‘She was the glue that held the Supremes together’: Mary Wilson remembered

[milven]

Sidelined by Diana Ross, the Motown star suffered other setbacks besides – but as a new box set shows, her talent and tenacity deserves to be remembered

Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Mon 21 Mar 2022 08.00 EDT
78
Acouple of days before her death in February 2021, Mary Wilson uploaded a video to her YouTube channel. Poignantly, it was full of forthcoming plans: the 60th anniversary of the Supremes’ debut single the following month; interviews she’d given for Black History Month, discussing the problems the group had faced touring the south of America in the 1960s; videos she was planning to upload, including a tribute to Florence Ballard, the former Supreme who had died 45 years previously, aged 32, after a struggle with alcoholism that had seen her fired from the group in 1967.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...embered-motown

[PeaceNHarmony]

Nice thought, but ... in reality, how many decades was it since Mary performed as / with the Supremes?

[Ollie9]

This is a such a loving and heart warming tribute to Mary. I love the way her voice is described as gorgeous, soft and smoky.
I think Smokey Robinson sums it up when he says “She had a voice. She used her voice not only in the music world, but in the political world as well. She was supreme in all she did and worked for”.
If only Mary were around today to keep that Supremes flame burning. She was so proud of the new Anthology and would have delighted in its promotion.

[Circa 1824]

Mary, like all of us, had a mortgage to pay. That was the glue.

[Ollie9]

Mary, like all of us, had a mortgage to pay. That was the glue.

Most of us have had to work to support ourselves Circa. It would be rather sad if that’s all there were to life though.. I believe otherwise.

[floyjoy678]

Nice thought, but ... in reality, how many decades was it since Mary performed as / with the Supremes?

Maybe she didn't keep the group together but what she did do was keep the legacy going until the day she died. I think thats why I was so sad when Mary died because the Supremes died with her. Thats not to say I wasn't mourning Mary as well but anything Supremes related was mostly done through Mary in recent years and we won't get that anymore. I probably sound like a broken record but it'd be nice if Diana picked up where Mary left off but whatever, the less I say the better.

[thanxal]

maybe she didn't keep the group together but what she did do was keep the legacy going until the day she died. I think thats why i was so sad when mary died because the supremes died with her. Thats not to say i wasn't mourning mary as well but anything supremes related was mostly done through mary in recent years and we won't get that anymore. I probably sound like a broken record but it'd be nice if diana picked up where mary left off but whatever, the less i say the better.

exactly!!!!!

[PeaceNHarmony]

It's a nice, publicity-ready trope, but in fact Scherrie is the Supreme who has maintained the group longest - 1973 through present day [49 years!). It's common knowledge that Mary dissolved the Supremes in 1977 [giving Mary a tenure of just 18 years), so saying she was 'the glue that held the Supremes together' is, again, lovely, but factually incorrect.

[thanxal]

It's a nice, publicity-ready trope, but in fact Scherrie is the Supreme who has maintained the group longest - 1973 through present day [49 years!). It's common knowledge that Mary dissolved the Supremes in 1977 [giving Mary a tenure of just 18 years), so saying she was 'the glue that held the Supremes together' is, again, lovely, but factually incorrect.

Well, if Mary dissolved the Supremes in 1977 as you suggested then Scherrie only "maintained" them from 1973-1977, by my mathing that is four years. That would be significantly shorter than Mary's 1961-1977 run of sixteen years. If we all agree the Supremes began in 1961 and ended in 1977 with their dissolution, then it's still Mary. Even if we quibble about when the Supremes began, it's still Mary. It will take another sixteen years of Scherrie actively promoting the Supremes before she can over take Mary. And even then [as much as I love her] she wasn't an original, founding, member of the group, so it's STILL Mary. BLUF: Mary Wilson was, is, and will forever be the thing that held the Supremes together AND ensured their legacy, whatever that may be.

[jim aka jtigre99]

IMHO, Mary Wilson was the one who kept the Supremes Legacy alive even after leaving the group in 1977. Even while performing as a solo artist, even while promoting her books and promoting her own career. I love Scherrie Payne very much but she has been performing since 1986 as a member of the former ladies of the Supremes and it just isn't the same thing. Granted, I am beyond thrilled she is out there still doing it and performing the Supremes music but she doesn't have the high profile that Mary did to promote the legacy. Mary was the glue that held it together and Scherrie has rightfully said Mary deserves every bit of credit, she was responsible for her being a Supreme. I love all of the former Supremes, but the group disbanded in 1977.

[Guy]

IMHO, Mary Wilson was the one who kept the Supremes Legacy alive even after leaving the group in 1977. Even while performing as a solo artist, even while promoting her books and promoting her own career. I love Scherrie Payne very much but she has been performing since 1986 as a member of the former ladies of the Supremes and it just isn't the same thing. Granted, I am beyond thrilled she is out there still doing it and performing the Supremes music but she doesn't have the high profile that Mary did to promote the legacy. Mary was the glue that held it together and Scherrie has rightfully said Mary deserves every bit of credit, she was responsible for her being a Supreme. I love all of the former Supremes, but the group disbanded in 1977.

Agree. Mary certainly highlighted her status as a founding member of the Supremes. She did, and had every right to, capitalize on their enduring image and popularity. I see Sherrie and FLOS as more of a separate group, rather than a continuation of the Supremes legacy. I've seen FLOS as well as Sherrie and Susaye together and always enjoy them. As much as I love hearing "He's My Man" and "High Energy", I continue to think of the Supremes as the trio with Ross or Jean on lead.