Mary Wilson Recalls Meeting the Beatles

[marv2]

http://www.classichitsandoldies.com/v2/2014/02/05/the-supremes-mary-wilson-recalls-meeting-the-beatles-we-asked-our-publicist-to-please-get-us-out-of-there/

The NYCFab50 Festival is a four-day series of star-packed music events celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Beatles‘ first trip to the U.S. that will be held in New York City starting Thursday. One of the first events on the fest’s schedule is a concert called Twist & Shout: New York Celebrates The Beatles, which will take place Thursday night at the famed Apollo Theater.

The show’s lineup will include performances by original Supremes singer Mary Wilson, Dionne Warwick and Lulu, as well as many other musical luminaries. Speaking this week with ABC News Radio, Wilson reveals that she’ll be singing John Lennon‘s “Imagine” and the Supremes classic “You Can’t Hurry Love” at the concert.

Arguably the biggest highlight of the Fab Four’s February 1964 trip to the States was their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Asked if she remembers watching The Beatles on Sullivan, Mary admits that she doesn’t, although she does recall a number times that the British legends and her group crossed paths. Unfortunately, says Wilson, her first meeting with The Beatles, which took place in a New York hotel, wasn’t a pleasant one.

“I guess there [was] a lot of grass being [smoked,] and so we went into their hotel room and it was dark and it was smelly,” Mary remembers. “And we went in there with our little gloves, all dressed up, with our little pillbox hats and…it wasn’t a kind of thing we thought we were walking into. So we were very disappointed and we asked our publicist to please get us out of there.”

Wilson says that, a bit later, when The Supremes toured England, she and her group members “hung around with [The Beatles] quite a bit, including at London’s famous private club Annabel’s.

As for how passionately The Beatles and their music were embraced by U.S. fans when they first arrived in the country, Wilson says it reminded her of how The Supremes were received in the U.K. around that time.

“With us being accepted so well in England, we saw the world opening up and accepting people,” she explains. “[So] it was not a surprise that they were accepted so well here.”


The Twist & Shout concert also will feature performances or appearances by Lloyd Price, Gary U.S. Bonds, Barbara Harris of The Toys, Margaret Ross Williams of The Cookies, Danny Aiello, Melvin Van Peebles, acclaimed R&B singer Bettye LaVette and Tony Award-winning actress/singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, among others.

Tickets for the concert are on sale now through Ticketmaster. The NYC Fab 50 fest will run through Sunday and will include several multi-act tribute events at various venues around the Big Apple. All proceeds raised by the shows will benefit the Food Bank for New York City. For more information, visit NYCFab50.com.

[Roberta75]

This article is over 3 weeks old and the concert has already happen.

[marv2]

This article is over 3 weeks old and the concert has already happen.

Well then it fits well with all of the historically [[read:OLD) information we cover here........ LOL!

[Roberta75]

Well then it fits well with all of the historically [[read:OLD) information we cover here........ LOL!

Arent you too cute. lol

[smark21]

Another account I read of the meeting, was that though they were stoned The Beatles did ask The Supremes about their music and how it was made/produced at Hitsville, but all they could reply was that knobs were turned.

[supremester]

Another knob account by Phyllis Diller who, pointing to her smallish breasts, said, "These knobs here - you can twist these knobs all night long and the picture doesn't get any better.."

[ejluther]

It doesn’t mention the oft-quoted response of The Beatles about Diana, Mary & Flo: They didn’t understand how “3 black girls from Detroit could be so square".

[captainjames]

I always hated this interview and what was said, it seemed to me that the Beatles and I mean no disrespect to the FAB 4 but were stereotyping. Whose to say that if you were from Detroit that you could not be refined, sophisticated, polished, proper and educated. Now that is not to say the Supremes were those things but I always wondered what were the Beatles expecting from that meeting.

[marv2]

I always hated this interview and what was said, it seemed to me that the Beatles and I mean no disrespect to the FAB 4 but were stereotyping. Whose to say that if you were from Detroit that you could not be refined, sophisticated, polished, proper and educated. Now that is not to say the Supremes were those things but I always wondered what were the Beatles expecting from that meeting.

The Ikettes! LOL!!!

[144man]

The Ikettes! LOL!!!

If I remember rightly, they were expecting a group like the Ronettes..

[captainjames]

well I for one am so glad Diana, Flo and Mary proved them wrong.

[Roberta75]

well I for one am so glad Diana, Flo and Mary proved them wrong.

Isnt that the truth Captain. Praise Jesus.

Roberta

[jobeterob]

Well Diana & Paul lasted!

[Roberta75]

Well Diana & Paul lasted!


Yes Diane and Paul have lasted but so have Mary and Ringo.

