Origins In
Detroit in 1958,
Florence Ballard, a junior high school student living in the
Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects, met
Paul Williams and
Eddie Kendricks, who were two members of a Detroit singing group known as
the Primes. Ballard sang, as did Paul Williams' girlfriend
Betty McGlown, so Milton Jenkins, the Primes's manager, decided to create a sister group to be called the Primettes. Receiving additional guidance from group friend and established songwriter
Jesse Greer, the quartet quickly earned a local fan following. The group crafted an age-appropriate style that was inspired by the collegiate dress of popular
doo-wop group
Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers. For the most part, Ballard, Ross and Wilson performed equal leads on songs. Within a few months, guitarist
Marvin Tarplin was added to the Primettes' lineup—a move that helped distinguish the group from Detroit's many other aspiring acts by allowing them to sing live instead of
lip-synching. After winning the
Windsor–Detroit International Freedom Festival on July 4, 1960, the Primettes' sights were set on making a record. Robinson liked "the girls" (as they were then known around Motown) and agreed to help, but he liked their guitarist even more; with the Primettes' permission he hired Tarplin, who became the guitarist for the Miracles. Robinson arranged for the Primettes to audition
a cappella for Gordy—but Gordy, feeling they were too young and inexperienced to be recording artists, encouraged them to return when they had graduated from high school. Shortly thereafter, McGlown became engaged and left the group.
Barbara Martin was McGlown's prompt replacement. In January 1961, Gordy finally relented and agreed to sign them to his label – but under the condition that they change the name of their group. The Primes had by this time combined with Otis Williams & the Distants and would soon sign to Motown as
the Temptations. Gordy gave Ballard a list of names to choose from that included suggestions such as "the Darleens", "the Sweet Ps", "the Melodees", "the Royaltones" and "the Jewelettes". Ballard chose another suggestion, "the Supremes". Between 1961 and 1963, the Supremes released six singles, starting with "
I Want a Guy" and "
Buttered Popcorn" on Motown subsidiary label
Tamla. Jokingly referred to as the "no-hit Supremes" around Motown's Hitsville U.S.A. offices, the group attempted to compensate for their lack of hits by taking on any work available at the studio, including providing hand claps and singing backup for Motown artists such as Marvin Gaye and the Temptations. During these years, all three members took turns singing lead: Wilson favored soft ballads, Ballard favored soulful, hard-driving songs, and Ross favored mainstream pop songs. Most of their early material was written and produced by Berry Gordy or Smokey Robinson. In December 1963, the single "
When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" peaked at number 23 on the
Billboard Hot 100. Ballard and Wilson were periodically given solos on Supremes albums, and Ballard continued to sing her solo number, "
People", in concert for the next two years. In the spring of 1964, the Supremes recorded the single "
Where Did Our Love Go". The song was intended by Holland-Dozier-Holland for
the Marvelettes, who rejected it. It was also their first song to appear on the UK singles chart, where it reached number 3. "Baby Love" was nominated for the 1965
Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. In January 1965, each group member received a check for $100,000 in earnings from the previous year. They all used part of this money to purchase a new home for their families together on the same street, allowing them to leave the projects.
Impact '', 31 July 1965 The Supremes deliberately embraced a more glamorous image than previous black performers. Much of this was accomplished at the behest of Motown chief Berry Gordy and
Maxine Powell, who ran Motown's in-house finishing school and Artist Development department. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Ross sang in a thin, calm voice, and her vocal styling was matched by having all three women embellish their femininity instead of imitating the qualities of male groups. Eschewing plain appearances and basic dance routines, the Supremes appeared onstage in detailed make-up and high-fashion gowns and wigs, and performed graceful choreography created by Motown choreographer
Cholly Atkins. Powell told the group to "be prepared to perform before kings and queens." Publications such as
Time and
The Detroit News commented on the Supremes' polished presentation. In a May 1965 profile of rock music,
Time called the Supremes "the reigning female rock 'n' roll group" and said that Ross "is greatly envied for the torchy, come-hither purr in her voice." Arnold S. Hirsch of
The Detroit News said about the Supremes: "they don't scream or wail incoherently. An adult can understand nine out of every 10 words they sing. And, most astounding, melody can be clearly detected in every song."
