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    Supremes/Primettes Backing Vocals

    I found an old thread re -Supremes backing vocals for other artists and I'm quite impressed. Some I knew but alot I had forgotten about. The thread even included notes from Harry Weinger which I will paste as well. The ladies were really great at such a young Age. WOW!

    Last edited by soulballad; 09-03-2013 at 07:27 PM.

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    The Primettes:
    1. Tears Of Sorrow
    2. Pretty Baby [[feat. Mary)
    3. I Found A Love – The Falcons
    4. Let Me Be Your Boy – Wilson Pickett
    5. My Heart Belongs To You – Wilson Pickett
    6. I’ll Get Along Without You – Al Garner
    7. I’ll Get Along – Marv Johnson
    8. All I Need Is You – Marv Johnson
    9. Lonely Nights – Gene Martin
    10. Return Of Stagger Lee – Don Revel
    11. Baby Won’t You Change Your Mind – Al Garner
    12. She Shot Me Down – John Lee Hooker [[Mary)
    13. Roll On – Walt Jessup
    14. Puppet On A String – Gino Washington
    15. Bouquet Of Flowers – James Velvet
    16. When I Needed You – James Velvet
    17. Brenda – Eddie Holland
    18. Just Ain’t Enough Love – Eddie Holland

    Motown Backing Vocals:
    19. Itsy Bity Pity Love – Debbie Dean
    20. But I’m Afraid – Debbie Dean
    21. Love Me – Pete Hartfield
    22. Angel In Blue – Joel Sebastian
    23. Blue Cinderella - Joel Sebastian
    24. Strange Love – Mary Wells
    25. Come To Me – Mary Wells
    26. Bad Boy - Mary Wells
    27. The Day Will Come – Freddie Gorman
    28. What Makes You Love Him – Sammy Ward
    29. Small Sad Sam – Bob Kayli
    30. Tie Me Tight – Bob Kayli
    31. Whose Heart [[Are You Gonna Break Now) – Don McKenzie
    32. I’ll Call You – Don McKenzie

    1. The One Who Really Loves You – The Marvelettes
    2. I’m Finally Through With You – Mable John
    3. I’m Gonna Stay – Mary Wells
    4. Big Joe Moe – Singin’ Sammy Ward
    5. Everybody’s Talking About My Baby – Debbie Dean
    6. What About Me – Eddie Holland
    7. Sleep [[Little One) – Herman Ward
    8. I’ll Cry A Million Tears – Mickey McCullers
    9. Hold On Pearl – Bob Kayli
    10. I’m Hooked – Bunny Paul
    11. We’re Only Young Once – Bunny Paul
    12. I’ll Make It Up To You Somehow – Amos Milburn
    13. Back To School Again – Morocco Music Makers
    14. It Should Have Been Me – Kim Weston
    15. Mickey’s Monkey – The Miracles [[Mary)
    16. My Heart Is Like A Clock - Mary Wells

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    18. What Goes Up Must Come Down – Holland Dozier
    19. Not Now, I’ll Tell You Later – The Temptations
    20. Can I Get A Witness – Marvin Gaye with The Temptations
    21. You’re A Wonderful One - Marvin Gaye
    22. Have A Little Patience And Wait - Marvin Wells
    23. Set Me Free – Lee Alan
    24. You’re Gonna Love My Baby – Barbara McNair
    25. The Touch Of Time - Barbara McNair
    26. Going To A Go Go – Brenda Holloway [[Mary & Flo)

    1. 1961:
    Angel In Blue – Joel Sebastion
    Blue Cinderella – Joel Sebastion
    But I’m Afraid – Debbie Dean
    Come To Me – Mary Wells
    The Day Will Come – Freddie Gorman
    I’ll Call You – Don McKenzie
    Itty Bitty Pity Love – Debbie Dean
    Small Sad Sam – Bob Kayli
    Strange Love – Mary Wells [[TBD)
    What Makes You Love Him – Sammy Ward
    Whose Heart Are You Gonna Break Now – Don McKenzie

