Jean Terrell Solo Concert

[kenneth]

I gotta think this has been discovered before now, but just in case thought I should post it anyway. The "search" capabilities on SDF leave much to be desired!

Anyway, Jean is in great voice on this. The video is poor, looks like it was transferred from an old VHS tape, but the audio is excellent sounding.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo1MuOte3UU

[RanRan79]

Yes it's been posted before. But hey, who doesn't like another dose of Jean Terrell every now and again?:cool:

I know there's often talk about yea or nay that Florence should have been a big star on her own. Now, it's no surprise that I'm a HUGE Flo fan and I do believe she had the natural, raw talent to make it on her own. The question for me is just how big would she have gotten? The problem is that there just isn't much to go on. Most of Florence's singing work was as an ensemble and mostly harmony vocals rather than lead work. There is no currently circulating video or audio of her solo career. While her voice has been praised by some of the best to ever do it, a great singer doesn't necessarily equal great solo career. So my thoughts on Flo come from a lot of "feeling" as opposed to tangible evidence, unless you count the photographic and video evidence of how much the star a glammed up Flo often looked. Lol

On the other hand, with Jean, I think she might be the Supreme that I am utterly confused by her inability to transform her time as a Supreme into a bigger solo career. There's no reason a voice like that should not have been selling millions of records on her own. Even at the point of this video, Jean hadn't been a Supreme in ten years. Supposedly she hadn't done any professional singing and performing in more than five years. Here she is looking every bit the star, and sounding like it. I really feel like the world was cheated out of the Jean Terrell experience.

And yes, I say that as a very biased Jean Terrell fan. She, Florence and Diana are my three favorite voices in the Supremes.

[RanRan79]

Oh yeah, Kenneth, I agree about the search feature. It's the most frustrating thing about this forum. Well almost the most frustrating.:cool:

[kenneth]

Oh yeah, Kenneth, I agree about the search feature. It's the most frustrating thing about this forum. Well almost the most frustrating.:cool:

Haha, yeah! That parentheses glitch also drives me crazy! I know there’s a workaround to avoid it, but I guess I am of the mind that this is something that shouldn’t be the users problem! I have a feeling that the software this forum uses must be close to 25 years old, more than a couple lifetimes in terms of software longevity!

And thanks for your insight. I agree, Jean should’ve had a long and storied career, I guess I’ve heard over the years that she wasn’t that interested in her singing career, which seems odd when you think about all the time she spent building it up. Maybe her beliefs and religion as a Jehovah’s Witness limited her ambition in some way. Mary seemed to point to that as the source of some problems within the group in her second book, I believe.

[BayouMotownMan]

Haha, yeah! That parentheses glitch also drives me crazy! I know there’s a workaround to avoid it, but I guess I am of the mind that this is something that shouldn’t be the users problem! I have a feeling that the software this forum uses must be close to 25 years old, more than a couple lifetimes in terms of software longevity!

And thanks for your insight. I agree, Jean should’ve had a long and storied career, I guess I’ve heard over the years that she wasn’t that interested in her singing career, which seems odd when you think about all the time she spent building it up. Maybe her beliefs and religion as a Jehovah’s Witness limited her ambition in some way. Mary seemed to point to that as the source of some problems within the group in her second book, I believe.


Jean Terrell blew her chance at solo success with A&M. Herb Alpert had big plans for Jean. She was signed to a 2 album deal even. When it came time to leave her family and tour, Jean backed out. It was obvious to me that being a wife and mom meant more to Jean when it got down to it than being an artist. She simply didn't have the drive that someone like Diana Ross had to be a successful artist. It does tear at the human spirit.

Also, Jean left Motown disenchanted and had trust issues when it came to managers, promoters and record companies.

[sup_fan]

seems like Jean loved singing. not necessarily entertaining.

[PeaceNHarmony]

Like most of us I loved Jean's voice. I did see JCM live once, and Jean sounded great, looked beautiful, had the personality of a potato and seemed like she would have preferred to have been anywhere else on earth. Other than the rumored issues with her ... faith ... I just can't see that she would have had much of a career after leaving the Supremes. Times changed, there were far more dynamic and equally talented performers on the scene and the world moved on.

[gman]

Crowded market...timing and luck....

[BayouMotownMan]

Like most of us I loved Jean's voice. I did see JCM live once, and Jean sounded great, looked beautiful, had the personality of a potato and seemed like she would have preferred to have been anywhere else on earth. Other than the rumored issues with her ... faith ... I just can't see that she would have had much of a career after leaving the Supremes. Times changed, there were far more dynamic and equally talented performers on the scene and the world moved on.

