.
    • "Touch"  the title track from Touch. A soulful duet with established lead singer Jean Terrell, this marked the first time that Mary had taken a lead on a single.
    • Nathan Jones"  also from Touch. All three members of the group (Jean, Mary, and Cindy Birdsong) sing the song's lead vocal in unison.
    • "A Heart Like Mine"  from the Smokey Robinson produced album Floy Joy
    • "Floy Joy"  another duet with Jean Terrell from the album with the same name.
    • "Automatically Sunshine"  second single from the Floy Joy album and third duet single with Jean Terrell.
    • "Now The Bitter, Now The Sweet" album track from Floy Joy (album). All three members sing the song's lead vocal in unison
    • "I Keep It Hid"  album track from the critically acclaimed album The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb.
    • "He's My Man"  from the 1975 album The Supremes, co-lead vocals with Scherrie Payne
    • "Early Morning Love"  from the 1975 album The Supremes
    • "Where Is It I Belong?"  from the 1975 album The Supremes
    • "This Is Why I Believe In You"  from the 1975 album The Supremes, co-lead vocals with Scherrie Payne
    • "You Turn Me Around"  from the 1975 album The Supremes
    • "Don't Let My Teardrops Bother You"  from the 1976 album High Energy
    • "Till the Boat Sails Away"  from the 1976 album High Energy
    • "I Don't Want To Lose You"  from the 1976 album High Energy
    • "You're What's Missing In My Life"  from the 1976 album High Energy, duet with Scherrie Payne
    • "We Should be Closer Together"  from the group's final album Mary, Scherrie & Susaye
    • "You Are The Heart Of Me"  also from the group's final album Mary, Scherrie & Susaye
  • Tracks released after the group disbanded
    • "After All"  recorded in 1961 and later included on the 2000 The Supremes box set. This is the only released song to feature Barbara Martin. It also features Florence and Diana.
    • " The Tears"  recorded in 1961 during the sessions for Meet The Supremes  also released on Never-Before-Released-Masters From Today's Brightest Stars-The 1960s
    • "Not Fade Away"  a group lead with harmonies throughout, recorded in 1964 during sessions for A Bit of Liverpool, released on The Supremes Lost & Found
    • "Our Day Will Come"  recorded in 1965 for the unreleased There's A Place For Us album. It was released on The Never-Before-Released Masters in 1987.
    • "Fancy Passes"  also recorded in 1965 for the unreleased There's A Place For Us album. Diana leads but Flo & Mary each are featured on some spoken lines (and a few brief solos) in this original number. It was released on The Never-Before-Released Masters.
    • "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett"  recorded in 1967 for the unreleased Diana Ross & The Supremes Sing Disney Classics album. The song was released on The Never-Before-Released Masters CD in 1987.
    • "Got to Get You Into My Life"  released on Joined Together: The Complete Studio Duets  Shared lead vocal with Diana Ross, with The Temptations singing background.
    • "Amen"- out-take from 1968's Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations  released on Joined Together: The Complete Studio Duets  all group members share leads with Temptations members Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards, and Paul Williams.
    • "Still Water (Love)"  taken from recording sessions for the proposed album Promises Kept. released on the compilation, This Is the Story: The 70s Albums, Vol. 1 (1970-1973  The Jean Terrell Years).
    • "Can We Love Again"  out-take from the 1975 album The Supremes, released on The 70s Anthology.
    • "Mr. Boogie"  out-take from the 1975 album The Supremes. Released on Let Yourself Go: The 70s Albums, Vol. 2: 1974-1977 - The Final Sessions
    • "Seed Of Love"  out-take from the 1975 album The Supremes. Released on Let Yourself Go: The 70s Albums, Vol. 2: 1974-1977 - The Final Sessions
    • "I Can Never Recover"  out-take from the 1975 album The Supremes. Released on Let Yourself Go: The 70s Albums, Vol. 2: 1974-1977 - The Final Sessions
    • "Give Out, But Don't Give Up"  (Alternate Version) out-take from the 1975 album The Supremes. Released on Let Yourself Go: The 70s Albums, Vol. 2: 1974-1977 - The Final Sessions
  • Tracks still unreleased
    • "Witchi Tai To"  Recorded in 1969. Possible out-take from the 1969 albums Let the Sunshine In and/or Cream of the Crop.
    • "Send Him To Me"  Recorded in 1970. Possible out-take from the 1970 album Right On.
    • "If You Let Me Baby"  Recorded in 1970. Possible out-take from the 1970 album Right On.

