Washington – Mary Wilson, who co-founded The Supremes and remained a member of the group until they split up, has died at the age of 76.
The singer passed away at her home in Henderson, Nevada, her publicist Jay Schwartz announced, but he did not confirm the cause of death.
The Supremes were known for hits such as Baby Love and You Can’t Hurry Love.
The group was founded in Detroit as The Primettes in 1959, when Wilson was 15 years old.
Singer Beverley Knight tweeted:”Mary Wilson along with Florence Ballard and Diana Ross changed the game permanently. Hit after hit after hit, on regular rotation to this day. A Supreme Titan may have left us but that legacy will never be surpassed.”
The founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy, said in a statement: “I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family, Mary Wilson of the Supremes.
“The Supremes 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.”
A funeral for Wilson will be held privately due to COVID-19 restrictions, her family said, but a celebration of her life will take place later this year.
Wilson was an original member of the group alongside Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Barbara Martin.
Martin left the group before they became successful, and The Supremes continued as a trio. The Supremes became Motown’s most successful act of the 1960s scoring 12 number one singles in the US. (BBC)