    1962:
    Big Joe Moe – Singin’ Sammy Ward
    Everybody’s Talking About My Baby – Debbie Dean
    Hold On Pearl – Bob Kayli [[TBD)
    I’ll Cry A Million Tears – Mickey McCullers
    I’m Gonna Stay – Mary Wells
    Sleep [[Little One) – Herman Griffin [[TBD)
    What About Me – Eddie Holland [[TBD)

    1963:
    Back To School Again – Morocco Muzik Makers
    Can I Get A Witness – Marvin Gaye
    I’ll Make It Up To You Somehow – Amos Milburn
    I’m Hooked – Bunny Paul [[TBD)
    It Should Have Been Me – Kim Weston
    Not Now, I’ll Tell You Later – The Temptations
    We’re Only Young Once – Bunny Paul
    What Goes Up Must Come Down – Dozier/Holland [[TBD)
    Who Wouldn’t Love A Man Like That [[1963 version) – Mable John [[TBD)
    You Lost The Sweetest Boy – Mary Wells

    1964:
    Set Me Free – Lee Alan
    You’re A Wonderful One – Marvin Gaye

    1965:
    The Touch Of Time – Barbara McNair

    Well Mark, how’s that? Is it similar to your list? I didn’t really go into the albums, like the Mary Wells albums, because the list was dropped before I got that far. I also didn’t go into the unreleased recordings, because then it would have taken a lot longer to tackle.

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    I know the Supremes are not on Eddie Holland's "Just Ain't Enough Love." It's clearly the Andantes.

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    I went on a similar hunt before and, while I know it's confusing, there appears to be two groups of "Primettes" - for instance, there doesn't seem to be any chance "our" Primettes are on those Walt Jessup, Gino Washington or James Velvet records...of course, I could be wrong...

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    These young ladies here refer to themselves as "The Primettes"

    http://www.stagepalm.net/soulandmotown.htm

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    Scroll to near the bottom of this page for more of the "Prim - ettes"

    http://www.shout123.co.uk/roy_g_hemmings.htm

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    "I'll Make It Up to You Somehow" is credited to the Andantes on the Amos Milburn album.

    "You're A Wonderful One" has been discussed many times and is generally accepted as being the Andantes with the addition of Diana Ross.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    These youn ladies here refer to themselves as "The Primettes"

    http://www.stagepalm.net/soulandmotown.htm
    lololololol young ladies? lolololol

    Them ladies havent been young in quite a few decades and I doubt the regular concert goers know who the orinials Primettes were let alone theses middle aged gals. lol

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    I think this guy was a Chicago DJ. The Supremes sound great behind him.

    Last edited by soulballad; 09-03-2013 at 07:42 PM.

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    I'm used to hearing this By the Marvelettes from their Playboy Album. This version with Bunny with the Sups is cute too! the poster of the vid credits the bg's to Martha Reeves, LOL!

    Last edited by soulballad; 09-03-2013 at 07:47 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 144man View Post
    "I'll Make It Up to You Somehow" is credited to the Andantes on the Amos Milburn album.

    "You're A Wonderful One" has been discussed many times and is generally accepted as being the Andantes with the addition of Diana Ross.
    You have that wrong.....sorry. "You're A Wonderful One" is just Flo, Diana and Mary on backups. That came to me from someone who was there.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Roberta75 View Post
    lololololol young ladies? lolololol

    Them ladies havent been young in quite a few decades and I doubt the regular concert goers know who the orinials Primettes were let alone theses middle aged gals. lol
    They're younger than Diana Ross.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    They're younger than Diana Ross.
    zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Yawn zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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    Quote Originally Posted by marv2 View Post
    You have that wrong.....sorry. "You're A Wonderful One" is just Flo, Diana and Mary on backups. That came to me from someone who was there.
    That's not what the session logs say. We've had this discussion before, but I can't get too excited over it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 144man View Post
    That's not what the session logs say. We've had this discussion before, but I can't get too excited over it.
    Really, I personally don't give a shit about the session logs. They are full of mistakes by someone. I go by what the folks behind the microphones say. But you can believe what you want.