Good observation. I worked with Jean on her DVD and a couple of other things in the early 2000s, she struck me as a Mississippi-rooted girl whose love of singing was purely a sidebar to her life. She said it best in a late 70s interview: "Diana [[Ross) was all sequins and frizzle fans. The Supremes image was her image really. I had a hard time fitting into it. I'm just not that flashy a personality." When Jean was onstage she was omnipotent when vocalizing but seemed uncomfortable when talking to the audience. She did well when the group did skits on TV variety shows I will say. Even as a soloist, Jean was compared to Diana Ross. It just hung over her and it never sat well with her. She left Motown so disillusioned with show business that I don't think she ever got over it. Again, when the FLOs started to build momentum with Ian Levine, it sputtered out and again she was deflated and left the group. After that. little was heard of her. I think she intended her DVD to be something of a time capsule of her career. Unfortunately, that too does not seem to be what happened.

There have been several attempts by her former bandmates and fans to coax Jean out of retirement for just a reunion gathering of some sort. She has refused everything.

[carlo]

Oh yeah, Kenneth, I agree about the search feature. It's the most frustrating thing about this forum. Well almost the most frustrating.:cool:

I usually try searching the forum on Google first. If you type in a keyword, followed by "Soulful Detroit" on Google, you will likely have better luck finding the discussion that you're looking for.

[kenneth]

I usually try searching the forum on Google first. If you type in a keyword, followed by "Soulful Detroit" on Google, you will likely have better luck finding the discussion that you're looking for.

Truly out of the box thinking! I like it!

[gman]

Jean worked very hard with the Supremes...she never in her prof singing life had to work that hard for that long before...and if she was "salaried", once the big AM radio hits stopped coming in, her additional royalty income must have dropped considerably...perhaps if after the first year while working non stop to establish the new group, they did less road work, she would have been able to spend a comfortable amount of time home and having a private life....but the schedule never eased up...not everyone is cut out for a life touring...even if you love singing....hopefully, she will consider sharing her gift with the fans who love her again in some capacity at some point....

[jim aka jtigre99]

I think that some comments hit the nail on the head-Jean enjoyed singing but seemed to not enjoy entertaining, which was as much a part of being a Supreme as singing was. That is all well and good. She found what was important to her in her life. She will always have all of those top 40 songs she sang on as a Supreme to look at as an accomplishment.

[Ollie9]

You can keep the glitter and sequins, for me it’s always the vocals that are most important.
There have been countless times when Diana Ross might have looked stunning, but has not been able to deliver vocally. Central Park being just one prime example where she has had to rely on the theatrical elements of the show to see her through.
Jean was always a singers singer. She didn’t need glittery frocks and dancers swirling around her to deliver a great performance. The new Supremes might have been wise in adopting a simpler presentation to match it’s new lead singers more earthy vibe.

[BayouMotownMan]

Jean worked very hard with the Supremes...she never in her prof singing life had to work that hard for that long before...and if she was "salaried", once the big AM radio hits stopped coming in, her additional royalty income must have dropped considerably...perhaps if after the first year while working non stop to establish the new group, they did less road work, she would have been able to spend a comfortable amount of time home and having a private life....but the schedule never eased up...not everyone is cut out for a life touring...even if you love singing....hopefully, she will consider sharing her gift with the fans who love her again in some capacity at some point....

Another good observation, and keep in mind that going into 72 and 73, Motown only increased the touring on the ladies. This tour was not to promote a new single or lp so much as it was to keep an income coming in. The bigger venues stopped booking the ladies because they were no longer drawing without a major hit record and now they were doing more dates at a lower salary just to keep above water. As Mary said in her book by the time managers, agents and band members were paid, the ladies were working for little money just to buy the stage wear. On top of that, by doing a Vegas show while on the road, the critics ravaged the ladies. I think that ill-fated review in San Francisco where the writer proclaimed the ladies didn't "sound black" hit Jean the hardest and to her core. It was here she decided it was enough for her.