Encyclopedia Britannica commented that the Supremes' hit singles "sounded modern, upwardly mobile, and stylishly sensual in a way that appealed equally to adults and teens of all persuasions." By 1965, the Supremes were international stars. They toured the world, becoming almost as popular abroad as they were in the US. Almost immediately after their initial number 1 hits, they recorded songs for motion picture soundtracks, appeared in the 1965 film
Beach Ball, and endorsed dozens of products, at one point having their own brand of bread. By the end of 1966, their number 1 hits included "
I Hear a Symphony", "
You Can't Hurry Love" and "
You Keep Me Hangin' On". That year the group also released ''
The Supremes A' Go-Go, which on October 22 became the first album by an all-female group to reach number 1 on the US Billboard'' 200, knocking the Beatles'
Revolver out of the top spot. Because the Supremes were popular with white audiences as well as with black ones, Gordy had the group perform at renowned
supper clubs such as the
Copacabana in New York. Broadway and pop standards were incorporated into their repertoire alongside their own hit songs. As a result, the Supremes became one of the first black musical acts to achieve complete and sustained crossover success. Black
rock-and-roll musicians of the 1950s had seen many of their original hit tunes covered by white musicians, with these covers usually achieving more fame and sales success than the originals. The Supremes' success, however, counteracted this trend. Featuring three group members who were marketed for their individual personalities (a move unprecedented at the time) and Diana Ross's pop-friendly voice, the Supremes broke down racial barriers with rock-and-roll songs underpinned by
R&B stylings. The group became extremely popular both domestically and abroad, becoming one of the first black musical acts to appear regularly on television programs such as
Hullabaloo,
The Hollywood Palace,
The Della Reese Show, and, most notably,
The Ed Sullivan Show, on which they made 17 appearances.
Changes '' advertisement for The Supremes' tenth number 1 single, "The Happening", April 22, 1967 Problems within the group and within Motown Records' stable of performers led to tension among the members of the Supremes. Many of the other Motown performers felt that Berry Gordy was lavishing too much attention upon the group and upon Ross, in particular. Having learned that Ross would receive top billing,
David Ruffin lobbied, unsuccessfully, to have the Temptations renamed as "David Ruffin & the Temptations", although Gordy maintained that because they would be providing two acts, a lead singer and a group, Motown could demand more money for live bookings. The Supremes' name change fueled already present rumors of a solo career for Ross and contributed to the professional and personal dismantling of the group. In fact, Gordy intended to replace Ross with
Barbara Randolph as early as the fall of 1966, but changed his mind and instead kept Ross in the group for several more years. As Ross became the focal point of the Supremes, Ballard suffered from depression and began to drink excessively, gaining weight until she could no longer comfortably wear many of her stage outfits. During this turbulent period, Ballard relied heavily upon the advice of group mate Mary Wilson, with whom she had maintained a close friendship. Wilson, while outwardly demure and neutral in hopes of keeping the group stable, privately advised Ballard that Ross and Gordy were eager to oust Ballard. By 1967, Ballard would not show up for recording dates, or would arrive at shows too inebriated to perform. For some early 1967 shows, she was replaced by Marlene Barrow (a member of the Motown backup group
The Andantes). Looking for a more permanent replacement, Gordy once again thought of Barbara Randolph, possibly believing that Randolph could be groomed as lead singer for the group once it was decided to take Ross solo. However, Ross did not receive Randolph well. In April 1967, Gordy then contacted
Cindy Birdsong, a member of
Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles who superficially resembled Ballard, with plans to bring her in as Ballard's replacement. He made his plans clear to Ballard and her group mates at a mid-April meeting, and Birdsong was brought in to begin rehearsals. Following the performance, Gordy quickly learned that Birdsong was still contractually committed to the Blue Belles when that group's lawyers filed an injunction against him. In May, Ballard returned for what she believed was a probationary period, although in reality it was a stopgap measure until Gordy was able to buy out Birdsong's contract. During May and June, knowing that she was one step away from being dismissed, Ballard made an attempt to toe the line, slimming down and showing up to commitments on time and sober. Despite this, Birdsong was secretly traveling with the Supremes, studying their routines. Ballard's release from Motown was made final on February 22, 1968, when she received a one-time payment of US$139,804.94 in royalties and earnings. She attempted a solo career with
ABC Records, and was forced to formally reject a solo contract offered by Motown as part of her settlement. Ballard's two 1968 singles failed to chart and her solo album was shelved. In 1971, Ballard sued Motown for $8.7 million, claiming that Gordy and Diana Ross had conspired to force her out of the group; the judge ruled in favor of Motown. Ballard eventually sank into poverty and died abruptly on February 22, 1976, from a cardiac arrest caused by a
coronary thrombosis at the age of 32.
