Top 5 Motown Women

[Ngroove]

thomas96 may issue on the guys, I shall issue on the gals!

My opinion, sure even in the start there was Smokey and Marvin, but the true popular giants whose shouldered most of the weight that placed Motown in the map in the sixties was Mary Wells, Martha Reeves, and Diana Ross!

But, this is subjectively favorite voices, of dozens and dozens the Motown Corporation [[Tamla, Gordy, Motown, Soul, VIP, Melody, ect) had, or in some cases, continues to have, over the course of the near-55 year history!

1. Martha Reeves - Love just about everything she sang - but EXTRA LOVE the way she sang: "Love [[Makes Me Do Foolish Things)", "My Baby Loves Me", "I'm Ready For Love", and "Bless You"

2. Mary Wilson - Along with "Touch" and "You Are The Heart Of Me", "Pick Up The Pieces" and "I've Got What You Need"

3. Diana Ross - Most [[if not all) of her 60s-90s input, love her danceable disco the best, such as "Love Hangover", "Upside Down", "I'm Coming Out", "Take Me Higher"

4. Teena Marie - Highlights: "I Need Your Lovin", "It Must Be Magic", "Square Biz", "Fire & Desire", "Lovergirl"

5. Val Young - "If Ever You Should Be Lonely", "Seduction"

[robb_k]

6439
1) Mary Wells
2) Brenda Holloway
3) Carolyn Crawford
4) Kim Weston
5) Tammi Terrell

[motony]

1)MARY WELLS 2)Martha Reeves 3)Gladys Horton 4)Wanda Rogers 5)Diana Ross

[midnightman]

1.) Mary Wells
2.) Brenda Holloway
3.) Tammi Terrell
4.) Martha Reeves
5.) Diana Ross

[thisoldheart]

1. gladys horton
2. martha reeves
3. tammi terrell
4. jean terrell
5. diana ross
6. chris clark
7. brenda holloway
8. sandra mallett
9. valerie simpson
10. mary wells

[theboyfromxtown]

I find these favourite polls very difficult as it depends on what cd is in the player. Like right now, Martha, La Brenda Ben, Brenda Holloway and Kim Weston are on rotation. I only know that I have one singer who is my number one of all time and that is

Caldin Street

It's a no brainer for me. I just wish the Velvelettes got a little more attention than they currently do.

[sophisticated_soul]

1. Diana Ross
2. Mary Wells
3. Tammi Terrell
4. Gladys Horton
5. Brenda Holloway


6. Martha Reeves
7. Wanda Rogers
8. Kim Weston
9. Gladys Knight
10. Chris Clark

[REDHOT]

1.Mary Wilson 2. Scherrie Payne 3.Florence Ballard 4. Syreeta 5.Valerie Simpson 6. Gladys Knight 7. Thelma Houston 8. Susaye Green 9.Jean Terrell 10. Cindy Birdsong
Please stay positive

[wedgeville]

1 - Diana Ross [[Supremes and Solo - Way out in front for me)
2 - Brenda Holloway [[Such a powerhouse)
3 - Kim Weston [[Not keen on the MOR tracks, and hate the track on the new "motown girls" CD, but on the mid sixties stompers she's amazing)
4 - Martha Reeves [[Come And Get These Memories)
5 - Gladys Knight [[Some of the unreleased gems are awsome)

6 - Tammi Terrell [[Again, some amazing unreleased gems)
7 - Wanda Rogers [[I'll Keep On Holding On)
8 - Saundra Edwards [["Heaven Must Have Sent You" is in my top 3 all-time 45s)
9 - Carolyn Gill [[These girls should have been much bigger)
10 - Carolyn Crawford [[Not keen on "Lover Boy" but the rest are brill)

would have liked to include Hattie Littles, Gladys Horton and Syreeta - boy, 5 is way to hard)

Wayne

[thomas96]

1. Gladys Knight
2. Tammi Terrell
3. Martha Reeves
4. Kim Weston
5. Brenda Holloway
6. Saundra Mallet
7. Mary Wells
8. Frances Nero [[only one record released, but I absolutely love her voice)
9. Gladys Horton
10. Wanda Rogers
Honorable Mentions: Diane Ross; Claudette Rogers [[Robinson) [[she sang lead on a few very early Miracles records and a few unreleased, fantastic voice.

As you may see, I'm not too keen on the Supremes... Just never got into them. They may grow on me in time though.

[marv2]

1). Mary Wilson
2). Jean Terrell
3). Gladys Knight
4). Martha Reeves
5). Kim Weston

[westgrandboulevard]

The following ladies will always be among my favourites :

Diana Ross
Martha Reeves
Wanda Rogers
Gladys Knight
Carolyn Gill

[luke]

1)Brenda -When Im Gone
2)Jean Terell
3)Gladys Knight-Neither One of Us
4)Mary Wilson-Touch
5)-Thelma-Dont Leave Me This Way

[imnokid]

Gladys Knight

I don't consider Bettye to be a Motown artist, and I'm sure most on here don't either.
On the male topic, I left off Chuck Jackso, Ron Isley, and others due to them not really being always associated with Motown.

[Ngroove]

Gladys Knight

I don't consider Bettye to be a Motown artist, and I'm sure most on here don't either.
On the male topic, I left off Chuck Jackso, Ron Isley, and others due to them not really being always associated with Motown.

Understandable - some of those guys stayed for only 2-3 years. For instance, the Isleys, was Motown's only from 66-68'. I myself, still forget every-now-and-then the Spinners was once Motown, usually thinking more "I'll Be Around" and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" than "I'll Always Love You" or "Truly Yours".

[JimBagley]

Cal Gill
Brenda Holloway
Jean Terrell
Wanda Young
Tammi Terrell
Diane Ross

I am enjoying reading everyone's list.
Jim

[Jimi LaLumia]

1) DIANA ROSS...


2) Martha Reeves
3-Wanda Young
4) Tammi Terrell
5)Jean Terrell

[daviddesper]

Based solely on Heaven Must Have Sent You, I would have to put Saundra Edwards on any top five list. Why that song was not a massive hit I will never know.

As for my others, I would have to put Miss Martha, Miss Wanda, Miss Gladys, and probably Cal.

But then how could one leave out such others as Tammi, Brenda, Kim, and Mary?

I know I am conspicuously leaving out Diana, which would offend some folks I guess, but I just always thought the arrangement and lyrics of most Supremes songs made them hits, not necessarily her vocals. [[Don't take that the wrong way....I am a HUGE Supremes fan but for the sake of this discussion, I would put the other ladies ahead of her.)

[thomas96]

I know I am conspicuously leaving out Diana, which would offend some folks I guess, but I just always thought the arrangement and lyrics of most Supremes songs made them hits, not necessarily her vocals. [[Don't take that the wrong way....I am a HUGE Supremes fan but for the sake of this discussion, I would put the other ladies ahead of her.)

I agree. Diane's voice is kind of whiny in my opinion, and honestly annoys me a little. H-D-H deserves almost all the credit for the Supremes' success [[well along with the musicians, recording engineers, etc.). She's clearly a professional though, and I have absolutely nothing against her, I just like many other female singers from Motown better than her.

[jobeterob]

1. Diana
2. Gladys
3. Martha
4. Jean
5. Mary Wells

[JL2648]

[[1) Saundra Mallett Edwards
[[2) Brenda Holloway
[[3) Tammi Terrell
[[4) Gladys Horton
[[5) Kim Weston