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    It's just academic interest now. Whoever's singing doesn't affect my enjoyment of the record. As far as giving credit where credit is due, it's not my battle to fight.

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    Name:  av-5.jpg
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    The Supremes [[not Primettes) sang the backgrounds for Wilson Pickett's Two Correc-Tone cuts in early 1962. They were likely the same group that backed James Velvet's and Gino Washington's Correc-tone recordings at that same time. They had stopped being The Primettes for from over a year before.

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    Quote Originally Posted by bradsupremes View Post
    I know the Supremes are not on Eddie Holland's "Just Ain't Enough Love." It's clearly the Andantes.
    Interesting.

    My ears can hear Diana Ross loud and clear singing the "Ooo-ooo-oo" bit before the backing singers sing "Just Ain't Enough Love".

    When I first bought and played this single back in the late 70s [[strangely, out of a cheap singles box in a newsagent in Kensal Green, I think) that's what struck me about the backing vocals.

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    The Supremes [[not Primettes) sang the backgrounds for Wilson Pickett's Two Correc-Tone cuts in early 1962. They were likely the same group that backed James Velvet's and Gino Washington's Correc-tone recordings at that same time.
    So that was The Supremes [[Diana, Mary & Flo)? I thought the Washington and Velvet records were cut in 1960? Or are these different records/rerecordings? Or maybe I'm just wrong about when they were recorded [[always very possible)?
    Last edited by ejluther; 09-05-2013 at 08:15 AM.

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    In 1976 Diana Ross claimed that she , Mary and Florence were backing Mary Well's on "My Guy". I had never heard that before her interview on CKLW.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ejluther View Post
    So that was The Supremes [[Diana, Mary & Flo)? I thought the Washington and Velvet records were cut in 1960? Or are these different records/rerecordings? Or maybe I'm just wrong about when they were recorded [[always very possible)?
    Name:  av-5.jpg
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    Wilbur Golden didn't even start hiring people to work for his Correc-tone label until early 1962, when he offered Mickey Stevenson and Brian Holland to run his new label. They got Robert Bateman involved, and later, Popcorn Wylie, after Stevenson and Brian, Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier backed out. Gino Washington's and James Velvet's [[James Ellis?) recordings were made in spring 1962. The Primettes' recordings for Robert West [[Lupine 120) were made in 1960, as were the Don Revels, Gene Martin and the Al Garner cuts. Those so-called Marv Johnson cuts were actually sung by Al Garner.

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    Thanks for the info - it's interesting to think of The Primettes/Supremes being on the Washington & Velvet Correc-Tone/Cub records...and so the songs are "Bouquet of Flowers" & "When I Needed You" [[Velvet), "Puppet on a String" & "I'm a Coward" [[Washington)?
    Last edited by ejluther; 09-05-2013 at 04:45 PM.

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    Hi all, I haven’t posted in ages, but I still check in from time to time. Tonight, as I read through this thread, I thought I’d add my two cents:

    Wonderful One – Supremes
    Just Ain’t Enough Love – Andantes
    I’m Hooked – Not Supremes
    Blue Cinderella – I used to think it was the Supremes, but I don’t think it is. We’d need to isolate the background vocals and give it another spin. But I don’t think it’s the Supremes

    As for the Primettes, I have a list around here somewhere, I’ll need to find it. It was going to go into the Meet The Supremes booklet.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Motown Andy View Post
    Hi all, I haven’t posted in ages, but I still check in from time to time. Tonight, as I read through this thread, I thought I’d add my two cents:

    Wonderful One – Supremes
    Just Ain’t Enough Love – Andantes
    I’m Hooked – Not Supremes
    Blue Cinderella – I used to think it was the Supremes, but I don’t think it is. We’d need to isolate the background vocals and give it another spin. But I don’t think it’s the Supremes

    As for the Primettes, I have a list around here somewhere, I’ll need to find it. It was going to go into the Meet The Supremes booklet.
    Hey Andy! How have you been?

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    I've been well, thanks Marv. Hope to get releases moving again soon!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Motown Andy View Post
    I've been well, thanks Marv. Hope to get releases moving again soon!
    Just keep doing a great job. I can wait.

