The Supremes
68 articles
Audio interviews
Berry Gordy on the Supremes (2000)
Interview by David Nathan, Rock's Backpages Audio, 2000
The Motown boss looks back at signing the then-Primettes; Diana's "sparkle"; the difficulty in getting the first hits; breaking through with 'Where Did Our Love Go'; going on the road and stealing Smokey's act; hitting internationally with 'Baby Love'; the Motown assembly line and backroom team; playing the Copa and the need to broaden their audience, and their legacy.
File format: mp3; file size: 52.9mb, interview length: 55' 06" sound quality: ***
List of articles in the library
A Great Visit To Hitsville U.S.A.
Interview by Dave Godin, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 4 September 1964
by DAVE GODIN as told to Norman Jopling ...
Report by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 4 September 1964
IT LOOKS AS if the Tamla-Motown group have their second big hit in this country with their Supremes discing 'Where Did Our Love Go'. After ...
Gene Pitney's 72 Days With The Supremes
Interview by Ian Dove, New Musical Express, 2 October 1964
GENE PITNEY recently took a bus journey with the Supremes. They shared front seat views — FOR 72 DAYS AND OVER 30,000 MILES. Gene, who ...
The Supremes, the Righteous Brothers, the Beau Brummels et al: Cow Palace, San Francisco CA
Live Review by Mike Gormley, The Ottawa Journal, 27 February 1965
Righteous Sound Shakes 'Frisco ...
A Warning To The Tamla-Motown Visitors From Their Biggest Fan!
Interview by Ian Dove, New Musical Express, 19 March 1965
BRITAIN'S Mr. Tamla-Motown — he's Dave Godin, organiser of the Tamla-Motown Appreciation Society — was walking around warning the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, the ...
America Hits Back With Tamla Motown Attack
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 March 1965
IN RETALIATION to the British craze sweeping the States, America launches its biggest-ever campaign to bring back the Yanks into the British charts in the ...
The Beatles Will Make the Scene Here Again, but the Scene Has Changed
Overview by Robert Shelton, The New York Times, 11 August 1965
JOHN, PAUL, George and Ringo are bringing it all back home. That means the Beatles are returning to the United States. They will arrive Friday ...
Supreme Supreme: Will Diana Ross Go Solo?
Interview by Nick Jones, Melody Maker, 16 October 1965
"NO COMMENT," said Diana Ross of the Supremes, to the perennial question: "Will you be going solo?" "I've just never thought about it. We're too ...
Profile by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 23 April 1966
WHAT'S IN A name? Success, that's what. ...
The Supremes: The Chic-est Girls In Show Business
Report by Jane Heil, Hit Parader, May 1966
WELL, OF COURSE, their sound: Supreme, tops, five in a row if you're keeping score. But LOOK at them! I mean, those are three swell-looking ...
Holland & Dozier: Motown's Money
Profile and Interview by Carol Deck, KRLA Beat, 10 September 1966
THE SUPREMES strolled into the crowded club where the Temptations were playing and instantly everyone in the room knew they were there. ...
Interview by Nick Jones, Melody Maker, 24 September 1966
WITH THE Supremes at No 6 in the Pop 50 after a rapid climb, all the signs are that we're in for a sustained attack from ...
Who Else but the Supremes Would Pedal a Rickshaw?
Report and Interview by Loraine Alterman, Detroit Free Press, 30 September 1966
IMAGINE DIANA Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard in Taipei, pedalling rickshaws and letting the regular drivers ride in the seat. Picture Mary falling off ...
Interview by Penny Valentine, Disc and Music Echo, 15 October 1966
NO MATTER where they happen to be — Japan or Germany, Australia or Andalusia — a phone call is put in to Mrs. Ross, of ...
Overview by Maureen O'Grady, Rave, November 1966
RAVE's Maureen O'Grady puts on parade some of the greatest and the latest singers of "soul". The sound the "in" crowd said would happen. ...
Review by Richard Goldstein, The Village Voice, 26 January 1967
YOU KNOW something's fishy when you see that elastic grin on Brian Jones's face for the record jacket The title above tells all: 'Let's Spend ...
Holland-Dozier-Holland: This Tamla Trio Top The Hitmakers Chart
Interview by uncredited writer, Melody Maker, 28 January 1967
HOLLAND-DOZIER-Holland may sound like a firm of solicitors, but they must rank among the most prolific songwriting teams in history. ...
Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston, John Lee Hooker, Byrds, Prince Buster et al Album Reviews
Review by Peter Jones, Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 6 May 1967
Some sophisticated new Motown albums ...
Singles from the Supremes and Isley Brothers
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 May 1967
The Supremes: 'The Happening'; 'All I Know About You' (Tamla Motown TMG 607). ...
The Supremes: Copacabana, New York NY
Live Review by Nancy Lewis, Disc and Music Echo, 27 May 1967
Major triumph for Supremes! ...
