Thursday, June 25th at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles, many legends of the classic Motown label gathered with fans and supporters for the opening of the exhibit, Legends Of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes. Those in attendance were treated to a discussion with original Supreme Mary Wilson. We take for granted that which is ever present in our lives. Sometimes we need a reminder to understand the significance of things. This can be said about Motown, the Detroit record label that crossed over race music to the broader American households making R&B music, and black communities acceptable in the height of the Civil Rights movement. As it stands, we grow up hearing the hit songs, more than I can recall, on our parents oldies stations, in the aisles as we shop and in the background of scenes in movies. Luckily we still have many of those that were there to put it all in perspective historically, and culturally, so we don’t think of them as “just songs.”
Listening to Mary Wilson speak you realize that in the 1960s, when America was still very much racially divided, Motown was a conduit that brought people closer. A brand that molded young underprivileged diamonds in the rough into refined, classy superstars worthy of the limelight that success provided. This refinement allowed for American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show to project black faces into the homes of millions on a weekly basis. At a time when The Beatles dominated the airwaves, 3 young girls named The Supremes dared to knock them off the charts (several times) becoming one of the most successful pop acts in history.
Ms. Wilson came to the stage of the Clive Davis Theater armed with a charisma and jazz singer’s voice that, as one attendee asked, makes you wonder why Barry Gordy (Motown’s patriarch) even considered Diana Ross as the front woman of the group. She charmed the crowd with tales of how the girls met as the Primettes, an offshoot of the Primes (the original name of the Temptations), got singed to Motown and became the “No Hits Supremes” for the first few years of the early 60s. As the other girl groups consistently topped the charts eventually the writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland came in with a series of classics that defined the trio’s style. “Where Did Our Love Go” and “Baby Love” were slower than the hits of the Marvelettes with a more bubble-gum feel, and with the decision to make Diana Ross the star of the group the singles went to #1. As the night progressed, Ms. Wilson described the process at Motown that included etiquette lessons, Choreography and more which were the secret weapons that helped them and others crossover as labels like Stax stayed rooted in the African American community. When asked which song out of their catalogue (which contains 12 number ones) she would suggest to a young music fan looking for the definitive Supremes song she said the one that still resounds as true and honest over the years of her touring, now as the front woman, would have to be 1967’s “Reflections”. A fitting title for the occasion.
The exhibit itself works primarily as a fashion gallery. Donated from Mary Wilson’s private collection, the display shows some of the iconic dresses decked in sequins and beads that the group wore throughout the 60s and 70s. While video displays show classic TV performances, plaques offer a chronological history bulleting the highlights of their decades long career from the Brewster Projects through Diana Ross leaving to their line up changes and last string of hits. This wasn’t just a group. They were a conduit between 2 cultures, a wrecking ball taking down dividing walls, a feel good alternative to the serious protest music during a time of major civil unrest. This is apparent in the various items on display including a letter from Barry Gordy to the office of President Lyndon Johnson who had the Supremes perform at a function of his. TLC and Destiny’s Child may have since surpassed The Supremes in sales but no group, male or female, can match the impact of Diana, Mary and Florence.
Legends Of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes is on display now through Spring 2016 at The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles.
The Grammy Museum
800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015
Regular Museum Hours: M-F 11:30am – 7:30pm, Sat-Sun 10:00am – 7:30pm
photo credit: Tabrina Hobson/WireImage.com
The photo of the four Supremes left to right are Jean Terrell, Scherrie Payne, Susaye Greene, and Mary Wilson