Solo discography

Studio albums

  • 1979: Mary Wilson
  • 1992: Walk the Line

Live album

  • 2007: Up Close: Live from San Francisco

DVDs

  • 2006: Mary Wilson Live at the Sands
  • 2009: "Up Close: Live from San Francisco"

Album guest appearances

  • with Neil Sedaka on Come See About Me (one song)  "Come See About Me"
  • with Paul Jabara on De La Noche Sisters (one song)  "This Girl's Back"
  • on the album Sing For The Cure (one song)  "Come to Me Mother"
  • with the Four Tops on From the Heart (2006) (one song)  "River Deep  Mountain High"
  • with Human Nature on Get Ready (2007) (two songs)  "River Deep  Mountain High" and "It Takes Two"

Singles

Motown releases
  • 1979: "Red Hot" / "Midnight Dancer"
  • 1980: "Pick Up the Pieces" / "You're the Light That Guides My Way" (UK only)
Nightmare/Motorcity releases
  • 1987:"Don't Get Mad, Get Even"  Nightmare Records
  • 1989:"Oooh Child"  Nightmare Records
CEO releases
  • 1992: "One Night With You"
  • 1992: "Walk the Line"
Other releases
  • 1995: "U"  Contract Recording Company
  • 1996: "Turn Around"  Da Bridge Records
  • 2000: "It's Time to Move On"
  • 2011: "Life's Been Good to Me"
  • 2013: "Darling Mother (Johnnie Mae)"
Unreleased
  • 1980: Gus Dudgeon produced master tracks for Motown  "Love Talk", "Save Me", "You Danced My Heart Around the Stars", "Green River"
  • 1986: "My Lovelife is a Disaster" (unreleased demo)
  • "Sleeping in Separate Rooms" (Atlantic c.1987)
  • "Stronger in a Broken Part" (Atlantic c.1987)
  • "The One I Love" (Atlantic c.1987)
  • "Can We Talk About It"
  • "Show Me"
  • "Love Child" (out-take from Walk the Line album)

Autobiographies

  • Wilson, Mary with Patricia Romanowski and Ahrgus Juilliard (1986). Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme. New York: St. Martin's Press.
  • Wilson, Mary and Romanowski, Patricia (1990). Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-016290-2
  • Wilson, Mary (1999). Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith: My Life as a Supreme. New York: Cooper Square Press. ISBN 0-8154-1000-X.

DVD appearances

  • T.A.M.I. Show  performer, with the Supremes (1964)
  • Beach Ball  performer, with the Supremes (1965)
  • Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever  performer, with the Supremes (1983)
  • Girl Groups: The Story of a Sound  herself (1994)
  • Jackie's Back (movie)  Vesta Crotchley (2002)
  • Rhythm, Love and Soul  herself (2003)
  • Tiger Town (movie)  National Anthem singer (2004)
  • Only the Strong Survive  performer (2004)
  • From the Heart: The Four Tops  50th Anniversary Concert  performer (2005)
  • Mary Wilson Live at the Sands  herself (2006)
  • Greatest Hits: Live in Amsterdam  performer, with the Supremes (2006)
  • Reflections: The Definitive Performances (1964-1969)  singer (2006)
  • Mary Wilson; Up Close: Live from San Francisco (2010)

Other notable appearances

  • Brenda Russell: "Walkin' in New York"  cameo in music video
  • Motown 40: The Music is Forever  herself (1998)
  • Motown 45  performer (2004)
  • Motown: The Early Years: PBS Special (2005)
  • My Music: Motown Memories: PBS Special  hostess (2009)
  • Unsung: Florence Ballard  interviewee (2009)
  • Unsung: The Marvelettes - interviewee (2012)
  • Tavis Smiley interviewee (2012)
  • Unsung: Eddie Kendricks  interviewee (2013)
  • 60's Girl Grooves: PBS Special - hostess (2013)

References

  1. Los Angeles Times, 9/2/1997
  2. Wilson, Mary (1999). Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith, Updated Edition: My Life as a Supreme. New York: Cooper Square Press. ISBN 0-8154-1000-X.
  3. {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}
  4. {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}

External links

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