Showing posts with label Supremes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Supremes. Show all posts

Farewell, Mary Wilson, co-founder of The Supremes

Singer Mary Wilson of the Supremes died yesterday at age 76. She formed the group in 1959 with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard and was the mainstay of the trio, backing Diana Ross through the hit years of the 1960s and staying on after Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong in 1967 and after Ross left and was replaced by Jean Terrell in 1970.

Wilson later became a solo artist and wrote a best-selling autobiography, "Dream Girl: My Life as a Supreme," in 1986. In the years since, she continued to perform concerts, appear on TV and write books about her life inside and outside of Motown's most successful group.

Here she is taking a rare solo spotlight with the Supremes in 1969.

Coming Up: The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland: Expanded Edition


One of the Supremes' strongest LPs in expanded form. Out June 15. Order from Amazon now.

Details:

This 2CD Expanded Edition of The Supremes’ chart-topping, ‘The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland,’ includes a whopping 52 tracks that magnify the scope of a seminal album that made history. It includes 28 tracks heard for the first time via updated mixes & alternate versions, as well as a score of electrifying live performances captured at the Copacabana nightclub in New York City in May 1967, the last recorded performance of the original trio: Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard.

Disc: 1

  1. You Keep Me Hangin' On (Mono)
  2. You're Gone (But Always In My Heart) (Mono)
  3. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone (Mono)
  4. Mother You, Smother You (Mono)
  5. I Guess I'll Always Love You (Mono)
  6. I'll Turn To Stone (Mono)
  7. It's The Same Old Song (Mono)
  8. Going Down For The Third Time (Mono)
  9. Love Is In Our Hearts (Mono)
  10. Remove This Doubt (Mono)
  11. There's No Stopping Us Now (Mono)
  12. (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave (Mono)
  13. You Keep Me Hangin' On (Stereo)
  14. You're Gone (But Always In My Heart) (Stereo)
  15. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone (Stereo)
  16. Mother You, Smother You (Stereo)
  17. I Guess I'll Always Love You (Stereo)
  18. I'll Turn To Stone (Stereo)
  19. It's The Same Old Song (Stereo)
  20. Going Down For The Third Time (Stereo)
  21. Love Is In Our Hearts (Stereo)
  22. Remove This Doubt (Stereo)
  23. There's No Stopping Us Now (Stereo)
  24. (Love Is Like A) Heat Wave (Stereo)
  25. The Happening (Extended hit mix) (Bonus Track)
  26. All I Know About You (Extended mix) (Bonus Track)
  27. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone (Version 3) (Bonus Track)
  28. We Couldn't Get Along Without You (Extended mix) (Bonus Track)
  29. You Keep Me Hangin' On (Extended "cool" alternate) (Bonus Track)

 

Disc: 2

  1. You Can't Hurry Love (Extended alternate)
  2. The Happening (Film versions)
  3. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone (Version 1)
  4. You're Gone (But Always In My Heart) (Gladys Knight and The Pips Duet mix)
  5. I Guess I'll Always Love You (Extended mix)
  6. Going Down For The Third Time (Extended mix)
  7. Remove This Doubt (Extended mix)
  8. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) - Where Did Our Love Go (Motown Mashup)
  9. Put On A Happy Face (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  10. Medley: Stop! In The Name Of Love/Come See About Me/My World Is Empty Without You/Baby Love (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  11. My Favorite Things (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  12. You Keep Me Hangin' On (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  13. The Lady Is A Tramp/Let's Get Away From It All (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  14. I Hear A Symphony (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  15. From This Moment On (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  16. Queen Of The House (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  17. Love Is Here And Now You're Gone (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  18. Somewhere (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  19. You Can't Hurry Love (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  20. Medley: Thoroughly Modern Millie/Second Hand Rose/Mame (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  21. Group Introductions (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  22. You're Nobody Til Somebody Loves You (Live At The Copa May 1967)
  23. The Happening (Live At The Copa May 1967)


Out Friday: Supreme Rarities: Motown Lost & Found


Details:

As the hometown girls who conquered the world, Diana Ross and the Supremes are inarguably the most successful, highest selling girl group of all time.

From their inauspicious start as the long-forgotten Primettes, to their ascension past the moniker of 'no-hit Supremes' through the ranks of Motown's rank-and-file to globe-trotting superstars, this group is as pure and quintessential Detroit Motor City as you can get.

Originally released on 2xCD in in 2008, the Supremes 'Supreme Rarities' from the Motown Lost & Found Series collects from the depths of the label archives to showcase the rarities, the outtakes and the incomparable live recordings from this inimitable group of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.

Listen to the story unfold from the innocent teenaged doo-wop of 'You Can Depend On Me' from 1960 all the way through the slick, socially-conscious refinement of 'I'm Livin' in Shame' from 1969.

Aside a handful of forgotten vinyl releases decades ago, the majority of this material has not been released on vinyl. Until now. Third Man, in a unique partnership with Universal Music, has taken this double-CD and turned it into a glorious 4xLP collection housed in an impeccably-designed slipcase, all watercolor pastel vibrant photos highlight how absolutely impeccable this group is.

Of particular interest is that 'Supreme Rarities' are the first Motown records EVER pressed in the city of Detroit. Diana Ross attended high school at Cass Tech, a mere mile away from Third Man Pressing where these this title was lovingly pressed, which is also just a mile away from the Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects where Ross and fellow Supremes Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard all grew up.

The 48 tracks included here include the earliest Primettes tracks, invigorating covers of The Rolling Stones 'Satisfaction' and the Beatles 'I Saw Her Standing There', along with renditions of hits for OTHER Motown artists like 'Mickey's Monkey' and 'Uptight (Everything's Alright)' in addition to alternate vocal takes of stone cold certified smashes like 'You Can't Hurry Love' and 'Someday We'll Be Together.' And if you want the hits medley, 'Come See About Me', 'Baby Love' and 'Stop! In the Name of Love' will wonderfully whet your appetite.

180 gram vinyl. All sleeves are Stoughton tip-on with amazing full color restored photos and notes.


Christmas album of the day: The Supremes "Merry Christmas"

This one is out in a new 2-CD version from Real Gone Music, but I still play my needle-drop of the vinyl classic. This is Diana, Flo and Mary at their best - and at their cheesiest. "Little Bright Star" is a thumping floor-filler as good as any non-Holiday Motown single. Same with "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." "Christmas Children's Song," on the other hand, features bonkers spoken word sections from Di and she does the Santa parts on "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in a campy British accent. But this is why love her, right?