Who are the Supremes?
The Supremes group was initially composed of four members, but when Barbara Martin left after becoming engaged, the group decided to continue on as a trio. The famed original trio was composed of Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard. This trio created songs that have been able to withstand the test of time.
Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard was one of the founding members of the Supremes. Ballard was born on June 30, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan. She befriended neighborhood girl Mary Wilson after they competed against one another in a local talent competition. Ballard was the one who recruited friends Wilson and Ross into joining the Primettes. Ballard remained with Wilson and Ross when the Supremes were formed. However, after a dispute with the record label, Ballard decided to leave the group. She tried to be a solo vocalist but never gained any success. She was the mother to three girls and experienced constant financial woes. Ballard died at age 32 in 1976 just as she was being rediscovered as a vocalist. Florence Ballard's cause of death was a heart attack.
Florence Ballard with Mary Wilson and Diana Ross
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Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson was another one of the founding members of the Supremes. She was born on March 6, 1944, in Greenville, Mississippi. She and her family moved to Detroit in 1952. She joined the Primettes in 1959. After Ross left the Supremes, Wilson was determined to make the group survive. A number of women replaced Ross and Ballard, but Wilson was the only original member to remain with the group until the Supremes officially disbanded in 1977. Wilson inspired the character Lorell Robinson in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Wilson also attempted a solo career, but never reached the success of the Supremes. She died on February 8, 2021.
Mary Wilson
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Diana Ross
Diana Ross was a founding member of the group and later became appointed as the lead singer of the Supremes. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, on March 26, 1944. After being signed to Motown Records, Ross became quickly favored by producer Berry Gordy and was later named the lead of the group. She left the group in 1970 and ventured out on a successful solo career. She has had an array of hit songs throughout the decades, such as "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" (1970) and "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand" (1970). She has also ventured into the acting field. Ross's performance in Lady Sings the Blues (1972) earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Ross also famously starred in The Wiz (1978) movie musical. Ross received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2007, and she continues to perform around the world.
Diana Ross
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The Supremes after Diana Ross
The Supremes came to be known as the Diana Ross group after Ross became the lead singer of the Supremes. In 1970, Ross left the group to pursue a solo performing career. Thus, Mary Wilson was the last original member of the trio remaining. Wilson believed that the group could survive without Ross and Ballard. However, with the newer members, the group never reached the heights of superstardom and success like the original trio had. The Supremes officially disbanded in 1977.
Other Members of the Supremes
After Ballard and Ross left the group, they added new Supreme members in attempts to keep the group alive. The following is a list of the members from the original Primettes to the Supremes up until the group's disbandment.
- Mary Wilson (1959-1977)
- Diana Ross (1959-1970)
- Florence Ballard (1959-1967)
- Cindy Birdsong (1967-1971)
- Jean Terrell (1970-1973)
- Lynda Lawrence (1972-1973)
- Scherrie Payne (1974-1977)
Famous Supremes Songs
At the height of their popularity, the Supremes were able to create many number one hit singles. The popularity of their songs came from the new fresh sound and the harmony of the trio. The following is a list of famous Supremes hits and other Supremes songs.
- "Your Heart Belongs to Me" (1962)
- "Let Me Go the Right Way" (1962)
- "Baby Love" (1964)
- "Come See About Me" (1964)
- "Where Did Our Love Go" (1964)
- "Back in My Arms Again" (1965)
- "Stop in the Name of Love" (1965)
- "Can't Hurry Love" (1966)
- "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" (1966)
- "You Keep Me Hanging On" (1966)
- "Reflections" (1966)
Lesson Summary
The Supremes were an extremely popular American group during the 1960s and 1970s. The Supremes originally had four members but became famous as a trio with Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard. The three members actually were in a previous group in Detroit called the Primettes, which was a sister act to another singing act, the Primes. The Supremes were signed to Motown Records in 1961 but did not gain immediate success. They achieved success when paired with the songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland. Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote the perfect mix of lyrics and sound to help the Supremes skyrocket on the charts. They had ten number one hits from 1964-1967. The group did not remain as the original trio, and the entire act disbanded in 1977. However, the Supremes' legacy lives on in their music.
