She was the little girl from Detroit with big dreams And along with some friends with similar dreams, Mary Wilson became a founding member of the greatest Motown girl group ever: the Supremes.
Originally the Primettes in 1959, they became the Supremes in 1961 when they signed with Berry Gordy.
It took three years before their first #1 hit record, but the Supremes racked up nearly a dozen more in the ‘60s.
By 1970 the Supremes were a different group. Florence Ballard was gone, so was Diana Ross. Mary Wilson kept the Supremes going into the ‘70s.
But perhaps her biggest success was yet to come.
It was immense success as an author. Her 1986 book Dream Girl became a smash bestseller.
And in 1990 Wilson followed it up with another book, Supreme Faith. I met her that fall to talk about it.
So here now, from 1990, Mary Wilson.
The Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Mary Wilson died in 2021. She was 76.
