Mary Wilson (singer)

Mary Wilson was a founding member of the Motown girl group The Supremes. The group was the best-charting female group in U.S. history. Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. She later became a New York Times best-selling author in 1986 with the release of her first autobiography, Dreamgirl.

About Mary Wilson (singer) in brief

Mary Wilson was a founding member of the Motown girl group The Supremes. The group was the best-charting female group in U.S. history. Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Wilson later became a New York Times best-selling author in 1986 with the release of her first autobiography, Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme. She also worked in activism, fighting to pass Truth in Music Advertising bills and donating to various charities. Wilson died in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2011. She is survived by her husband, Robert Wilson, and her daughter, Kaitlin. She was buried in a private ceremony in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 11, 2011. Her funeral was held at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in St Louis on November 13, 2011, at the age of 89. She died of cancer on November 14, 2011 at the same hospital where she had been treated for cancer for more than a decade. She had been diagnosed with cancer of the liver in the early 1980s. Wilson’s daughter Kaitlyn was born on November 17, 1981, in St Charles, Missouri. She has two children. She lived with her mother and siblings in Detroit, Michigan. Wilson first met Florence Ballard at an elementary school in Detroit. She auditioned for Milton Jenkins, who was forming a sister group to his male vocal trio, the Primes. The Primettes signed to Motown Records in 1961, changing the group’s name to The Supremees. In 1962, the group was reduced to a trio after Barbara Martin’s departure.

By 1964, the Supreme had become international superstars. In 1967, Motown president Berry Gordy changed the name of the group to Diana Ross & The SupRemes. Florence Ballard was removed from the Supremee in 1967 and Cindy Birdsong was chosen to take her place. In 1970, Diana Ross left the group in early 1970, and at her farewell performance Jean Terrell was introduced as the replacement for Ross. The new lineup continued to record hit singles, although several stalled outside the top 20 chart range. For the first time in a decade, two singles in a row failed to break into the top 40, including the Stevie Wonder-produced “Bad Weather” The group disbanded following Wilson’s own departure in 1977. Wilson remained with the group following the departures of other original members, Florence Ballard and Diana Ross in 1970, though the group disbanded after her own departure. Wilson continued a successful career as a concert performer in Las Las Vegas. In 1986, she released the book Dreamgirl, which set records for sales in its genre, and later for the autobiography Supreme Faith: Someday We’ll Be Together. Wilson also worked with the Four Tops, writing songs such as “Up the Ladder to the Roof” and “One River DeepMountain High” She was married to her aunt Ivory \”I. V. Vippin \” and uncle John L. Pippin in Detroit until her death.

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Motown The Supremes Diana Ross Lawrence Sullivan Ross