The Supremes - "Model of the Year", 1973

[PeaceNHarmony]

... I think the fact that they appeared on 'Model of the Year' says it all!

[marv2]

So how do we get several Supremes who don't respect or hold Mary in high regard?

You get that from people that wished that were the case. Mary is very popular and well liked among her peers.

[luke]

Exactly Mr Marv! Are we typing in English?lol

[RanRan79]

Whether Mary was really trying to 'keep the spirit' of the Supremes or merely cling to a paycheck we'll never know.

I think it was both. Mary was smart enough to recognize that what she was doing was real work. Who doesn't want a check? Especially after seeing what Florence went through, falling on hard times. She was going to do what she needed to do to keep a check and I don't blame her. But I also think there was a part of her that was attached to the Supremes- even the idea of it- in a way that Diana and Flo were not, and as such she did- and is- the keeper of the flame.

[marv2]

Exactly Mr Marv! Are we typing in English?lol

Yes, we are typing in English, but they only read in Ross-language! LOL!!!!

[RanRan79]

I hadn't realized Mary had alienated Jean; she sure had a hard time dealing with lead singers.

The only lead singers she seemed to have a problem with were Diana and Jean, and the two situations can't be compared. Her problems with Diana were also seen through the eyes of someone who was Diana's peer. They started this thing together and when Diana's ego got out of control I can imagine Mary often taking exception, and she should have. Jean is a different story. After Diana left they may have all been "equal" but Mary was the leader of that group, and she should have been based on seniority alone. I know that if I were in Mary's shoes I would have seen myself that way and I would have wanted Jean to defer to me when necessary. Jean obviously wasn't that type and there you have the conflict. But I don't think it's fair to say Mary had a problem with lead singers. She didn't seem to have one with Scherrie.

[RanRan79]

[QUOTE=daviddh;393080]

Bluebrock, wasn't jean under contract for 5 years??? did she violate her contract or was this incorrect info. wonder if Motown had to pay her out of her contract . not sure how that would play out.

Wasn't there a situation where there was no contract for the Supremes for a period of time? Wasn't Scherrie hired by Mary during that time? If that's the case, did Jean and Lynda leave when the group's contract was up? If so, at that point I would think there would be no reason for Motown to buy Jean or Lynda out.

New question: do Jean and Lynda received Supremes royalties?

[RanRan79]

Do you think the last iteration of the group could have had success under another name? As we know the public at large had moved on to other dynamic - and let's face it, younger - groups [[First Choice, The Ritchie Family, Silver Convention etc) and were disinterested in 'The Supremes' who seemed to be 3 different people every time they appeared on TV. 'High Energy' was a terrific LP and I wonder if it could have risen higher on the charts credited to a 'new' group name.

Maybe, but I'm not convinced, mostly because I just don't think the MSS had good chemistry. I guess they could've made some noise under a new name but I don't think they could have ever set themselves apart from the other acts you mentioned and would have eventually [[quickly?) faded away anyway. IMO the grouping that should have left and rebranded themselves was JML. I do not doubt that with all the right elements JML would have been more successful than JMC.

[RanRan79]

As a number of authors have said how would it look if Berrys pearl was overshadowed by her former group...just a thought!

I don't believe the Supremes would have EVER sustained any "overshadowing" of Ross. That was a force that was going to be no matter what. But I'd bet money that the thought of Ross falling flat and the Supremes' success continuing on made Gordy sick to his stomach. Lol At the same time I find it difficult to believe that he would stop the Supremes' money train to make Diana look good, especially when his goal was for her music career to take a backseat to her acting. I think he washed his hands of the group like Mary said he did. I don't buy for a second that the other powers at the label did the same thing. As good as the Supremes were in the 70s talent wise, their musical output just wasn't knocking the public out. As I've come to find out, thanks to the internet and especially Youtube, they were on television ALL THE TIME performing those songs and it still didn't help. Their records were packaged and shipped out to stores just like everyone else's records, which is why you can walk into any record shop in the country and pick up all those old albums and 45s, and why those records aren't on anyone's "rarity" lists...because they were out there in abundance. It's just that people weren't knocking down record store doors to purchase some of those singles.