The Supremes: Cocoanut Grove, Los Angeles CA
Live Review by Pete Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 1967
Standing Ovations for the Supremes ...
How the SUPREMES stopped worrying and started happening...
Interview by Nancy Lewis, Disc and Music Echo, 1 July 1967
NANCY LEWIS, DISC girl in New York, talking to Tamla's top trio! EXCLUSIVE! ...
The Super Supremes: 'Stop in the Name of Love'
Profile by Richard Goldstein, The New York Times, 23 July 1967
THE BREWSTER Project is one of those redbrick slums donated by the city of Detroit to house its local unwashed. Diana Ross, lead singer in ...
The Supremes: Cocoanut Grove, Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles CA
Live Review by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 29 July 1967
Diana Ross: 'Thin Is In!' ...
Supremes' Flo Ballard: It's Said She's Leaving
Report by Loraine Alterman, Detroit Free Press, 1 August 1967
FLORENCE BALLARD of Diana Ross and The Supremes has temporarily asked to be withdrawn from the group, according to a spokesman for Motown Records. ...
The Supremes: Roostertail, Detroit
Live Review by Loraine Alterman, Detroit Free Press, 30 August 1967
Cindy Birdsong, the New Supreme: A Detroit Debut ...
Profile by Nancy Lewis, Disc and Music Echo, 23 September 1967
Reflections on the new girl in the Supremes, Cindy Birdsong, who feels so much like Cinderella... ...
Readers' Letters by uncredited writer, KRLA Beat, 21 October 1967
Dear BEAT: ...
The Supremes: Psychedelic Tamla!
Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 18 November 1967
Brian Holland, one of Motown's famous composing team, speaks to Alan Smith, and tells about PSYCHEDELIC TAMLA! ...
Review by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 13 January 1968
THE BIG R & B companies have a habit of LP release lists which make mouths watery with anticipation. Of course the omnipresent financial problem ...
Tamla's Miracles Break Through At Last!
Report by Norman Jopling, Record Mirror, 20 January 1968
THE FIRST of the Tamla Motown groups, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, have finally made it big in the British charts with their runaway transatlantic ...
Report and Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 27 January 1968
THE SUPREMES didn't sleep for two days at the weekend, then they flew from the warmth of Cannes to the chill of London, after which ...
The Supremes: Talk of the Town, London
Live Review by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 27 January 1968
A WHO'S WHO of British show business made up most of the audience (note I didn't say sat in the audience; half of 'em were ...
Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 3 February 1968
YOU COULD see it: the Supremes were overwhelmed. They sat there in the room and hit back with answers as best they could. Reporters and ...
Report by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 3 February 1968
RM's PETER JONES TRIES TO INTERVIEW THE TRIO'S RETURN ...
The Supremes: Live at London's Talk Of The Town (Tamla Motown 11070)
Review by Peter Jones, Record Mirror, 30 March 1968
Sensational Supremes at Talk Of The Town ...
Comment by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 10 August 1968
CHRIS WELCH records the demise of a chart influence ...
Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Shorty Long: Forest Hills Stadium, Queens NY
Live Review by Ian Dove, Billboard, 17 August 1968
Motown Acts Draw Near-Capacity Crowd ...
Diana Ross: A Talking Instead Of Just A Walking Doll
Report and Interview by Chris Welch, Melody Maker, 30 November 1968
DIANA ROSS is a living doll. But as an all-talking living doll, her new image came as quite a surprise to the pop scene last ...
Albums from the Supremes and Marvin Gaye
Review by uncredited writer, Record Mirror, 11 January 1969
THOSE TAMLA GOODIES ...
Motowners have Racial Problems
Report by Ann Moses, New Musical Express, 27 September 1969
SINCE SO many Motown artists are currently in the British charts, I thought I might pass on some things about them that have been circulating ...
Four Tops Hoping For British Tour, Diana Splits Next Year
Report by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 25 October 1969
ALAN SMITH reports the latest views from DETROIT, A CITY PACKED WITH NATURAL MOTOWN TALENT. ...
Motown: The Gold In Their Bodies
Report and Interview by Philip Norman, The Sunday Times, 1970
CONSIDERED TOGETHER at a party in New York, Nina Simone, the highly political folk singer, and Diana Ross, principal exhibit of the Motown Record Corporation, ...
Super Star Diana Right To Quit Supremes Say Temptations
Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 17 January 1970
ONLY THE absence of 'flu-bound Eddie Kendricks took the edge off the Temptations' arrival in Britain at the weekend, but the rest of them were ...
On Disc: Singles Reviewed By John E. Abbey
Review by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 29 March 1970
RECORD OF THE FORTNIGHT ...
Supremes and Tops aren't Puppets of Motown
Interview by Alan Smith, New Musical Express, 17 July 1971
NME's Alan Smith on the phone to Supreme Jean Terrell in Los Angeles. ...