Roberta

[supremester]

Profiling happens all the time and it often goes unnoticed. I always took offense to The Beatles' comment - because, I'm embarrassed to say, I never really thought about the fact that those attitudes existed with hip white people. When I first read that, I said to myself WTF are they saying here? What on earth would give anyone the idea that The Supremes would be that way off stage? I get the same thing often when people find out that I'm gay. First, it's kind of annoying that I'm expected to be straight. Then, often I get a well meaning but extremely annoying & stupid comment like, "really? You don't ACT gay........." If they knew what acting gay really was, they'd know I qualify with flying colors. At Thanksgiving, several people 5 or 6) asked me if I was going to just-annpounced-Cher and seemed surprised and/or disappointed when I said no. These are nice people and don't mean any harm. I guess I should tell them I'm not a hair dresser. Actually, Cher will wind up on Groupon and I might go cuz I'd like to see Cyndie Lauper who just got added to the tour. Cher should add Mary also.

[BigAl]

That whole Supremes/Beatles meeting was just a big cluster-f***. The Beatles' handlers and The Supremes' handlers were obviously not on the same page at all. It seemed a great concept to bring together the world's most popular male and female acts, but obviously no thought was given to how this would play out. The Beatles onstage were these clean young mods, but offstage they were your standard 20-something rockers who just happened to have great reverence for Hitsville. The Supremes, on the other hand, were coached and groomed by Mrs. Powell and put through the paces to be ladies under any and all circumstances — or else. Even though they had their wild sides as well, if they were in party mode it was always well away from the public eye. They dared not get loose under any other circumstances and were much, much more subservient to their handlers. They knew heads would roll if they stepped even one inch out of line so they went with the program and could not have dressed down and loosened up for this event if their lives depended on it, treated, as they were, like children under the watchful eyes of their parents. I place the blame for this fiasco squarely on both groups' handlers, who should have communicated concerns well before the event. There was nothing square about The Supremes but they lived in fear of the ramifications of actually having a good time.

[ejluther]

It's incredibly important to put The Beatle's comments into context; they're British and have a very different relationship to race relations, steretyping etc. - not only did they worship and deeply love black American music and black American artists, there is simply no evidence that they were being derogatory in any way or meant any offense. Besides, who knows if it's something any of them actually said? Just because it's often repeated doesn't make it true. Either way, it's always made me laugh - there's plenty more things to get upset about than this...

[BigAl]

Common parlance differs greatly on either side of the pond. The British press initially referred to The Supremes as "negresses." British writers and editors had no idea that this term would be perceived as offensive. When this became apparent they stopped using the term. The same applies to anything the Beatles might have said. They possessed immense respect and admiration for the Hitsville artists and would never have spoken derisively by intent. They simply were not expecting to be presented with three gowned, coiffed, mink-clad showbiz princesses, hovered over by handlers. They had hung out with groups like The Ronettes, who were not beat into such submission by their handlers, and the comments they made afterward weren't meant to be ugly, but only to express surprise. In her memoirs, Mary mentioned that she and George Harrison used to get a big laugh out of reminiscing about the incident together.

[skooldem1]

I'm not buying any of these explanations. IF what they reportedly said is true, there most certainly was an underlining of prejudice. With or without Mrs. Powell there are still black women who were raised right. Again, if what they reportedly said is true, they were expecting these 3 black women to be loose, wild, and ill mannered. It is a stereotype that many white people have when it comes to black women. Chalk it up to the times, but don't try to rationalize and excuse it.

[ejluther]

Well that's just the way the world works; people have expectations due to their own individual experiences and our lives are a continuous journey of seeing those expectations continually proven or dis-proven on a daily basis. It's sad that we can't all just talk about how we're all being constantly surprised, confirmed and enlightened without being branded prejudice. Maybe someday people will just be born perfectly enlightened and politically correct in all areas past, present and future but I somehow doubt it. The way people can be attacked when they express an experience or thought or expectation that doesn't jive with others' worldviews doesn't really solve problems or foster understanding, it can too often make people learn to keep certain things to themselves and shuts down all hope of communication. Just my two cents, of course, and meant as a general observation...

[captainjames]

I am sorry everyone for even bringing it up but I just always frowned t at the comments that were made at this meeting and just wondered what would have been America's feeling of the Supremes had they said what they thought of the Fab 4.

[smark21]

There is a middle ground between being well trained marionettes of Mrs. Powell and the Motown Finishing School and being wild rude crude and ill mannered. The Beatles certainly didn't feel the need to live up to public persona during their summit with The Supremes. But then again, adult white guys have more latitude for behavior than Black Women in the 60s. Perhaps The Supremes could have redeemed themselves if they could have talked intelligently about how their records were made when that topic came up, but they were not able to provide much in terms of a substantive response.

[skooldem1]

Why would 3 young classy black women have to redeem themselves? The more some people try to explain this situation the more their own internalized racism is coming out. Instead of these 3 black women being applauded for acting right, there have been nothing but put downs. Calling them trained marionettes, talking about them being "beat into submission" [[sounds like some slave owner shit to me) is not helping the argument. Putting them down because they didn't articulate to anyone's satisfaction what went into creating the "Motown Sound" does not warrant such insults. I'm glad they didn't give what some people consider "culture vultures" any insight as to how the magic was created at hitsville.

