Mark Clague, a music professor and academic administrator at the University of Michigan, said several Motown performers have wound up in Las Vegas later in their careers.
“The devotion of so many Motown singers to Las Vegas has a lot to do with the power of their fame, but also the economics of the recording industry in the 1960s and 70s,” Clague told Casino.org.
“While artists today can reach an audience directly, before the Internet they needed a major label,” Clague explained. “There was no retirement plan at Motown, so even singers with as much success as Mary Wilson have needed to keep the money flowing later in their careers.”
Clague adds that Wilson in many ways “carried the … glamour and empowerment” associated with The Supremes forward.
“To be a Supreme was not only to have a great voice, but to embody the concept of 1960s Black empowerment in melody, motion, style, and diplomatic eloquence. Mary Wilson was the epitome of a Supreme.”
When recalling the group, Suzanne Smith said it was “The most successful crossover group in the label s history.” But Motown’s Berry Gordy Jr. s obsession with The Supremes’ appeal to white audiences often went too far, Smith added.
She noted, for instance, “His decision to have the group sing Broadway show tunes like ‘Tea for Two’ during their debut at the Copacabana, which fell flat.”
Supremes Will Live On, Diana Ross SaysReacting to news of her death on Monday, Gordy said, I was always proud of Mary . Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva, and will be deeply missed.
Diana Ross also recalled wonderful memories of The Supremes.
https://twitter.com/DianaRoss/status/1359107845623455753?s=20