The Supremes: Soulfully Supreme
Report and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 3 December 1971
2008 introduction: The Supremes were in the UK for their first post-Diana Ross tour with Jean Terrell as the group's new lead singer and Motown ...
The Magnificent Seven Live: The Supremes and the Four Tops live at the Royal Albert Hall, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 17 December 1971
DUE TO lack of publicity, the International Children's Aid Charity concert on Tuesday November 30 at the Royal Albert Hall was not as well attended ...
Profile by Geoffrey Cannon, The Guardian, 1 May 1972
Author's update, 2019. "The Manchester Guardian? That's the best fuckin' newspaper in the world!" So David Crosby told me in early 1969. He had answered ...
The Supremes, Arthur Conley: Kilburn State, London
Live Review by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 30 March 1973
AWARE OF all the 'changes' that have been going on with the Supremes of late, it was natural to hope that some of the new, ...
Profile and Interview by David Nathan, Blues & Soul, 26 February 1974
PERHAPS MORE than any other female group around today, The Supremes have undergone what seem like almost regular personnel changes and to my mind, it's ...
Review by Ian MacDonald, New Musical Express, 6 July 1974
I NEVER COULD understand why so many Rock Critics (sic) couldn't stomach The Supremes. ...
Review by Cliff White, New Musical Express, 2 August 1975
FIRST, THE GOOD NEWS. The Supremes' new LP is a winner. ...
The Supremes: The Supremes (Tamla Motown) (32.16)
Review by Jonh Ingham, Sounds, 16 August 1975
SIX PRODUCERS on one record? Is this some kind of a joke? I've heard of Rick Derringer dreaming of a different producer for each song ...
The Supremes at Hammersmith Odeon
Live Review by Vivien Goldman, New Musical Express, 13 September 1975
NEXT TIME YOU have the opportunity, check out Motown's Anthology of Diana Ross and the Supremes' Greatest Hits. Unless you're an avid fan whose every ...
Retrospective by Tony Cummings, Black Music, October 1975
THE LEGENDARY Supremes are back in Britain. Showbusiness cannot exist without legends. Be it a crackvoiced Sinatra, or a drawling Dylan, a cool crooner or ...
New Supremes Will Spearhead New Motown Era
Profile and Interview by John Abbey, Blues & Soul, 5 July 1977
The rumours suggested that the Supremes might soon be no more. But, though Mary is leaving to go solo, Susaye and Scherrie will continue with ...
Diana Ross and the Supremes: 20 Golden Greats
Review by Mick Farren, New Musical Express, 10 September 1977
IF THEY weren't the highest form, they sure as hell were the most refined. The three-piece girl vocal group is almost a dying art. Only ...
Berry Gordy: The Tracks of My Years
Interview by Michael Goldberg, New Musical Express, 18 August 1990
BERRY GORDY, the man who invented the "Sound of Young America", has seen the story of his monumentally influential Motown label told in a succession ...
Retrospective by Johnny Black, MOJO, April 1997
"ONE DAY IN mid-April we were all summoned to berry’s home on Outer Drive," remembers Mary Wilson of The Supremes. "As I drove there, I ...
Report by Caroline Sullivan, The Guardian, 2 August 1999
So Mel C thinks Geri H is untalented, does she? When girl bands break up, says Caroline Sullivan, the pops get personal ...
Retrospective by Bill Brewster, bbc.co.uk, 2001
MANY YEARS BEFORE anyone had ever heard of Hear'Say; and when Kylie and Jason were but a twinkle in Pete Waterman's rheumy eye, the Supremes ...
Retrospective and Interview by Barney Hoskyns, Radio Times, 2005
FOR SOME PEOPLE, the terms "Soul" and "Motown" are almost synonymous. When they think of soul music, timeless sounds and images of the Supremes and ...
Interview by Lois Wilson, Record Collector, July 2008
Mary Wilson Recalls The Highs And Lows Of The Most Successful Girl Group Of All Time. Interview By Lois "No Relation" Wilson ...
Retrospective and Interview by Alan Light, MSN.com, January 2009
FIFTY YEARS AGO this month in Detroit, a 29-year-old African-American songwriter named Berry Gordy, Jr – a former boxer, autoworker, and Army veteran – borrowed ...
Mary Wilson: "Motown was like walking into Disneyland"
Interview by Barbara Ellen, The Observer, 29 October 2019
MARY WILSON, 75, was a founding member of the Supremes, with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard. At their 1960s peak, with Detroit-based Motown records, the ...
Mary Wilson: "Motown was like walking into Disneyland"
Interview by Barbara Ellen, The Observer, 29 October 2019
MARY WILSON, 75, was a founding member of the Supremes, with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard. At their 1960s peak, with Detroit-based Motown records, the ...
see also Diana Ross
see also Mary Wilson
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