'Trailblazer and forever Sweetheart of Motown': Supremes co-founder Mary Wilson dies

  • Video report by ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar

Mary Wilson, who co-founded legendary Motown group The Supremes, has died aged 76. Wilson died in Las Vegas, publicist Jay Schwartz told KABC-TV. When she died and other details weren’t immediately clear.

Wilson, Diana Ross and Florence Ballard made up the first successful configuration of The Supremes. She stayed with the group until it was officially disbanded by Motown in 1977. Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong in 1967, and Wilson stayed with the group until it was officially disbanded by Motown in 1977.

The group’s first No. 1, million-selling song, “Where Did Our Love Go,” was released June 17, 1964.

Touring at the time, Wilson said there was a moment when she realised they had a hit song.

“I remember that instead of going home on the bus, we flew,” she told the Associated Press in 2014.

“That was our first plane ride. We flew home. We had really hit big.”

The group also recorded the hit songs You Can’t Hurry Love, Up The Ladder To The Roof, and Stop! In The Name Of Love.

“I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family, Mary Wilson of the Supremes,” said Motown founder Berry Gordy in a statement, according to Variety.

“The Supremes were always known as the ‘sweethearts of Motown’.”