BEVERLY HILLS, February 09, (THEWILL) – Mary Wilson, the co-founder of the Motown band, The Supremes, and fellow member with Diana Ross, has died aged 76.
“She died suddenly at her Las Vegas home on February 8. No cause of death was given,” her publicist, Jay Schwartz, told ET News.
People are already mourning her passage.
Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed,” said Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, the company behind many of the band’s hits.
She co-founded the US group at aged 15 while living in a Detroit housing project, and continued with the band long after lead singer Diana Ross departed, eventually going on to be inducted into the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Only two days ago, Wilson uploaded a short clip to YouTube celebrating Black history month and announcing: “Exciting news about The Supremes, Florence Ballard and unreleased materials.”
Born March 12, 1944, in Greenville, Mississippi, Wilson was brought up by her aunt and uncle, before moving to Detroit with her mother when she was 12.
There she began singing and with Ballard founded the group that would eventually become known as The Supremes.
Despite limited early success, the band struck gold in the late 60s with hits like “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “Baby Love.”
But following Ross’s departure in 1970 for a solo career, the group never regained its dominance on the US charts, but did enjoy some hits such as “River Deep, Mountain High” and “Stoned Love.”
Wilson continued to perform in the band —Ross was replaced by Jean Terrell— remaining a constant during the shifting cast of members until the group finally folded up in 1977.
In 1988 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Supremes.
Little heard of in the intervening years, she burst back onto the public stage with her 1986 memoirs “Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme,” detailing her time in the band —and her relationship with Ross.
In 1974 she married Pedro Ferrer, but the couple divorced in 1981.
She is survived by their two children, daughter, Turkessa, and son, Pedro Antonio Jr., as well as 10 grandchildren.