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    Here's a track I know for certain has the Supremes. Can't hear Diana, but Flo, Mary & Barbara all stand out throughout points in the song.



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    Quote Originally Posted by bradsupremes View Post
    Here's a track I know for certain has the Supremes. Can't hear Diana, but Flo, Mary & Barbara all stand out throughout points in the song.


    They all sound rather good to not have been formally trained singers.

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    As for the Primettes, I have a list around here somewhere, I’ll need to find it. It was going to go into the Meet The Supremes booklet.
    That would be great and, as always, thanks for all the great work - can't wait for new releases!

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    Apparently Mary, Florence and the Andantes are backing up Jerry Butler on "Just A Little Bit". I haven't listened to that one in a while but from what I remember you can hear Florence pretty well on that one.

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    I think they're also on Marvin's Wherever I Lay My Hat too.

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    What Makes You Love Him – Sammy Ward
    Bumping this ancient thread to note [[for all you Supremes/Primettes completists out there) that the girls only appear on the second version of this song. Ward sings the first version alone.

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    Another bump: Can anyone confirm that The Sups are singing background on Mary Wells' "He's the One I Love"? I didn't see it listed here, but Benjaminson says it's them in his Wells biography.

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    thanks Sansradio for bumping this thread up. I hope those that like to just argue for the sake of it get to see it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sansradio View Post
    Another bump: Can anyone confirm that The Sups are singing background on Mary Wells' "He's the One I Love"? I didn't see it listed here, but Benjaminson says it's them in his Wells biography.
    I can’t confirm it but to these ears, it doesn’t sound like the Supremes in the background. More like the Andantes.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sansradio View Post
    Another bump: Can anyone confirm that The Sups are singing background on Mary Wells' "He's the One I Love"? I didn't see it listed here, but Benjaminson says it's them in his Wells biography.
    I don't think it's them. I wonder where Benjaminson got that information.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jboy88 View Post
    I think they're also on Marvin's Wherever I Lay My Hat too.
    I wrestle with this one. I want to say it's the Supremes but I think there could be a chance that it's Martha and the Vandellas.

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    Quote Originally Posted by floyjoy678 View Post
    Apparently Mary, Florence and the Andantes are backing up Jerry Butler on "Just A Little Bit". I haven't listened to that one in a while but from what I remember you can hear Florence pretty well on that one.
    According to Mary's first book she's the only Supreme at the Jerry Butler session.

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    I'm almost positive the Supremes are on Joe Stubbs' "What's My Destiny".

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    Thanks to everyone who responded to my HTOIL question. I have the same doubts as each of you do.
    Last edited by sansradio; 05-11-2017 at 01:31 AM.

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    I know this thread is more related to the Original Supremes/Primettes, but Cindy Birdsong and Patti Labelle & the Bluebelles backed up Wilson Pickett on his hit "634-5789".

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    Very cool. I didnt know that.

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    Oh, yes, marv2. That's unmistakably Patti wailing behind Pickett at the fade.

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    Another bump: Aren't the girls also backing Barbara McNair's version of "Fancy Passes"?

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    Quote Originally Posted by sansradio View Post
    Another bump: Aren't the girls also backing Barbara McNair's version of "Fancy Passes"?
    Louvain Demps, Jackie Hicks & Marlene Barrow back up Barbara McNair on Fancy Passes.
    Mary Wilson & Florence Ballard provide back up for both released versions of the Supremes recording of Fancy Passes.

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    You can easily hear Florence Ballard on top in the background here:


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    Quote Originally Posted by carole cucumber View Post
    Louvain Demps, Jackie Hicks & Marlene Barrow back up Barbara McNair on Fancy Passes.
    Mary Wilson & Florence Ballard provide back up for both released versions of the Supremes recording of Fancy Passes.
    Thanks for clearing that up, carole; I recall it being mentioned in a guest-vocal section of a Ross-Supremes discography in one of the bios [[DREAMGIRL or CALL HER..., possibly?).

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    Bump: Our SDF member RanRan79 informs me that The Sups also back Kim Weston on "Feel Alright Tonight."

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