[sup_fan]

i think Jean looked terribly uncomfortable in the skits and silly patter of the tv shows. like on Flip Wilson, the joked with Smokey on his special. the handful of interviews we have, she's much more relaxed. I thought her interview with Don on Soul Train was great. she seemed a little hostile on that Mike Douglas interview - the one with mary wearing that idiotic cone-shaped wig lol. Lynda got about 3 seconds of interview time, jean had a look on her face of "I'm over this"

there's the video of MJC in the white fringe pantsuits doing their hits medley [[no audio) but the youtube poster layered the All I Want vocals on it. the girls are performing in the round and are all just hot as hell! those pantsuits looked amazing and all three of them are totally into in. while you can't hear Jean, she just looks so happy and energized.

on the flip side, there's the clip of the Sups and Tops doing You Gotta Have Love on Top of the Pops. i think this was a performance clip and not a rehearsal. jean seems quite hesitant here. the whole thing frankly looks and sounds very sloppy and haphazard. Jean doesn't seem sure of herself and barely sings anything other than the melody, but on the record she had gone to town with ad libs. this should have been a time for her to let it wail

[sup_fan]

You can keep the glitter and sequins, for me it’s all about the vocals.
There have been countless times when Diana Ross has looked stunning, but not delivered vocally. Central Park being just one prime example. She has had to rely on the theatrical elements of the show to see her through.
Jean was always a singers singer. She didn’t need glittery frocks and dancers swirling around her to deliver a great performance. The new Supremes might have been wise in adopting a simpler presentation to match it’s new lead singers more earthy vibe.

yeah i think the CP shows are a weak performance too. she was just about to turn 40 so it's probably a little early for menopause to be kicking in. and i don't think women typically have vocal changes and problems until meno. of course it could be overuse or a cold. there were definitely times in the 80s where her live vocals were criticized. like the Radio City shows while her mother was dying from cancer. of course she was flying daily back and forth to DTW to be with her and should have simply cancelled. then the Greatest Hits Live cd from London during the WO tour. ghastly vocals! sounds hoarse and raged.

but i will admit her 79 HBO special during The Boss tour is just stunning. perfect vocals. and plenty of that flimflam and razzle dazzle too.

[sup_fan]

Another good observation, and keep in mind that going into 72 and 73, Motown only increased the touring on the ladies. This tour was not to promote a new single or lp so much as it was to keep an income coming in. The bigger venues stopped booking the ladies because they were no longer drawing without a major hit record and now they were doing more dates at a lower salary just to keep above water. As Mary said in her book by the time managers, agents and band members were paid, the ladies were working for little money just to buy the stage wear. On top of that, by doing a Vegas show while on the road, the critics ravaged the ladies. I think that ill-fated review in San Francisco where the writer proclaimed the ladies didn't "sound black" hit Jean the hardest and to her core. It was here she decided it was enough for her.

we talk about whether the JW album was the death knell for their career or what. but frankly you could argue the decision to revert back to the old DRATS songs was a major contributor. Bayou - didn't you mention that at the PUSH concert in Sept 72 the girls had a very lukewarm reception? that there were even some boos? a few tracks have surfaced and they're doing all those annoying Vegas songs. and wearing the Farewell black velvet gowns.

perhaps if they'd been more current and relevant in their stage act, they could have held things together more.

[Ollie9]

yeah i think the CP shows are a weak performance too. she was just about to turn 40 so it's probably a little early for menopause to be kicking in. and i don't think women typically have vocal changes and problems until meno. of course it could be overuse or a cold. there were definitely times in the 80s where her live vocals were criticized. like the Radio City shows while her mother was dying from cancer. of course she was flying daily back and forth to DTW to be with her and should have simply cancelled. then the Greatest Hits Live cd from London during the WO tour. ghastly vocals! sounds hoarse and raged.

but i will admit her 79 HBO special during The Boss tour is just stunning. perfect vocals. and plenty of that flimflam and razzle dazzle too.

Dating back to the Supremes Diana’s voice sometimes did sound tired and slightly strained. It’s most noticeable on the Copa show recording of 67 and certain tracks on albums such as “Let The Sunshine In”. As in the 60’s, i think the 80’s was often a case of overuse.
As you mention, she is in great voice for the 79 special and also at the Forum in Feb 81. The “Greatest Hits Live” album was unfortunate in that it was recorded towards the end of a long run. At the concert i attended which was also at Wembley Arena London she was in great voice.
I know your not a fan, but i actually like the sound of her slightly tired vocals on “EA”. It kind of suits the songs.
If I’m being honest, i don’t mind some of that dazzle dazzle, but not at the expense of the vocals.