[RanRan79]

So how do we get several Supremes who don't respect or hold Mary in high regard?

I find it difficult to believe that all of those ladies are holding on to past problems. Not saying that they aren't, just that I find it hard to believe. True, it's entirely possible that not all of them are interested in maintaining either professional or personal relationships with Mary or any others. That's life. But I doubt they don't have respect for Mary and she for them. I think there are a lot of "fans" who are invested in the Supremes hating each other, including Diana and Mary, but the ladies themselves are not interested in such nonsense, including Diana and Mary.

[thanxal]

I think there are a lot of "fans" who are invested in the Supremes hating each other, including Diana and Mary, but the ladies themselves are not interested in such nonsense, including Diana and Mary.

RanRan, you're on a roll with the good observations today. I would only add that there are many fans also not interested in such nonsense.

[BayouMotownMan]

Excellent observation RanRan. The ladies don't have such problems between each other nearly as much as fans portray it to be. The surviving Supremes are moms and grandmothers now and they focus most of their attention on family and simply survival. They are in or close to their 7th decade of life and they must deal with the issues of anyone going into advanced years of living. Most of the problems occurred over 40 years ago.

[marv2]

[QUOTE=RanRan79;393457]

Wasn't there a situation where there was no contract for the Supremes for a period of time? Wasn't Scherrie hired by Mary during that time? If that's the case, did Jean and Lynda leave when the group's contract was up? If so, at that point I would think there would be no reason for Motown to buy Jean or Lynda out.

New question: do Jean and Lynda received Supremes royalties?

Jean does. What would Lynda receive royalties from? "Bad Weather" and "Produced by Jimmy Webb"? "Live in Japan"?

[luke]

Lolol. That cracked me up!!

[marv2]

Lolol. That cracked me up!!

I'm just sayin'...............hehehehehehehehehe!

[BayouMotownMan]

[QUOTE=marv2;393542]

Jean does. What would Lynda receive royalties from? "Bad Weather" and "Produced by Jimmy Webb"? "Live in Japan"?

Wrong as usual. The only Supremes to receive royalties are Diana and Mary. The main cause of Jean's bitterness is that she signed away future royalties when she negotiated her release from Motown in 1974. When re-issues of her product with the Supremes came out Jean was invited to participate in these releases and she declined because she receives no remuneration.

Other 70s Supremes, also not receiving royalties from re-issues graciously participated in annotations of their body of work.

[marv2]

[QUOTE=BayouMotownMan;393583]

Wrong as usual. The only Supremes to receive royalties are Diana and Mary. The main cause of Jean's bitterness is that she signed away future royalties when she negotiated her release from Motown in 1974. When re-issues of her product with the Supremes came out Jean was invited to participate in these releases and she declined because she receives no remuneration.

Other 70s Supremes, also not receiving royalties from re-issues graciously participated in annotations of their body of work.

I hate having to keep doing this and from now on I am just going to let you go around stupid. Jean Terrell sued and had her royalties reinstated in 1994!

[RanRan79]

RanRan, you're on a roll with the good observations today. I would only add that there are many fans also not interested in such nonsense.

Absolutely Thanxal. I like to think that the messy fans are just a very vocal minority.

[RanRan79]

Jean does. What would Lynda receive royalties from? "Bad Weather" and "Produced by Jimmy Webb"? "Live in Japan"?

LOL...well yeah! I'm not well versed in the way royalties are worked out, but wouldn't Lynda receive royalties from any compilation that included her work with the Supremes? So for instance, would Lynda receive royalties from the 70s Anthology?

[marv2]

LOL...well yeah! I'm not well versed in the way royalties are worked out, but wouldn't Lynda receive royalties from any compilation that included her work with the Supremes? So for instance, would Lynda receive royalties from the 70s Anthology?

Uh no if you knew what I knew. LOL! She's lucky if they are not still charging her for studio time from all those years ago.

[luke]

I remember that lawsuit Marv. I do believe it was a collective one and Jean joined The Vandellas as well and WON!

