Mon 3/22 @ 7PM
No one can credibly argue that the Supremes weren’t one of the biggest music acts of the 1960s. They embodied everything Motown was about: its glamour, its shine, its indelible crossover tunefulness, its accessible version of soul, its polished presentation. Of course, Diana Ross was the best known member of the group, who went on to a post-Supremes career as a solo superstar in 1970. Of the classic trio, Florence Ballard battled alcoholism and died at the age of 32 in 1974, having been dismissed from the group in 1967.
Its third member Mary Wilson was the stalwart: after she left in 1977, the group disbanded. She too moved on to a successful solo career and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with Ross and Ballard, in 1988. She also penned four autobiographies. She died suddenly in February at the age of 1976 of cardiovascular disease.
In honor of Women’s History Month, Rock Hall chief curator Nwaka Onwusa will host an event called “Reflections: Remembering Mary Wilson,” with archival clips of Wilson’s interviews and performances, and members of the Rock Hall staff sharing their personal recollections of her.
You can watch on the Rock Hall’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.