No Vandellas solos at all?

**RanRan79** · 03-13-2018, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

They were singing LIVE!

Again, they sound great, but no surprise that Gordy didn't bet the farm on Martha.

**marv2** · 03-13-2018, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by motony

LOL, Motown did NOT promote the Supremes until it was factual that Mary Wells had left the company. Rock N Roll albums did not sell well [[besides Elvis, Ricky Nelson ect) until 1964 and the Beatles. 45's were KING and the backbone of the Rock/Soul Music Business. Ask anybody that worked at Motown in early 60's, Diana Ross wanted to be Mary Wells.Next to Mary, Martha was the best female singer they had. An like Mary Wells, Martha Reeves ALWAYS [[at Motown) knew how to work a stage and had great rappor & charisma all before Mrs. Powell came on board.

That is true. Martha learned from watching Della Reese. She even sounded like Della with her stage patter back in the early days of the Motortown Revue.

**TheMotownManiac** · 03-13-2018, 09:19 PM

Originally Posted by motony

LOL, Motown did NOT promote the Supremes until it was factual that Mary Wells had left the company. Rock N Roll albums did not sell well [[besides Elvis, Ricky Nelson ect) until 1964 and the Beatles. 45's were KING and the backbone of the Rock/Soul Music Business. Ask anybody that worked at Motown in early 60's, Diana Ross wanted to be Mary Wells.Next to Mary, Martha was the best female singer they had. An like Mary Wells, Martha Reeves ALWAYS [[at Motown) knew how to work a stage and had great rappor & charisma all before Mrs. Powell came on board.

I think Motown was always promoting them because he knew she had something. They had a lot of records that did nothing, but he kept on. And let’s face it, WDOLG wasn’t even #1 yet before he flew them home to record follow ups. Baby Love hadn’t hit yet and they already were doing Liverpool.

‘’Actually, Motown had two successful albums in 1963. Released in May, Stevie went to #1, released in early January, Queen Mary to #49. By fall of ‘63, I think Heat Wave should have done better and, it turns out, it was an indication of the general appeal of Marthas voice because she’d never have a hit studio album - despite hit singles on them. Watch Out! Was a big disappointment with two top tens at the height of their popularity. The following fall, their live album was a bomb, outsold even by Jr Walker.

As for Marthas stage abilities, it’s all opinion. Please send me a link to one engaging performance on tv before Mike Douglas in 69. I love Martha, and prefer her to Mary, but she didn’t have it to go big and many tried.

**midnightman** · 03-13-2018, 05:01 PM

When I saw the Motown 40 documentary, they said Mary & the Marvelettes were "too rock and roll" for what they were trying to achieve [[I know a few Marvelettes talked about how when they took the stage, they used to "sweat it up" and there were photos that showed it).

But I love that clip of Mary performing Bye Bye Baby, she was one hell of a performer.