A Love Supreme

MARY WILSON RECALLS THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GIRL GROUP OF ALL TIME. INTERVIEW BY LOIS ‘NO RELATION’ WILSON

On August 22, 1964 The Supremes – Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard - scored their first US Number 1 single with the Holland Dozier Holland penned Where Did Our Love Go? The song, which had been rejected by the Marvelettes, the Velvelettes and Martha and the Vandellas beforehand, was, it turned out, the perfect vehicle for lead singer Diana Ross’s coquettish, nasal delivery and it became the first of a consecutive run of five US Number 1’s for the Detroit trio. Baby Love, Come See About Me, Stop! In The Name Of Love and Back In My Arms Again all hit the top spot after it. The Supremes would go on to score a further five Number 1’s and a Number 1 album, 1966’s The Supremes A-Go-Go before founding member Ballard left in 1967.

They were not only defining the parameters of achievement for girl groups and Motown but for pop music itself. Only The Beatles rivalled their success in the US.

To this day they remain the most successful female group – notching up record sales of over 20 million - and Mary Wilson took time out from organising an exhibition on the group at London’s V&A entitled The Story Of The Supremes which collects together the singer’s own memorabilia, gowns that the three piece wore and record …

by Lois Wilson
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