[Jimi LaLumia]

first and last of all, 1965 was not 2005, or 1995, or even 1985..it was 1965 , I was 13 years old, and there were no such discussions race on the level that such discussions exist ed in 05, 95, or even 85, when MTV had to be forced to air Michael Jackson's music videos on a then all rock, almost all white music video channel.. trying to put a 1965 into a 2014 context is just beyond absurd.. my dear departed friend Gloria Stavers would receive hate mails when she ran pics of The Supremes in 16 Magazine back then, and she received death threats when she broke ground by putting a black face on the COVER of 16 in 1970 by putting The Jackson 5 on the cover [[a FIRST for a nationwide white teen publication, a black male [[Michael) for young white females to adore,right alongside Donnie Osmond)...context and time frame, people..get a grip, will ya?

[supremester]

I don't think anyone knows what was discussed, but I'm sure that, like when John met Elvis, he was disappointed in the lack of shop talk. John was into making hit records from the ground up loved talking the process. I know that Miss Ross loved being involved in the recording process, had her opinions and loved learning it all, but, by 1965, time kept that at a minimum.
Like Big Al said, DMF were told to behave a certain way or else. Motown's #1 fear was for The Supremes to be perceived as ghetto and that is a huge reason why Flo was kept quiet. I grew up in a very liberal area and for years thought racism was confined to the deep south. I have a bud who grew up in Illinois and his father stormed out of the house when he saw Aretha singing the national anthem and he had a bud whose father changed the channel because one of the 4 Tops loosened his tie on TV. Stories like these explain Gordy's thinking. These were the people he needed to win over. I have high admiration for him changing "little stream sauntering down the hillside " to Free at last" in 1968.

[supremester]

I think it's a good thread, I'm glad you did!
I am sorry everyone for even bringing it up but I just always frowned t at the comments that were made at this meeting and just wondered what would have been America's feeling of the Supremes had they said what they thought of the Fab 4.

[supremester]

I think we are all on the same page here. No one is trying to rationalize or excuse it. Everyone is agreeing with you.
I'm not buying any of these explanations. IF what they reportedly said is true, there most certainly was an underlining of prejudice. With or without Mrs. Powell there are still black women who were raised right. Again, if what they reportedly said is true, they were expecting these 3 black women to be loose, wild, and ill mannered. It is a stereotype that many white people have when it comes to black women. Chalk it up to the times, but don't try to rationalize and excuse it.

[smark21]

I read the account in Mary's book. George Harrison told her years later they were expecting the Supremes to be "hip and soulful". That's something to aspire to, a complement. It's not an ugly racial epithet or an implication that one is a poorly raised guttersnipe. And one can be well raised and still be hip and soulful. I grant the Beatles were guilty of lumping all African Americans [[or at least African American musicians) into a category and not being aware of the diversity of the community. Who knows how this meeting would have turned out if the Beatles hadn't been smoking loads of pot? Or if the Supremes had dressed to meet their colleagues/contemporaries, rather than dress to be presented to the Royal Family of England?

[jobeterob]

I read the account in Mary's book. George Harrison told her years later they were expecting the Supremes to be "hip and soulful". That's something to aspire to, a complement. It's not an ugly racial epithet or an implication that one is a poorly raised guttersnipe. And one can be well raised and still be hip and soulful. I grant the Beatles were guilty of lumping all African Americans [[or at least African American musicians) into a category and not being aware of the diversity of the community. Who knows how this meeting would have turned out if the Beatles hadn't been smoking loads of pot? Or if the Supremes had dressed to meet their colleagues/contemporaries, rather than dress to be presented to the Royal Family of England?

I always equated the encounter to "you were cool is you smoked pot" which was a prevalent attitude in some quarters at the time.

And in the end, all the Supremes had their episodes with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine etc. ~ perhaps worse than the Beatles.

But in the end, none of it was or is wonderful for the body. Those Beatles and Supremes that survived it and thrived are the lucky ones.

[supremester]

The same quote continues to include: "he couldn't believe 3 black girls from Detroit could be so square." Race was mentioned but I agree with you that had they dressed as they might have to go to a club, the comment might not have been made. Mary says in book 2 that she still telling New Supremes to dress like a Supreme 24/7. My girls, 17 & 21, are first generation African-American and "notice" comments like this that suggest profiling and/or stereotyping. They also are aware that it is a societal issue and often is not intended in any negative way.......but they still don't care for it........ It's complicated.
I read the account in Mary's book. George Harrison told her years later they were expecting the Supremes to be "hip and soulful". That's something to aspire to, a complement. It's not an ugly racial epithet or an implication that one is a poorly raised guttersnipe. And one can be well raised and still be hip and soulful. I grant the Beatles were guilty of lumping all African Americans [[or at least African American musicians) into a category and not being aware of the diversity of the community. Who knows how this meeting would have turned out if the Beatles hadn't been smoking loads of pot? Or if the Supremes had dressed to meet their colleagues/contemporaries, rather than dress to be presented to the Royal Family of England?