Mary Wilson, a founding and the longest reigning member of the Motown group The Supremes, died suddenly last night. No cause of death has been announced. Wilson was 76.
Only 48 hours earlier, Wilson announced on her YouTube channel that she planned to release new music some time before her birthday in March.
Originally from Mississippi, her family made their way to Detroit where she met Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Betty McGlown and formed The Primettes in 1959. McGlown was replaced by Barbara Martin the following year when they were signed by Motown and renamed The Supremes. Martin departed the group in 1962 making them a trio.
From 1964 to 1967, The Supremes scored 10 Number 1 hits on the Billboard charts including "Baby Love", "Stop! In The Name of Love" and "I Hear a Symphony". Both Wilson and Ballard would be overshadowed by Ross and Berry Gordy, Jr. would rename the group Diana Ross & The Supremes. Wilson would remain with the group while Ballard was replaced with Cindy Birdsong. After Ross departed in 1970, the group would go through numerous lineup changes but Wilson would remain the constant until she finally called it quits in 1977. The Supremes never attained the same level of chart success after Ross' departure. Sadly, Ballard would die suddenly of coronary thrombosis in 1976 at the age of 32.
In 1986, Wilson would emerge as an author penning a best selling autobiography Dreamgirl! My Life as a Supreme. The book was notable for portraying Ross in a negative light. The group would be inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame two years later. Wilson would write a follow up book Supreme Faith: Someday We'll Be Together in 1990. In 2019, Wilson released a coffee table book Supreme Glamour. That same year she would appear on ABC's Dancing With The Stars.
Wilson seldom had the chance to sing lead. Have a listen to her earliest effort from The Supremes' debut album Meet The Supremes - "Baby Don't Go". R.I.P.
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