Mary Wilson Dead: The Supremes Fans Mourn Her Sudden Death at 76

Allison Schonter

02/09/2021 08:40 am EST

Fans are mourning following the death of Mary Wilson, the longest-reigning original Supreme. Wilson "passed away suddenly" Monday night at her home in Nevada, according to her longtime friend and publicist, Jay Schwartz, CNN reported. She was 76. At this time, a cause of death has not been revealed. She is survived by her daughter, son, several grandchildren, a sister and brother.

Remembered by Schwartz as a "trendsetter who broke down social, racial, and gender barriers," Wilson began her career in Detroit in 1959 as a singer in what was then called "The Primettes." That group went on to become The Supremes, Motown's most successful group of the 1960s, which was first made up of Wilson Diana Ross, and Florence Ballard. In 1967, Ballard was replaced by Cindy Birdsong, and Wilson remained with the group until it was disbanded by Motown in 1977. The Supremes had 12 number one singles from 1964 to 1969, including, "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," and "Stop! In the name of Love." During that same period, the group also charted a total of 16 Top 10 pop singles and 19 Top 10 R&B 45.

Given her lustrous career, news of Wilson's death shocked fans. As news spread early Tuesday morning, many flocked to various social media platforms to pay their respects, with sites like Twitter being flooded with moving tributes to the late Supremes member. Keep scrolling to see what fans are saying.

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Wilson's death came just two days after she posted a video to her YouTube page announcing a new musical endeavor. In the announcement, the 76-year-old revealed she was working with Universal Music on releasing solo material, including the unreleased album "Red Hot," which she recorded in the 1970s with producer Gus Dudgeon.

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In the video, Wilson teased, "hopefully some of that will be out on my birthday, March 6." She also said there would be upcoming interviews she had done about the Supremes' experiences with segregation.

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Along with making a name for herself in the music industry, Wilson also became a bestselling author, motivational speaker, businesswoman, and US Cultural Ambassador. In 2019, she competed on Dancing With the Stars Season 28 and also released her fourth book, Supreme Glamour, according to Variety.

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Among those paying their respects was Barry Gordy, Motown Records' founder. In a statement obtained by Rolling Stone, Gordy said he was "extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family."

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"The Supremes were always known as the 'sweethearts of Motown.' Mary, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, came to Motown in the early 1960s. After an unprecedented string of Number One hits, television and nightclub bookings, they opened doors for themselves, the other Motown acts, and many, many others," Gordy's statement continued. "I was always proud of Mary. She was quite a star in her own right and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of the Supremes. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed."

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Wilson is survived by her daughter Turkessa, son Pedro Antonio Jr, and several grandchildren. Both children are from her marriage to Dominican businessman and former Supremes manager Pedro Ferrer, whom she divorced in 1981. The former couple's son, Rafael, was killed in 1994 at the age of 14 and Wilson was injured when her Jeep flipped on the road between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Wilson is also survived by her sister Kathryn, her brother, Roosevelt, and her adopted son/cousin Willie and grandchildren.

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According to Schwartz, funeral services will be private due to Covid-19 restrictions and protocols. A public memorial will be held later this year.

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