[sup_fan]

Dating back to the Supremes Diana’s voice sometimes did sound tired and slightly strained. It’s most noticeable on the Copa show recording of 67 and certain tracks on albums such as “Let The Sunshine In”. As in the 60’s, i think the 80’s was often a case of overuse.
As you mention, she is in great voice for the 79 special and also at the Forum in Feb 81. The “Greatest Hits Live” album was unfortunate in that it was recorded towards the end of a long run. At the concert i attended which was also at Wembley Arena London she was in great voice.
I know your not a fan, but i actually like the sound of her slightly tired vocals on “EA”. It kind of suits the songs.
If I’m being honest, i don’t mind some of that dazzle dazzle, but not at the expense of the vocals.

i think the problem with EA is that the producers mishandled her vocals. too muddled and mixed into the orchestration. while not her most impressive vocals, they're not her laziest of the RCA era. i think her self productions on SE are weaker. and just lacking. she's just sort of coasting along

yeah the copa 67 show just isn't what it could have been. for the last show taped of the girls [[that we know of) and diana's voice is suffering from a bad cold is a shame. no one's fault but too bad of course

i also find some of her vocals on the Reflections album to be rather blah. that she just isn't giving her all. or they were demo vocals or something

[captainjames]

I guess the best part of the concert for me was Lynda and Mary joining her on stage with "EGTRTL". Jean was with the Supremes for 3 years and left for a solo career with a different company that soon died after one LP. I thank her for her contribution to the group. I was always curious as to how Lynda and Jean got out of their contracts with Motown orith Mary.

[BayouMotownMan]

No, I didn't hear that they were booed at PUSH, but they didn't get the enthusiastic reception the other acts got. They did the Cabaret medley.

To my memory, the only time a group of Supremes were booed and jeered were MSS at Madison Square Garden. A booking that should never have happened. They went onstage for an oldies concert with their loud disco music. Big mistake.

[sup_fan]

No, I didn't hear that they were booed at PUSH, but they didn't get the enthusiastic reception the other acts got. They did the Cabaret medley.

To my memory, the only time a group of Supremes were booed and jeered were MSS at Madison Square Garden. A booking that should never have happened. They went onstage for an oldies concert with their loud disco music. Big mistake.

the other segments of the PUSH concert were so energetic and driving. really a wonderful overall show. the acts all seem to connect with the audience and it's just hit after hit. and then the Supremes *sigh*

the girls should have had some new sensational, hip and modern outfits on. something that, when they entered from the wings, you'd hear a gasp like on No Matter What Sign on Sullivan. seems like they had time to do maybe 5 or 6 songs? Start with YWSSL which makes a great opener when the guitars and drums vamp and get the crowd clapping. then do the hits medley which could include Stop, Come See, Reflections, Automatically Sunshine and end with Ladder. Floy Joy - with each of the girls trading off lines. give Mary a solo [[something than that goddamn Can't Take My Eyes). Everybody and then end with Stoned Love.

[sup_fan]

Like most of us I loved Jean's voice. I did see JCM live once, and Jean sounded great, looked beautiful, had the personality of a potato and seemed like she would have preferred to have been anywhere else on earth. Other than the rumored issues with her ... faith ... I just can't see that she would have had much of a career after leaving the Supremes. Times changed, there were far more dynamic and equally talented performers on the scene and the world moved on.

peace - where and when did you see the act? would love to hear more about the show. what you can remember

[gman]

No, I didn't hear that they were booed at PUSH, but they didn't get the enthusiastic reception the other acts got. They did the Cabaret medley.

To my memory, the only time a group of Supremes were booed and jeered were MSS at Madison Square Garden. A booking that should never have happened. They went onstage for an oldies concert with their loud disco music. Big mistake.

the radio advertised this show for weeks...playing Baby Love...perhaps the public thought Diana Ross was going to join the group for this concert....they would have been better off spotlighting Stoned Love...or Up The Ladder...the general, non recent group following audience probably wouldn't have cared much or even knew Jean wasn't performing...presenting disco music or long psychedelic rock to Greasers is never a good idea...

[lakeside]

Posted by PeaceNHarmony https://soulfuldetroit.com/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png [[https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?p=745609#post745609)
Like most of us I loved Jean's voice. I did see JCM live once, and Jean sounded great, looked beautiful, had the personality of a potato and seemed like she would have preferred to have been anywhere else on earth. Other than the rumored issues with her ... faith ... I just can't see that she would have had much of a career after leaving the Supremes. Times changed, there were far more dynamic and equally talented performers on the scene and the world moved on.

I agree, Peace. I saw Jean, Mary and Cindy at the Ohio Theater in Columbus not long after Jean joined the group. Jean sounded great, looked fab.... but I found her cool and distant from the audience. Cindy and Mary were playful and bubbly, but Jean remained pretty distant. BTW, Faith, Hope and Charity opened the show and about tore the roof off. Overall, a great show.