Ross's departure Holland–Dozier–Holland left Motown in early 1968 after a dispute with the label over royalties and profit sharing. From "Reflections" in 1967 to "The Weight" in 1969, only six out of the eleven released singles reached the Top 20; 1968's "
Love Child" made it to number 1. Due to the tension within the group and stringent touring schedules, neither Mary Wilson nor Cindy Birdsong appear on many of these singles; they were replaced on these recordings by
session singers such as
the Andantes. The changes within the group and their decreasing sales were signs of changes within the music industry. The
gospel-based soul of female performers such as
Aretha Franklin had eclipsed the Supremes' pop-based sound, which had by now evolved to include more middle-of-the-road material. In a cultural climate now influenced more than ever by
countercultural movements such as the
Black Panther Party, the Supremes found themselves attacked for not being "black enough", and lost ground in the black music market. In mid-1968, Motown initiated a number of high-profile collaborations for the Supremes with their old colleagues, the Temptations. Besides the fact that both groups had come up together, the pairings made financial sense: the Supremes had a mostly white fanbase, while the Temptations a mostly black fanbase. By 1969, the label began plans for a Diana Ross solo career. A number of candidates—most notably
Syreeta Wright—were considered to replace Ross. After seeing 24-year-old
Jean Terrell perform with her brother
Ernie in Florida, Berry Gordy decided on Ross' replacement. Terrell was signed to Motown and began recording the first post-Ross Supremes songs with Wilson and Birdsong during the day, while Wilson and Birdsong toured with Ross at night. At the same time, Ross began to make her first solo recordings. On November 2, 1969, Ross's solo career was first reported by the
Detroit Free Press. "
Someday We'll Be Together" was recorded with the intent of releasing it as the first solo single for Diana Ross. Desiring a final Supremes number 1 record, Gordy instead had the song released as a Diana Ross & the Supremes single, despite the fact that neither Wilson nor Birdsong sang on the record. "Someday We'll Be Together" hit number 1 on the American pop charts, becoming not only the Supremes' twelfth and final number 1 hit, but also the final number 1 hit of the 1960s. This single also would mark the Supremes' final television appearance together with Ross, performing on
The Ed Sullivan Show on December 21, 1969.
1970s in 1970. Diana Ross & the Supremes gave their final performance on January 14, 1970, at the
Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. A
live recording of the performance was released later that year in a double-LP
box set titled
Farewell. At the final performance, the replacement for Diana Ross, Jean Terrell, was introduced. According to Mary Wilson, after this performance, Berry Gordy wanted to replace Terrell with
Syreeta Wright. Wilson refused, leading to Gordy stating that he was washing his hands of the group thereafter. After the Frontier Hotel performance, Ross officially began her career as a solo performer. Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong continued working with Jean Terrell on the first post-Ross Supremes album,
Right On. The Terrell-led Supremes—now rebranded as "the Supremes;" known unofficially at first as "the New Supremes", and in later years informally called "The '70s Supremes"—scored hits including "
Up the Ladder to the Roof" (US number 10, UK number 6), "
Stoned Love" (US number 7, UK number 3) and "
Nathan Jones" (US number 16, UK number 5), all of which were produced by
Frank Wilson. These three singles were also R&B Top Ten hits, with "Stoned Love" becoming their last No.1 R&B hit in December 1970. Songwriting/production team
Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson produced another Top 20 hit for the group, a Supremes/
Four Tops duet version of
Ike & Tina Turner's "
River Deep – Mountain High". In 1972, the Supremes had their last Top 20 hit single release, "
Floy Joy", written and produced by Smokey Robinson, followed by the final US Top 40 hit for the Jean Terrell-led version of the group, "
Automatically Sunshine" (US number 37, UK number 10). "Automatically Sunshine" later became the group's final top 10 single in the UK. On both "Floy Joy" and "Sunshine" Terrell shared lead with Mary Wilson. Motown, by then moving from Detroit to Los Angeles to break into motion pictures, put only limited effort into promoting the Supremes' new material, and their popularity and sales began to wane. Cindy Birdsong left the group in April 1972, after recording the
Floy Joy album, to start a family; her replacement was
Lynda Laurence, a former member of
Stevie Wonder's backup group, Third Generation (a predecessor to Wonderlove).
Jimmy Webb was hired to produce the group's next LP,
The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb, but the album and its only single "I Guess I'll Miss the Man" failed to make an impact on the
Billboard pop chart, with the single peaking at number 85 on November 24, 1972. In early 1973, the Stevie Wonder-produced "
Bad Weather" peaked at number 87 on the US pop charts and number 37 in the UK. Laurence left to start a family, so Cindy Birdsong returned to the group. Dismayed by this poor-performing record and the lack of promotional support from Motown, Jean Terrell left the group and was replaced by
Scherrie Payne, the sister of
Invictus Records recording artist
Freda Payne. Between the 1973 departures of Laurence and Terrell and the first Supremes single with Scherrie Payne, "He's My Man", a disco single on which Payne and Wilson shared lead vocal, Motown was slow in producing contracts for Payne and the returning Birdsong. Before the release of the album in 1975, the Supremes remained a popular live act, and continued touring overseas, particularly in the UK and Japan. The group's new recordings were not as successful as their earlier releases, although "He's My Man" from the album
The Supremes was a popular disco hit in 1975. In 1976, Birdsong left again and was replaced by
Susaye Greene, another former member of Wonderlove. This final version of the Supremes released two albums, both of which reunited the Supremes with Holland-Dozier-Holland:
High Energy, which includes Birdsong on all of the tracks, and
Mary, Scherrie & Susaye. In 1976, the Supremes released "
I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking", their final Top 40 hit on the
Billboard Hot 100. On June 12, 1977, the Supremes performed their
farewell concert at the
Drury Lane Theater in London as Wilson made her exit for a solo career, with Payne and Greene selecting
Joyce Vincent to round out the trio as a new third member. Instead, Motown decided that without any original members, the Supremes would be disbanded. == Legacy ==