Mary Wilson (singer)

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Mary Wilson (1994)

Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944 in Greenville , Mississippi , † February 8, 2021 in Henderson , Nevada ) was an American soul singer who was best known as a founding member of the girl group The Supremes . She was the only member who was part of the group from its formation in 1959 until its official dissolution in 1977.

Career

Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross (The Supremes, 1965)

Mary Wilson rarely sang the lead vocal in the Supremes, as this role was mostly filled by Diana Ross . An exception is, for example, the first single from the Supremes from 1960, still released as "The Primettes". Here Wilson sings the first voice on the B-side Pretty Baby .

After Ross' departure from the group in 1970, Wilson sang the lead vocals alongside Jean Terrell in the two American top 40 hits, Floy Joy and Automatically Sunshine (1972) .

After the official dissolution of the Supremes, Wilson signed a solo contract with Motown and released the disco album Mary Wilson (1979), which only reached one of the bottom places in the R&B charts . The song Red Hot was the only one of her single releases to reach number 95 in the American R&B - and number 85 in the disco charts . Even after that, she occasionally recorded solo records, which, however, had no success.

Wilson's autobiographies Dreamgirl - My Life as a Supreme (1986) and Supreme Faith - Someday We'll Be Together (1990), in which she critically examined her past as a member of the Supremes, caused a sensation .

In 1988, Mary Wilson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a founding member of the Supremes .

Private

Mary Wilson was married to Pedro Antonio Ferrer from 1974 to 1981 and has three children with him. Their son Rafael died in 1994 at the age of 14 after a car accident in which Wilson was seriously injured. This is one of the reasons why the singer later became involved in various charities for children. Wilson also adopted her cousin's seven-year-old son in the late 1960s.

Discography

Albums

  • 1979: Mary Wilson (Motown)
  • 1992: Walk the Line (CEO)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Honoring Mary Wilson. February 9, 2021, accessed February 9, 2021 .
  2. ↑ Mary Wilson in the US charts (Billboard)
  3. ^ Joel Whitburn: Top R&B Singles 1942-1995, 1996 ISBN 0-89820-115-2
  4. ^ Joel Whitburn: Hot Dance / Disco 1974-2003, 2004, ISBN 0-89820-156-X
  5. ^ Singer / author Mary Wilson hurt, son killed in accident , United Press International (Archives), January 31, 1994
  6. ^ Mary Wilson: The only time I could escape was on stage , Charlotte Heathcote, Express, May 31, 2009
personal data
SURNAME Wilson, Mary
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American soul singer
DATE OF BIRTH March 6, 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH Greenville , Mississippi
DATE OF DEATH February 8, 2021
Place of death Las Vegas , Nevada