The Supremes
The Supremes were a popular female group of the 1960âs. Florence Ballard, born on June 30, 1943 and Mary Wilson born on March 6, 1944, each moved to Detroit in early life from Mississippi. Diana Ernestine Earle Ross was born on March 26, 1944 in Detroit. Starting out in 1958 as The Primettes, changing their name upon signing a recording contract with Motown in 1961, The Supremes had limited success until âWhen the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyesâ hit the pop charts in late 1963.
Sparked by airplay from Top 40 radio, in 1964 they would begin a seven year streak of million selling chart toppers, âWhere Did Our Love Goâ, âBaby Loveâ, âCome See About Meâ, âStop in the Name of Loveâ, âBack in my Arms Againâ, âI Hear a Symphonyâ, âMy World is Empty Without Youâ, âLove is Like an Aching In My Heartâ, âYou Canât Hurry Loveâ, âYou Keep Me Hanging Onâ, âLove is Here and Now Youâre Goneâ, âThe Happeningâ, âReflectionsâ, âIn and Out of Loveâ, âLove Childâ, âIâm Gonna Make You Love Meâ, âIâm Living In Shameâ, âSomeday Weâll Be Togetherâ, âUp the Ladder To the Roofâ and âStoned Loveâ.[1][2]
In June of 1967, their name changed during an appearance at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, to âDiana Ross & The Supremesâ with Cindy Birdsong replacing Florence Ballard. Diana Ross would begin her own solo career in 1970 following an appearance engagement at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas.
Over the next dozen years, Diana would have million sellers of her own with, âAinât No Mountain High Enoughâ, âTouch Me In the Morningâ, âDo You Know Where Youâre Going Toâ, âLove Hangoverâ, âUpside Downâ, âIâm Coming Outâ, âItâs My Turnâ, âEndless Loveâ, âWhy do Fools Fall in Loveâ, âMirror, Mirrorâ and âMissing Youâ.
As an actress, Diana Ross also starred in the motion pictures, âLady Sings the Bluesâ, âMahoganyâ and âThe Wizâ.
The Supremes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 and were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994. In 2007 Diana Ross & the Supremes were inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Florence Ballard died on February 22, 1976.