were an
American
girl group
formed in
Detroit, Michigan,
in 1959
as
A premier act
of
Motown Records
during the 1960s,
the Supremes
were the most
commercially successful
of Motown's acts
and the most
successful American
vocal band,
with 12
number-one singles
on the
Billboard Hot 100.
Most of these hits
were written and
produced by
Motown's main
songwriting
and production team,
Holland–Dozier–Holland.
Their breakthrough
is considered to
have made it possible
for future
African-American
R&B and soul musicians
to find
mainstream success.
Billboard ranked
the Supremes
as the 16th
greatest Hot 100
artist of all time.
Florence Ballard,
Mary Wilson,
Diana Ross,
and
Betty McGlown,
the original members,
were all from the
Brewster-Douglass
public housing project
in Detroit.
Forming as
the Primettes,
they were the
sister act
to the Primes
with
Paul Williams
and
Eddie Kendricks,
who went on to
form
the Temptations
Barbara Martin
replaced McGlown
in 1960,
and the group signed
with Motown
as
the Supremes.
Martin left the group
in early 1962,
and Ross,
Ballard,
and
Wilson
continued as a trio.
During the mid-1960s,
the Supremes
achieved mainstream success
with Ross
as lead singer
and
Holland–Dozier–Holland
as its songwriting
and production team.
In 1967,
Motown president
Berry Gordy
renamed the group
Diana Ross & the Supremes,
and replaced
Ballard with
Cindy Birdsong.
In 1970,
Ross left to
pursue a
solo career
and was
replaced by
Jean Terrell,
and the group's
name was
reverted to
the Supremes.
During the mid-1970s,
the lineup continued
to change with
Lynda Laurence,
Scherrie Payne
and
Susaye Greene
joining until the group,
18 years after
its formation,
disbanded in 1977.
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