Who ARE The Supremes? (mini-documentary by STEVE WEAVER) YouTube link attached.

I thought it was about time someone made it absolutely clear to the world just who is - and who isn't - an authentic member of the biggest female trio in pop music history.

Why have I done this? Because once again a tribute act has been booked to tour the UK [[as support to The Stylistics) in November 2019 and the advertising is very dubious. As a concerned fan I've sent this link to every venue advertising the tour and intend to spread the word whenever a similar situation arises. I realise that [[especially here) I'm preaching to the converted but I just want to make you all aware of why I've made this long overdue mini-documentary.

Thanks to President Trump for his important contribution.

God Bless America! ;)

https://youtu.be/Wn3wSEFENzQ

When Dreamgirls opened in Tokyo, in 84 or 85, there was a tour by a group named "Supremes" at the same time in the city. I'v never been able to know who they were.

Had to stop watching as soon as the mention of 8 Supremes. There were 9.

yeah they always forget Barbara.

she's like the "where's waldo" of the supremes

How far into the video did you watch? He mentioned Betty as part of the original group, the Primettes, and mentioned that Barbara was in the original quartet of Supremes but left before the hits started. So he actually mentioned ten women with legitimate roots to the Official Motown Supremes.

He does mention eight Supremes when he mentioned the cover of the Superstar Series of Supremes which has the iconic cover of the eight Supremes who contributed to the TRIO's success. He did no disservice to Betty or Barbara.

Perhaps he is a little behind the times though. The clip that he just found was a group of girls and the lead singer [[Kaaaaaaaren Ragland) says that she joined the Supremes way back in 1976. He shows the clip in this video and then edits in Donald saying "Fake News".

Well it is fake news. The Supremes still existed in 1976 and she was not part of the group. She did appear with Mary after Mary went solo but was still billing herself as The Supremes. So Kaaaaaren took it upon herself to continue calling herself a former Supreme. She never was a Supreme and never will be a Supreme.

I found nothing wrong with this video. It was mostly accurate but quite boring.

Barbara Martin was an Original Supreme, regardless of what this guy in the video says!

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Originally Posted by marv2

Barbara Martin was an Original Supreme, regardless of what this guy in the video says!

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Well, he said exactly that.


He mentioned that she was an original Supreme in the video, and showed a chart of all the Supremes which included her name.

And I mentioned this info in my post. So I don't understand what you are referring to when you "regardless of what the guy in the video says". He actually said exactly what you just said.

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Originally Posted by milven

He... mentioned that Barbara was in the original quartet of Supremes but left before the hits started....

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by milven

Well, he said exactly that.


He mentioned that she was an original Supreme in the video, and showed a chart of all the Supremes which included her name.

And I mentioned this info in my post. So I don't understand what you are referring to when you "regardless of what the guy in the video says". He actually said exactly what you just said.

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He mentions Barbara as a Supreme, but reiterates several times that it was eight women who contributed to the group’s success. Just because Barbara wasn’t on a hit record doesn’t mean she should be counted out. Lynda wasn’t on a hit record and she’s on less recordings than Barbara.

Barbara was there in the beginning when they did the grueling, crap gigs when they tried to make a name for themselves. Isn’t that contributing to the group’s success by having to do the dirty work?

Instead of using an album cover from the 80s as a justification for who was and wasn’t a Supreme, he should have used the last page in the Final Sessions box set where it listed all nine women.

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Originally Posted by bradsupremes

He mentions Barbara as a Supreme, but reiterates several times that it was eight women who contributed to the group’s success. Just because Barbara wasn’t on a hit record doesn’t mean she should be counted out. Lynda wasn’t on a hit record and she’s on less recordings than Barbara.

Barbara was there in the beginning when they did the grueling, crap gigs when they tried to make a name for themselves. Isn’t that contributing to the group’s success by having to do the dirty work?

Instead of using an album cover from the 80s as a justification for who was and wasn’t a Supreme, he should have used the last page in the Final Sessions box set where it listed all nine women.

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Everyone also seems to forget that the Original Supremes are the ones that put in the work! They were the ones that went around Detroit and Michigan playing sock hops and little shows at Union Halls, the Graystone, School Auditoriums,cabarets and bars to establish the group. Barbara was a part of that. She was with them when they went on a weekend gig in Pittsburgh and wrecked Berry Gordy's car! LOL! They were not making much money, but they did get the group started for all the others that came afterwards.

Brad, you make valid points and I agree with all them. I was happy that he even mentioned her and listed her as an original Supreme, although he did rapidly dismiss her as leaving the group before the hits started. Of course, she was important to the group as was original Primette Betty.

My point to Marv was simply that he did acknowledge Barbara as one of the original Supremes.

Well said Brad and Marv. He went on to dismiss Barbara as being important. That’s the point.

Barbara was important enough to help the Supremes win that contract but, like Steve said, she left when the group took off [[which was roughly at the end of 1963). So he's right, eight of them contributed in the big sales. What am I missing, guys?

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Originally Posted by midnightman

Barbara was important enough to help the Supremes win that contract but, like Steve said, she left when the group took off [[which was roughly at the end of 1963). So he's right, eight of them contributed in the big sales. What am I missing, guys?

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That there were NINE Supremes! He included Lynda Laurence. What big sales did she contribute to? That's right. Barbara Martin was just as much a Supreme as some of the rest.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by midnightman

Barbara was important enough to help the Supremes win that contract but, like Steve said, she left when the group took off [[which was roughly at the end of 1963). So he's right, eight of them contributed in the big sales. What am I missing, guys?

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What you're missing is that he thinks eight Supremes are what matters, not nine. He's discounting her because she didn't contribute to a hit record. My argument is Lynda didn't contribute to a hit record either. Shouldn't she be discounted too if we're going to go by who sang on a hit record? It's not about big record sales in determining who was a Supreme. Whether they sang on a multi-million seller or a record that sold 800 copies, they all played a role in the group's success and that includes singing a beloved classic while wearing a sequin gown in front of 12,000 people or working in a small Detroit club at age 17 trying to prove yourself while receiving tepid applause. None of them should be discredited or given the "technically she's a Supreme, BUT..." Diana and Mary would both agree Barbara deserves to be recognized.

The folks who run things for the FLOS have continuously used the old Motown Superstar LP with eight Supremes on the cover. The cover was done at a time when Motown was in LA and no one there knew Barbara thus why she wasn't on the cover. The last page of the Final Sessions is what they should be using.

Well yeah Barbara is definitely an important member. She was with them for two years. I just thought it was interesting she would be seen as a nonfactor but after 1972, the Supremes began to disintegrate so yeah..

The trump bits are so corny.

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Originally Posted by simplysupreme

The trump bits are so corny.

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Just seeing his face rolls the stomach.