Telma Hopkins took Diana's place

**BobbyC** · 10-14-2022, 03:36 PM

Hi guys--I am reading the book Motown: the View From the Bottom which was written by a Motown musician named Jack Ashford. He said something I've never once heard before. He said that Telma Hopkins, who would later become a singer with Tony Orlando and Dawn, replaced Diana Ross in the Supremes for a performance--and did a great job. Jack was playing behind the Supremes on this date so he would know, but I have some questions. Has anyone ever heard of this? Jack is an annoying writer as he never tells you what dates he was talking about so I have no idea when this was exactly. Anyway, the obvious next question was how on earth would Telma know the show, let alone do all the leads, unless she was DR's understudy? DR said she never had a replacement--that if she wasn't able to do a show [[which almost never happened), the show would just be cancelled. So what's the deal here? Anybody know?

**reese** · 10-14-2022, 04:42 PM

I read about it in Jack's book. Later, it was repeated in Mark Ribowsky's book on the Supremes. Jack placed it at some high-profile gig for rich people and said Diana refused to do it. That seems unlikely. I vaguely recall someone asking Telma and her saying it wasn't true.

**BobbyC** · 10-14-2022, 05:21 PM

Thanks for the info. But why would Jack make it up? Bizarre.

**bradsupremes** · 10-14-2022, 05:47 PM

This never happened. If it did, we would have heard about it from Mary, Florence, Gil, and others before Jack’s book.

Telma did do recording sessions at Motown in the 60s. Telma recalled singing on the Four Tops’ “Reach Out, I’ll Be There” with the Tops and Andantes. Both she and Joyce were mentored by Louvain, Jackie and Marlene and sang on sessions with them or in place if one of the ladies couldn’t make a session.

**BobbyC** · 10-14-2022, 05:55 PM

That's what I thought too, Brad. I can't see someone as territorial as DR allowing any of this. I am wondering why Jack would just make up a story like this. What would be his motive? He claims he was playing behind the Supremes when this happened.

By the way, I am stunned that Berry moved Motown and didn't tell any of the Funk Brothers. They found out when a bunch of moving vans showed up at Motown! If true, that was a really nasty thing for Berry to do. You would think he'd valued them a little more than that. I hate show biz even though I'm fascinated by it.

**bradsupremes** · 10-14-2022, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by BobbyC

That's what I thought too, Brad. I can't see someone as territorial as DR allowing any of this. I am wondering why Jack would just make up a story like this. What would be his motive? He claims he was playing behind the Supremes when this happened.

I wonder if he was getting people and events confused. He claims Telma stood in for Diana at a high-end gig, but he did perform behind the girls when they did a special performance at the Country Club of Detroit in June 1965 but it was Florence who missed that gig and it was Marlene Barrow who stood in for her, not Telma. Still it's all perplexing and not sure what making up a story like that adds? To slight Diana? It was well documented by everyone who worked with her, including her critics, how hard a worker she was. She was no slacker.

**marybrewster** · 10-15-2022, 12:43 AM

My 2 cents to add is: Telma was born in 1948. If this event supposedly happened in 1965/1966, that would have made her 17 or 18 at the time? I just don't see it.

**Spreadinglove21** · 10-15-2022, 08:04 AM

Memory can play tricks on all of us and we misremember things or think things happen that actually didn't. No nefarious agenda, he probably just got it wrong in his head, and no one bothered to fact check him.

**BobbyC** · 10-15-2022, 09:08 AM

I didn't sense any kind of nefarious intent because Jack is extremely complimentary towards his fellow Motown artists.

**reese** · 10-15-2022, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by BobbyC

I didn't sense any kind of nefarious intent because Jack is extremely complimentary towards his fellow Motown artists.

In Ribowsky's book, Jack also told a story of being low on funds while he was on [I believe] the Tamla-Motown 1965 tour. He said Diana pulled a St. Christopher medal out of her purse which she said had been given to her by a grandparent. She gave it to Jack and told him to exchange it for some $. He said it was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him and he still has the medal!