Mary Wilson Dies: Supremes Co-Founder Was 76
Mary Wilson, a founding member of Motown legends the Supremes, has died at the age of 76.
Her friend and publicist Jay Schwartz confirmed that Wilson died suddenly at her home in Henderson, Nevada. The cause of death was not disclosed.
Motown founder Berry Gordy called Wilson a trailblazing diva after she signed for the record label in 1961 and remained with the original Supremes line-up until their final performance in 1970. In that time, they had 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including Baby Love and Stop! In the Name of Love.
In a statement, Gordy said: “I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family, Mary Wilson.
“The Supremes were always known as the ‘sweethearts of Motown.’ Mary, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, came to Motown in the early 1960s. After an unprecedented string of No. 1 hits, television and nightclub bookings, they opened doors for themselves, the other Motown acts, and many, many others. … I was always proud of Mary.
“She was quite a star in her own right and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of the Supremes. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed.”
Alongside her music achievements, Wilson had a screen career. She starred in the 2019 edition of Dancing with the Stars, while Wilson also featured in soccer movie Golden Shoes and in NBC’s 1960s Tarzan TV series.