[marv2]

I remember that lawsuit Marv. I do believe it was a collective one and Jean joined The Vandellas as well and WON!

I've even seen her royalty statement. It showed expenses in the thousands of dollars they claimed that they were still recouping from Jean's royalties. I mean they were billing her for recordings that were never released and everything from wigs to eyelashes and all kinds of assorted bullshit! It was amazing!

[BayouMotownMan]

[QUOTE=marv2;393595]

I hate having to keep doing this and from now on I am just going to let you go around stupid. Jean Terrell sued and had her royalties reinstated in 1994!

The only one stupid here is you Marv and you prove it time after time.

Jean Terrell initiated a lawsuit against Motown but did NOT see it through. She dropped it. Therefore no judgment was made on her behalf.

When Universal was preparing her box set [[This Is The Story), I as well as one of the producers spoke to Jean about participating. She said that she doesn't work without being paid. I tried to reason with her that she could promote her DVD in exchange for observations about her work but even that didn't phase her.

Whatever royalties Jean Terrell received as a Supreme would have been collected in the early 70s, and that could not have amounted to much. One of Jean's reasons for leaving the group was about the money, or lack of it.

[marv2]

[QUOTE=BayouMotownMan;393724]

The only one stupid here is you Marv and you prove it time after time.

Jean Terrell initiated a lawsuit against Motown but did NOT see it through. She dropped it. Therefore no judgment was made on her behalf.

When Universal was preparing her box set [[This Is The Story), I as well as one of the producers spoke to Jean about participating. She said that she doesn't work without being paid. I tried to reason with her that she could promote her DVD in exchange for observations about her work but even that didn't phase her.

Whatever royalties Jean Terrell received as a Supreme would have been collected in the early 70s, and that could not have amounted to much. One of Jean's reasons for leaving the group was about the money, or lack of it.

She did not drop that lawsuit and I am done messing around with you since you have decided to take the dishonest route.

[BayouMotownMan]

Check your meds Marvin. You've never spoken to Jean Terrell in your life

[blackguy69]

[QUOTE=marv2;393741]

Marv I think you're wrong on this account. Unless you can prove that she got her royalties other than just saying it, then you need to accept it.

She did not drop that lawsuit and I am done messing around with you since you have decided to take the dishonest route.

[PeaceNHarmony]

Check your meds Marvin. You've never spoken to Jean Terrell in your life

You made me snort my iced tea

[detmotownguy]

[QUOTE=PeaceNHarmony;393759]You made me snort my iced tea [/QUOTE If the Supremes saga was created into a mini series I am not sure there could be an end to it.

[PeaceNHarmony]

[QUOTE=BayouMotownMan;393724]

The only one stupid here is you Marv and you prove it time after time.

Jean Terrell initiated a lawsuit against Motown but did NOT see it through. She dropped it. Therefore no judgment was made on her behalf.

When Universal was preparing her box set [[This Is The Story), I as well as one of the producers spoke to Jean about participating. She said that she doesn't work without being paid. I tried to reason with her that she could promote her DVD in exchange for observations about her work but even that didn't phase her.

Whatever royalties Jean Terrell received as a Supreme would have been collected in the early 70s, and that could not have amounted to much. One of Jean's reasons for leaving the group was about the money, or lack of it.

Hey BMM - Did you ever get to see Jean's DVD? I tried many times, following countless tips and links, and was never able to secure a copy.

[BayouMotownMan]

[QUOTE=PeaceNHarmony;393895]

Hey BMM - Did you ever get to see Jean's DVD? I tried many times, following countless tips and links, and was never able to secure a copy.

I helped Jean make the DVD. You might try asking Saundra Newman for a copy, she is on Facebook.

[waynesville]

[QUOTE=BayouMotownMan;393898]

I helped Jean make the DVD. You might try asking Saundra Newman for a copy, she is on Facebook.

Thanks for that tip - Ive been trying to get hold of Jean's DVD too and its totally unavailable..

[PeaceNHarmony]

[QUOTE=BayouMotownMan;393898]

I helped Jean make the DVD. You might try asking Saundra Newman for a copy, she is on Facebook.

Thanks, as well. I'll try -