The Supremes were a vastly popular American group in the 1960s with a legacy that has lived on for years. They are a highly ranked act in American musical history. Their music genre is primarily pop-soul sounds. They also incorporated doo-wop, disco, and Broadway show tunes in their songs, which helped them gain massive success.
The Supremes
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History of the Supremes: The Primettes
The Supremes originated in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as part of a duo called the Primes and the Primettes. The Primes were a group that led to the formation of the singing group the Temptations. The Primes group was founded by future Temptations member Paul Williams. The founding members of the Primettes were Diana Ross, Betty McGlown, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard. All four young women were from the Brewster-Douglass public housing project in Detroit. In 1960, the girls released their only single under the Primettes name on the local Lupine music label. Shortly after, McGlown left the group after becoming engaged. She was then replaced by Barbara Martin.
With famed singer and producer Smokey Robinson's help, the group was able to secure an audition with the popular Motown Records. Motown founder Berry Gordy signed the Primettes to a Motown contract in 1961. Gordy also changed the group's name to the Supremes. A year later, Barbara Martin left the group. Ross, Ballard, and Wilson remained and began creating famous songs that are still played today.
The group did not gain instant success and stardom. It took the group and the record label some time to create the specific image and sound that made the Supremes legendary. Gordy tried to pair the group with different songs and musicians for a few years before finally finding a perfect match. In late 1963, Gordy paired the Supremes with the producing and songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. Together, the Supremes and Holland-Dozier-Holland produced their first number one song, which was "Where Did Our Love Go" (1964). Holland-Dozier-Holland also focused on Ross's singing while adding a soft rhythm section with chiming bells. This modern sound led to the Supremes success in the following years.
The trio recorded ten number one hit singles between 1964 and 1967. Some of their other famous songs include "Baby Love" (1964), "Stop in the Name of Love" (1965), and "Can't Hurry Love" (1966). In 1967, Gordy decided to make Diana Ross the lead singer of the Supremes and replaced the exiting Florence Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. Gordy also renamed the group Diana Ross and the Supremes to signify the focus on Ross's vocals and growing career.
