Mary Wilson, an Original Member of the Supremes, has Dies at the age of 76

Written By CelebDopeTea 8:11 Pm Tuesday 9, 2021

Mary Wilson, a member of "The Supremes" has died at the age of 76, Wilson "passed away suddenly this evening," according to a statement from her longtime friend, Jay Schwartz. The death was confirmed by her publicist, Jay Schwartz. No cause was given. Formed in Detroit as the Primettes in 1959, the Supremes, whose other two original members were Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, made their mark with hits like “Baby Love” and “Stop! In the Name of Love” whose smooth blend of R&B and pop helped define the Motown sound.

Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, said in a statement that the Supremes had opened doors for other Motown acts. “I was always proud of Mary,” he said. “She was quite a star in her own right mind, and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of the Supremes.”

Several celebrities mourned Wilson's death on social media, including Viola Davis, Questlove, Andy Cohen, Janet Mock, Ledisi, Richard Marx, and Kiss' Paul Stanley, who said he was in touch with Wilson last week.OMG! Mary Wilson of the Supremes has died suddenly. I was just on a Zoom call with her Wednesday for about an hour & never could have imagined this," he tweeted Tuesday. “So full of life & great stories. Absolutely shocked. Rest In Supreme Peace Mary."Steven Van Zandt said he spoke to Wilson before the world went on lockdown because of the coronavirus, tweeting Tuesday: “RIP Mary Wilson. Legendary founding member of the Supremes and fantastic solo artist. I had a wonderful conversation with her just before the quarantine. She was full of energy and plans so this is shocking as well as tragic. Our love and condolences go to her family and friends."Following the Supremes' disbandment, Wilson released the New York Times best-selling book, “Dreamgirl: My Life as a Supreme," in 1986. She released her second book, “Supreme Faith: Someday We’ll Be Together," in 1990. Her last book, “Supreme Glamour," was written with Mark Bego and was released in 2019. Wilson also competed on ABC's “Dancing with the Stars" in 2019. Mary Wilson will truly beloved by many of her fans, family, and friends.