The Supremes were an American all-girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Originally known as The Primettes and formed in 1959, The Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal band, with 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100.
The original members of The Supremes were Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown. As The Primettes, they were originally a sister act to The Primes. Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1960, and the group signed with Motown the following year as The Supremes. Martin left in early 1962, leaving the remaining members to perform as a trio.
During the mid-1960s, The Supremes achieved mainstream success with Ross as lead singer. This lead to Motown president Berry Gordy renaming the group as "Diana Ross & The Supremes" and replacing Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Eventually, Ross left and was replaced with Jean Terrell, with the name reverting to "The Supremes".
In the mid-1970s, the line-up changed to Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene before the band eventually disbanded in 1977.
Personnel[]
The Supremes (aka the Primettes and Diana Ross & the Supremes)
- Mary Wilson (1959–1977, 1983; died 2021)
- Diana Ross (1959–1970, 1983, 2000)
- Florence Ballard (1959–1967; died 1976)
- Betty McGlown (1959–1960; died 2008)
- Barbara Martin (1960–1962; died 2020)
- Cindy Birdsong (1967–1972, 1973–1976, 1983)
- Jean Terrell (1970–1973)
- Lynda Laurence (1972–1973, 2000)
- Scherrie Payne (1973–1977, 2000)
- Susaye Greene (1976–1977)
Discography[]
Studio albums
- Meet The Supremes (1962)
- Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
- A Bit of Liverpool (1964)
- The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop (1965)
- We Remember Sam Cooke (1965)
- More Hits by The Supremes (1965)
- Merry Christmas (1965)
- I Hear a Symphony (1966)
- The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966)
- The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland (1967)
- The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart (1967)
- Reflections (1968)
- Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl" (1968)
- Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations (1968)
- Love Child (1968)
- Let the Sunshine In (1969)
- Together (1969)
- Cream of the Crop (1969)
- Right On (1970)
- The Magnificent 7 (1970)
- New Ways but Love Stays (1970)
- The Return of the Magnificent Seven (1971)
- Touch (1971)
- Dynamite (1971)
- Floy Joy (1972)
- The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb (1972)
- The Supremes (1975)
- High Energy (1976)
- Mary, Scherrie & Susaye (1976)