SCHERRIE & SUSAYE, FORMERLY OF THE SUPREMES - Blog, News & Events [[scherrieandsusayeformersupremes.com)
Printable View
If you mentioned Scherrie, Susaye or Linda to the average person who was at least a teenager in 1973-1977, it is highly doubtful that anyone but an avid fan of "The Supremes" would recognize those names. Earlier, the same was true, to a lesser extent, for Cindy, Florence and Mary. Some people did not know Diana by name, either. [[I was there; I know this.) So forgive me please, but I find it wrong that Scherrie, Susaye and Linda are still pulling in money for their short-term, late-in-the-game appearances with the group. They were not the ones who worked hard for a decade, establishing and maintaining the popularity of the original group, and they were not a part of any of the million-sellers. I think of them as opportunists and always find it offensive that they bill themselves as "Supremes" and still get money 44 years later off someone else's work, when they spent less than a year or two in total.
I made French fries for a couple of years at a fast food joint [[not McDonald's) many, many years ago, but I would never claim that I was the original Mr. French, or whomever it was that invented French fries. Similarly, neither should the last several "Supremes" keep raking in money pretending that they had anything whatsoever to do with the real group's success. You can throw your brick bats at me now...
Well they have been Former Ladies of the Supremes for longer than Diana, Flo, Cindy or Mary were the Supremes.
I think they've done their bit to keep the legacy alive.
And I would seriously question how much money there are really raking in. I think it's a lot less than you would think.
I wonder what would have happened if in 1977, Joyce Vincent had not joined a group that continued as "The Supremes", just like the Temptations were continued through dozens of replacements.
However, I do see why Mary would have gone to Diana and Diana to Berry about ending the Supremes when there were no longer any original members left.
I think Scherrie and Susaye have done their bit keeping the Supremes flame alive.
I shan't throw a single brickbat. Though your post is a tad more shady than I would write myself, you make a lot of valid statements. You are 100% correct about the average member of the listening public knowing any of the ladies' names. I don't really have any grudge against any of the performers you mention, but, apres Jean? No longer the Supremes. And though I agree with JRob that most likely the current-day financial gains of the Who-premes is probably not great, it just annoys me that a group of people, no matter how talented and well-meaning, bill themselves as the Supremes.Quote:
Originally Posted by benross
Its simple for me....they kept the legacy alive when no more originals existed.
Let’s take a breath and let it go
I have seen various line ups of the Flo's over the years and have never been disappointed. They are all very talented vocalists who always put on a good show. They keep the Supremes flame burning nicely and i hope they continue to entertain us for many years to come.
If you do not like what you see and hear you have every right to turn the other way.
there were 9 women officially signed to the motown recording label as official members of The Supremes. each one of them recorded in the motown studios as a member. each one of them performed onstage as a member. all of them [[except barbara) performed on tv as a member. Therefore they all have the right to say they were Former Members of The Supremes and have as a former member they should be able to utilize their history in their current endeavors.
The Supremes records kept and keep the legacy alive. The FLOS do little in that regard. They work to earn money to pay their mortgages just like all of us. I am a big Supremes fan, but lost all interest when Jean and Cindy left. I never knew the other ladies names.Quote:
Originally Posted by captainjames
I don’t have a problem with any of the official Motown signed Supremes using the name as Former ladies of the Supremes. They are all super talented. And I hope they are making good money for themselves. They work hard and should be able to benefit from being a Supreme.
As someone who followed the Supremes starting in 1970, the last performance in 1977 was the official end to the Supremes, whether you followed the group after 1970 or 1973 or not. This year marks the 60th Anniversary of the Supremes. Without Mary Wilson to champion the group we are halfway through the year without any media coverage. The anniversary of the last show is an important one in Supremes' history regardless of whether or not you were still following the group or not. Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene deserve respect as official members of the Supremes. I find both ladies extremely talented and am happy they still perform so well.
100% agree with this. I find the current line up of Scherrie, Susaye & Joyce insulting . Trading on a name and on hits that weren’t their’s.Quote:
Originally Posted by benross
with Mary gone … the Supremes are .
This times ∞Quote:
Originally Posted by sup_fan
Like it or not these women were signed to be Supremes, sang as full Supremes, and sang very good songs. Does anyone diminish the latter members of the Vandellas, Temptations or any other group?
that can potentially open up a REAL can of worms. the Supremes were never just 1 person. while I adore what mary contributed and her never ending work to keep the name alive, she alone wasn't the group. no more so than Diana was, simply because she sang lead on the most well-known hits. All of these women contributed to the history of the group and have done various things throughout the years to keep the legacy alive. Mary certainly did tons. But diana did too - she always incorporated sup content in her shows and in most of the tv specials. that too kept the fire burning. And same with the original FLOs of Jean, Cindy and Scherrie and then with Lynda joined and on and on.Quote:
Originally Posted by mwmr
Mary was the SUPREME Supreme. For better or for worse, no other member of the group could touch what she did to keep the legacy alive. Diana, of course, has always acknowledged being a Supreme. But Diana also, generously, let Mary be the spokesperson for the group after she departed. Mary was there for the Rock induction. Mary was there for the Walk of Fame ceremony. Mary shined, and Diana never took that away from her.
With Mary gone, it's not such a bad thing that Scherrie and Susaye still have the name out there. It's not like they're raking in millions or performing in Las Vegas at Caesars. How many gigs do they really have each year? A dozen at the most? At least Diana, Scherrie, and Susaye are keeping the music playing.
