Mary Wilson, whose famous voice helped The
Supremes change music during the 60s, will perform in Uruguay
in October.
The concerts, organized by the Embassy of
the United States of America, will give Uruguayan audiences
the opportunity to see an American music legend perform
in this country for the first time.
The Supremes, which included singer Diana
Ross, had No. 1 hits with 12 different songs, causing an
incredible impact on pop music of the times. Only Elvis
and the Beatles proved to have as far-reaching an appeal.
Mary Wilson has also shared the stage with Mick Jagger,
Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
Performances of “The Supremes, Starring
Mary Wilson” are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4 at
8 p.m. at Cine Teatro Plaza and Sunday, Oct. 5, at 7:30
p.m. at the Conrad Hotel in Punta del Este.
Entrance to both concerts will be by invitation
only. Information on obtaining an invitation will be announced
shortly.
The Radisson Victoria Plaza Hotel is sponsoring
the performance in Montevideo, while the Conrad Hotel is
the sponsor in Punta del Este.
FROM DETROIT TO WORLD STARDOM
It was a vision of musical stardom as a Detroit
teenager that inspired Mary Wilson to become part of what
turned into the most successful female singing group in
recording history – the Supremes.
Although music will always be her primary
focus, Mary enjoys spreading her creative wings in other
areas. The only original Supreme to undertake the challenge
of legitimate theatre, last year Wilson starred in a national
tour of “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies,”
the celebrated tribute to the music of the legendary jazz
great.
Wilson made her stage debut in 1988 starring
in “Beehive,” a musical tribute to the female
groups of the sixties.“ She also performed in a run
of “The Vagina Monologues” at the Detroit Opera
House this past March.
Her love for singing blossomed when, at the
age of 13, she befriended Florence Ballard, Betty McGlown,
and Diana Ross. Fueled by their mutual obsession with music
and their driving ambition for stardom, the quartet formed
a singing group, the Primettes. Together they auditioned
for Motown and were later signed to the fledging label.
One of them dropped out and, now a trio, they became the
Supremes.
12 NO. 1 HIT SONGS AND FORTY ALBUMS
With twelve No. 1 hits, including “Where
Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come
See About Me,” “Stop in the Name of Love,”
“My World is Empty Without You,” and nearly
40 albums, the Supremes were without a doubt one of the
most influential, memorable, and successful icons of the
turbulent 1960s. Only Elvis and the Beatles proved to have
as far-reaching an appeal and impact on the pop music of
the times.
The Supremes officially broke up in 1977
and in 1979 Mary Wilson recorded her first solo album. As
testimony to the success of the Supremes, Mary shared the
stage with Mick Jagger, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison
in January 1988 when the Supremes were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1994, the Supremes were honored
with their star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In a review of a recent concert performance,
the South Bend Tribune raved, “With a voice as vibrant
now as it was at 15 when she started her music career, Wilson
worked her way through more than three decades of diverse
material, from Mick Jagger to Michael Jackson to Mariah
Carey. Still Supreme — Mary Wilson delights fans of
old and new.”
