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TTTDawg Offline OP
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Everyone loved "The Supremes". HUGE back then. No doubt a good listen nowadays as well.

RIP Ms Mary Wilson

(CNN)Mary Wilson, a founding member of "The Supremes" has died at the age of 76, her publicist told CNN.

Wilson "passed away suddenly this evening," according to a statement from her longtime friend and publicist, Jay Schwartz.

The singer was at her home in Henderson, Nevada. She is survived by her daughter, son, several grandchildren, a sister and brother.

Breaking Barriers
Wilson was a "trendsetter who broke down social, racial, and gender barriers," Schwartz said in his statement.

She began her career in Detroit in 1959 as a singer in what was then called "The Primettes." They went on to become "The Supremes," Motown's most successful group of the 1960s, with 12 number one singles including "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," and "Stop! In the name of Love."

"Their influence not only carries on in contemporary R&B, soul and pop, they also helped pave the way for mainstream success by Black artists across all genres," the statement said.

In 2018, Billboard celebrated the 60th anniversary of Motown with a list of "The Hot 100's Top Artists of All Time," and listed The Supremes at number 16, according to the statement.

Wilson's legacy went beyond singing, Schwartz noted. She became a bestselling author, motivational speaker, businesswoman, and US Cultural Ambassador, he said.
"Wilson used her fame and flair to promote a diversity of humanitarian efforts including ending hunger, raising HIV/AIDS awareness and encouraging world peace," the publicist said.

Wilson was also instrumental in passing the Music Modernization Act (MMA) in 2018, which aimed to modernize copyright-related issues for new music and audio recordings in the face of new technology like digital streaming which did not protect music recorded before February 15, 1972, the statement said.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/09/entertainment/mary-wilson-supremes-death/index.html


Let this sink in..... On 12-31-23 it be will 123123.
On the flip side, you can tune a piano but you can't tune-a-fish.


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Originally Posted By: TTTDawg


Wilson was also instrumental in passing the Music Modernization Act (MMA) in 2018, which aimed to modernize copyright-related issues for new music and audio recordings in the face of new technology like digital streaming which did not protect music recorded before February 15, 1972, the statement said.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/09/entertainment/mary-wilson-supremes-death/index.html



This was very important.

RIP

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RIP Ms. Mary


If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.

GM Strong




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Loved the Supremes ... RIP Mary Wilson.

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Classy woman, gracious guest artist, and knock-out performer.

One concert of hers, and you realize that she was the true talent in The Supremes. Pop tunes, Jazz standards... accompanied herself on piano, and told humorous, compelling stories about her time in the Supremes. When she performed Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," that was it for me. It's the first time (and only time) I ever stopped playing mid-piece to compose myself. Choking up a little right now just remembering it.

This one hurts.


"too many notes, not enough music-"
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TTTDawg Offline OP
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Say no more Clem.....



Let this sink in..... On 12-31-23 it be will 123123.
On the flip side, you can tune a piano but you can't tune-a-fish.


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Originally Posted By: Clemdawg
Classy woman, gracious guest artist, and knock-out performer.

One concert of hers, and you realize that she was the true talent in The Supremes. Pop tunes, Jazz standards... accompanied herself on piano, and told humorous, compelling stories about her time in the Supremes. When she performed Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," that was it for me. It's the first time (and only time) I ever stopped playing mid-piece to compose myself. Choking up a little right now just remembering it.

This one hurts.


Beautiful post, this is so incredibly sad.

Last edited by sk8termom; 02/09/21 09:36 PM.

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TTT:
Couldn't watch it the night we posted in this thread.
Just watched it tonight.


I'm only good for a couple of these examples every year or so. They take too much out of me. I get sucked into the notes, the chords, the lyrics, the ethos... it's too easy to get lost when Art hits this close to the soul.

Every gig I do is a highwire act: how much do I give? How much do I take? How far can I push the limits before the limits push back?

On our date, Ms. Wilson chose to use the version that featured full string section, instead of the lone piano version heard here. She travelled with her own Music Director, who knew the tunes inside-out, led the rehearsals/concerts, and played piano for her on solo tunes. Mary took a moment in reh to talk to us:

"Usually, [insert first name here- I can't remember Dude's name-] and I do this voice/piano, but we heard you all in the first half, and at the break, we agreed that 'Detroit's Little Sister' was grown enough to play this for BHM. On your stands, you'll find a new chart. We're going to give it a run right now. If it works, it's in. If we struggle, well... [insert name here] and I can do the stripped-down version. Y'all wanna try this?"

From the first moments, I knew this arrangement was The s#. Wonderful writing, great arrangement. It took a few extra stops and starts to figure out when/where Ms. Wilson might stretch/compress her timings, but we got it figured out: watch the guy waving his arms and banging on the piano. He knows this artist better than you ever could.

You simply had to be there to experience what this piece did to these people, TTT. Onstage, we barely held it together. When we finished that last long, long, loooong chord that disappeared into silence, the entire hall was silent for almost 10 seconds. 10 seconds in a live setting is an eternity. 10 seconds is like Church time- on steroids.

And then, it started: that "one hand clapping" cliché they run in movies? It really happens.

The entire concert came to a halt, because Ms. Mary Wilson elicited from that audience a standing ovation that lasted over 2 minutes.

We stood on that stage humbled by the spontaneous expression of civic pride and support that night. It was almost embarrassing to stand for that long, until I remembered that this show of love was for Ms. Wilson. After that, I was content to stand for as long as necessary.

There were 2-3 other pieces we played to finish out the date. I think we finished with a hit Supremes tune, but my memory of the night is cemented in that rendition we did of "Strange Fruit." That entire audience allowed themselves to feel the full weight of Ms. Holiday's protest song, filtered through Ms. Wilson's own experiences/interpretation.

It was one of the most amazing nights I've ever spent in this weirdazz job.


"too many notes, not enough music-"
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Originally Posted By: Clemdawg
Classy woman, gracious guest artist, and knock-out performer.

One concert of hers, and you realize that she was the true talent in The Supremes. Pop tunes, Jazz standards... accompanied herself on piano, and told humorous, compelling stories about her time in the Supremes. When she performed Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit," that was it for me. It's the first time (and only time) I ever stopped playing mid-piece to compose myself. Choking up a little right now just remembering it.

This one hurts.




That’s very cool.

RIP Mary Wilson

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Oddly enough I took an African American lit class in college taught by a Jewish man on account that there was similarities in both the Jewish and African American experiences. What followed was 12 weeks of gut punching, heart wrenching, thought provoking, humor and wit, charm and grace and some of the best writing I have read till then and since. From Dubois to Douglas to Baldwin, to King. Reading Lester's To Be A Slave to Native Son, Color Purple and back to the Spirituals that absolutely floored me. The power contained in those poems and songs . . .

Strange Fruit is just as powerful and she nailed the essence.

Sorry to hear of her passing. What an icon!

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