Singer Mary Wilson, who as a founding member of the Supremes was part of one of the most influential and successful acts in music history, died on Monday night at the age of 76.
Mary Wilson, original member of groundbreaking Motown group the Supremes – obituary
With Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, she rose from poverty in Detroit to become a member of the most famous girl group in the world
Mary Wilson, circa 1966
Credit: Dezo Hoffman/Shutterstock
Mary Wilson, who has died aged 76, was one of the original members of the Supremes, widely acclaimed as the ultimate Motown girl group and the only one to compete with the Beatles in the American charts.
With the two other founders, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson – in many ways the most gracious of the trio – emerged from a housing project in Detroit in the late 1950s. As the Primettes, they released a handful of singles that all flopped.
The Supremes singer Mary Wilson died suddenly at the age of 76, it was revealed on Monday.
And the next morning her band mate Diana Ross, who is also 76, released a statement on Twitter. I just woke up to this news, my condolences to you Mary’s family, I am reminded that each day is a gift, I have so many wonderful memories of our time together, the Detroit native who is best known for her singles I m Coming Out and Love Hangover wrote.
The way they were: The Supremes singer Mary Wilson (center) died suddenly at the age of 76, it was revealed on Monday. And the next morning her 76-year-old band mate Diana Ross (far right) released a statement on Twitter; also seen is Florence Ballard, far left
Mary Wilson, centre, with Florence Ballard, left, and Diana Ross. Photograph: PA Wire
In November 1969, Diana Ross announced her departure from the Supremes. It was not an entirely unexpected turn of events for anyone who knew about the internal workings of Motown Records. From the moment in 1963 when label boss Berry Gordy began taking an interest in the trio – whose seven singles to date had met with such commercial indifference they’d become known around Hitsville USA as the No-Hit Supremes – it was obvious who he thought the group’s star was. First Ross became the de facto lead singer on all their singles, with her fellow members Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard relegated to occasional leads on album tracks or on stage.