The Supremes Canadian Connection

[R. Mark Desjardins]

It's always interesting for me to discover a Canadian connection to Diana Ross & The Supremes. After following the Cindy Birdsong thread and discovering interviews and photos of the groups Expo '67 shows, I was very surprised to discover that it was not their only appearance at the world fair.


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The Supremes [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes) [[L to R: Florence Ballard [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Ballard),Mary Wilson [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Wilson_%28singer%29), and Diana Ross [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Ross)) performing "The Happening [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Happening_%28song%29)," broadcast live from Expo 67 on The Ed Sullivan Show on May 7, 1967.



The Ed Sullivan Show [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show) was broadcast live on May 7 and May 21 from Expo 67. Stars on the shows included America's The Supremes [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Supremes), Britain's Petula Clark [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petula_Clark) and Australia's The Seekers [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seekers).
The fair was visited by many of the most notable people of the day including Queen Elizabeth II [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_II_of_the_United_Kingdom), Lyndon Johnson [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_Johnson), Princess Grace [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Kelly), Jacqueline Kennedy [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Kennedy), Robert F. Kennedy [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy), Ethiopia's [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia) emperor [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor) Haile Selassie [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haile_Selassie_I_of_Ethiopia), Charles de Gaulle [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle), Bing Crosby [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bing_Crosby), Harry Belafonte [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Belafonte), Maurice Chevalier [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Chevalier), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharishi_Mahesh_Yogi) and Marlene Dietrich [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlene_Dietrich).


And here is another rare photo I stumbled upon, circa 1969.

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https://bay155.mail.live.com/Handlers/ImageProxy.mvc?bicild=&canary=uJizIGQGwu9DhrRvBVybohvJKv0EMF0xnmITakTn8rk %3d0&url=http%3a%2f%2f75.aircanada.com%2fassets%2fUploa ds%2f1969-The-Supremes.gif
DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES!

Diana Ross & The Supremes embark on an Air Canada flight in Los Angeles destined to Toronto, en route to play a show in Kitchener, Ontario.

[midnightman]

The Canadian connection goes back to when they won their first talent show in Windsor when they were the Primettes...

[marv2]

Oh their is a long, strong connection to Canada, not only for the Supremes, but for Motown overall. From the earliest days of the Primettes winning the Talent Contest during the 4th of July/ Canada Day Holiday Weekend in 1960 to former Toronto resident, Rick James becoming the King of Punk Funk, there was always a connection.

[marv2]

The Canadian connection goes back to when they won their first talent show in Windsor when they were the Primettes...

Exactly! Canadian Radio station, CKLW broke many of the Motown hits in North America all through sixties and seventies, not to mention many Motown Artists made their first television appearances on Windsor's Channel 9, CKLW!

[Shaqueetha_Jackson]

Flo look fat when did she leeve after this i didnt think she look fat but she look fat here

[franjoy56]

Flo look fat when did she leeve after this i didnt think she look fat but she look fat here Hi Shaqueeta Flo made one more tv appearance on the Johnny Carson show on May 22nd after that they went to Vegas in June and Flo was fired on July 1st the day after the Motwn Gordy sisters and Mary gave Flo a birthday party in attendance was the late Joe Louis the famous boxer and Diana Ross among others.

[franjoy56]

On this show the above Sullivan clip the Supremes sang another number Thoroughly modern mame, and when they began the number they skated out of outfits and Flo does not look fat, these gowns sort of made Flo look heavier than she really was.

[midnightman]

Exactly! Canadian Radio station, CKLW broke many of the Motown hits in North America all through sixties and seventies, not to mention many Motown Artists made their first television appearances on Windsor's Channel 9, CKLW!

Didn't hurt that Windsor wasn't too far from Detroit so it made it easy for Motown acts from the Supremes to Marvin on down to make television appearances there. Most Motown recordings were very successful in Canada.

[marv2]

Didn't hurt that Windsor wasn't too far from Detroit so it made it easy for Motown acts from the Supremes to Marvin on down to make television appearances there. Most Motown recordings were very successful in Canada.

Now that is very true! You could hear a Motown Record on CHUMM radio out of Toronto as regularly as any other popular artists. They performed concerts from Windsor to London to Kitchner/Waterloo all the way over to Quebec LOL!!!

[marv2]

What I would love to see is video footage from TV shows, interviews the artist did across Canada.

[marv2]

Check this out. "Like Young" a sixties Montreal dance/variety show. Check out the opening music for further proof of the Supremes Canadian connection......

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/like-young-1.596561