THE Supremes were DMF. that trio made most of the history and laid the foundation that the rest of the groups would build on. When Florence laughed, a new, different group evolved.Quote:
Originally Posted by marybrewster
Diana Ross and the Supremes continue to build on that foundation, break records and gang worldwide iconic status. That being said, when Florence left, some fans went with her because it just wasn’t the same without her.
when diana ross left, we had another new group. The main face and voice and focal point of the group was gone, 66% the original trio was gone, I’m leaving mary wilson to carry-on a new group flanked by two strangers to us basically. A large percentage of fans departed when diana ross departed or shortly there after. They were called the Supremes again, but they were far from THE Supremes.
In 1972, the revolving door began to spin until the group nearly turned to butter. Still named “The Supremes” for all and sundry, but for all of their formidable talent, they were incapable of stopping their decline.
In 1977 mary wilson went solo, Expecting the Supremes to go on with a new member, but continued, illegally, to try to use the supreme’s name to make money. Mary and any two girls she could find would be presented as the Supremes whenever no one was looking.
in 1978, Mary asked Scherrie and Susaye if she could return to the group and they said yes as long as Pedro had nothing to do with it. That was not an option and Mary continued to pursue a solo career ad campaign to have the Supremes as an entity, over and done with.
in 1979 Mary launched her solo career and in 1980 was touring again as mary wilson and the Supremes with yet another group of strangers. This often on for years.
in the 80s, Motown contacted Mary, Scherrie and Cindy inquiring if they would like to resurrect the group. Mary declined because Motown did not want her to be a lead singer. In my opinion, this is not keeping the legacy alive. I’m not condemning Mary‘s decision, it may have been the best thing to do for all involved. We will never know.
in 1986 the former ladies of the Supremes formed and began a very successful career using the foundation laid by the original trio as a steppingstone to the tribute act that they had become. They continue to this day. There are people who feel they should not exist because they do not have any original members.
I believe the former ladies of the Supremes, mary wilson and diana ross have all been keeping the legacy alive in their own way. I support the former ladies of the Supremes because I feel that they are continuing to keep the legacy alive if that is what is important to folks, and they do not need mary wilson to do it, otherwise she wouldn’t have been suing them for almost 2 decades. I thought it was ugly of Mary to denigrate these former Motown signed Supremes members as replacements, temporary or other monikers used to lessen their viability - after pleading with fans to accept these ladies as new members as they joined the group. Mary officially left the group in 1977, with it, in my opinion, she left all rights and privileges to the name at that time. She had two chances to re-join the group, declined both, and then set out to destroy the group that she had left behind.
They do not present themselves as the Supremes, however they to put on I show more reminiscent of the Supremes than anyone since RTL or 15 years before. Mary had an act that included many supreme songs, but they were not presented as a group nor performed in a group manner. I don’t see what all the fuss is about. To me, they are just as much the Supremes as JMC were, and every bit as valid. Having one back up member, even a wonderful wonderful wonderful backup member add the only link to the original trio, doesn’t do it for me any more than the current lineup does. Ultimately, it’s the public that always decides who they like and who they don’t. I believe that Scherrie,Susaye, lynda, Jean, Cindy should all be free to exploit themselves as Supremes, or at least former ladies of the Supremes, without hubris. After all, they ARE Former ladies of the Supremes. Why begrudge them billing themselves as they are?
Random thoughts: Mary only sued the FLOs because they were not being billed as the FLOs, they were being billed as The Supremes. Motown should have taken up this lawsuit, but maybe Motown at the time didn't care that much about the name? Funny though, years later they'll threaten a 16 year old fan for using Supremes in his website.
I've never heard of Mary asking Scherrie and Susaye to rejoin the group in 1978. Where did this information come from?
I enjoy the FLOs and think the current grouping is the best there has ever been.
Some of the FLOs song selection infuriates me. There is absolutely no reason why they should be singing "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes".
I think he was referring to the South American tour in 1977. And we discussed that topic to death. The other time being the proposed reunion of MSC.
Quote:
Originally Posted by marybrewster
I did not know The Supremes continued after Mary left. I thought when she left, the group disbanded. Oh my
They didn’t continued.Quote:
Originally Posted by JLoveLamar
The Supremes officially ended on June 12, 1977. Mary Wilson was the last Original Supreme and she left the group for her solo career. All of the members deserve respect and support. The current grouping of the FLOS is one of the most talented groupings. Scherrie and Susaye are still performing and were members of the group signed to Motown and on the last top 40 hit and #1 disco hit. The loss of Mary Wilson has left such a huge and unfillable void in the Supreme Legacy, note we are halfway through the year and nothing about the 60th Anniversary. That Scherrie and Susaye are still out there performing and in there own small way keeping the music out there, I commend them and support them. When they were in the group they sang the hits medley when performing and now as former members they sing the same songs whether they recorded them or not, they are doing the same as they did while in the group. June 12, 1977 was the day the group officially ended and is a date to remember for us fans.
I accept all official line ups of the Supremes as being The Supremes. The group, and the music, changed over the years. Some I like better than others, but all are of interest and produced work that entertains me. I'm glad Scherrie and Susaye, with Joyce, have their Supremes show that will hopefully, if they want, be able to perform again as the pandemic fades. All the ladies are getting up there in age and who knows how much longer they will be able to or want to perform. As we learned with Mary's death, any of them could pass in a blink of an eye. So best to appreciate what they have to offer so long as they are out there giving the best they can. And if you don't want to see Diana Ross, or Scherrie and Susaye, then don't go.
My understanding was it was less of a reforming, and more of a Scherrie and Susaye joining Mary as lead. I do know Lynda was also asked to join this tour, but declined.Quote:
Originally Posted by blackguy69