Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
1
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
The Contributions of Motown & The Supremes
Learning Outcomes
Educate students in ways that encourage and enrich their musical appreciation and expression.
Create an enhanced exploratory experience.
Standards
Mississippi Visual and Performing Arts (Music)
Goal 3: Students should understand the roles and functions of music and musicians in cultures, times, traditions,
and places.
Content Strand: History/Culture (HC)
Goal 4: Students will perceive, understand, and appreciate the diverse meanings and value of music.
Content Strand: Aesthetics (A)
Social Studies
Third Grade (Community/Local Government) 2.a Fourth Grade (Mississippi Studies/Regions) 3.a: Students will
use social studies tools to describe the connections among people, places, and environment of Mississippi and
the southeastern region. (Global affairs)
United States History From Post-Reconstruction to Present 7.a Students will examine cultural artifacts (including
but not limited to visual art, literature, music, theatre, sports) to contextualize historical developments. (Culture)
College and Career‐Readiness Anchor Standards: Reading, Writing, Language
Elementary
Reading: CCR.R.2
Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their development; summarize the key supporting details and
ideas.
Writing: CCR.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-
structured event sequences.
CCR.W.5 Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
Secondary
Reading: CCR.R.7
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in
words.
CCR.R.8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well
as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
Writing: CCR.W.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-
structured event sequences.
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
2
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
The Supremes
What’s the toe tapping sound from Motor City that took record charts by storm in the 1960s? It’s Motown! At a time of
deep racial segregation in America, Detroit music mogul Berry Gordy had a vision of bringing African-American musicians
into the mainstream. So, he founded Motown Records. Inspired by the success of his hometown auto industry, Gordy
applied the principle of the assembly line to music production. Soon, his music “factory” was churning out the hottest
records of the time. The Marvelettes, The Supremes, the Temptations, and other Motown bands sold millions of singles
and dominated television and radio airwaves, but Motown’s influence wasn’t just in producing hits. At the height of the
struggle for civil rights, Motown played a critical role in the racial integration of popular entertainment.
Watch a short video about the legendary label that transformed popular music forever!
Choose from the following list of videos:
https://www.brainpop.com/artsandmusic/musicalgenres/motown/or
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/culture/motown/I classic.motown.com
” Motown Effect Documentary, Motown and Civil Rights” on youtube.com
There is also a series of videos on Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) in Oprah’s Master Class starting with “Motown: How It
All Began.”
Biography
The Supremes were among the first African-American acts to cross the color barrier in the 1960s. With many No. 1 hits
and television appearances, they were the most popular girl group of their time.
In 1961, The Supremes (at that time they were known as The Primettes) caught the eye of Motown Records President
Berry Gordy. In 1961, Gordy told the girls they had to finish high school before he would sign them to a record contract,
but they couldn't stand to wait. The Primettes took to hanging around outside Gordy's studio as often as they could until
he finally agreed to sign them under one condition: They had to change the name of the group. In 1961, Mary Wilson and
her friends signed with Motown, becoming The Supremes.
Made up of three young women from Detroit's Brewster-Douglass housing project, a government subsidized housing
project, The Supremes went on to become the most commercially successful act of Motown Records' 1960s heyday —
and by many measures the most successful American recording act of that decade. As such, they exemplified Motown
founder Berry Gordy’s crossover-minded melding of R&B and Pop. As an irresistible force of social and cultural change,
Berry Gordy’s legendary Motown made its mark not just on the music industry, but society at large, with a sound that has
become one of the most significant musical accomplishments and stunning success stories of the 20th century. The
Supremes, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Michael
Jackson & the Jackson 5, Lionel Richie & the Commodores, Gladys Knight & the Pips and more - their music
communicated and brought together a racially divided country and segregated society, around the world, touching all
people of all ages and races. No other record company in history has exerted such an enormous influence on both the
style and substance of popular music and culture. With more than 180 No. 1 hit songs worldwide and counting, that
influence is still being felt today, from pop to hip-hop.
The three Supremes — Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson — were still teenagers when they got a deal with
Motown, but they released half a dozen unsuccessful singles with the label before 1963's "When the Lovelight Starts
Shining Through His Eyes" finally put them on the charts. With help from the songwriting/production trio of Lamont Dozier,
Eddie Holland, and Brian Holland, The Supremes scored a prodigious run of hits through the remainder of the decade.
The Supremes' presence on the radio was matched by their visibility on the era's prime-time TV variety shows, where the
trio's glamorous image and smooth choreography won them a level of exposure that was still rare for African-American
acts at the time.
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
3
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
The Supremes scored their first No. 1 hit with "Where Did Our Love Go?" (1964). The trio then broke music records by
having a streak of four additional singles top the charts—"Baby Love" (1964), "Come See About Me" (1964) "Stop! In the
Name of Love" (1965) and "Back in My Arms Again" (1965)—thus becoming the first U.S. group ever to have five songs in
a row reach No. 1. In all the group scored a monumental 12 No. 1 hits.
Despite The Supremes' success, Ballard, the group's founder and original leader, grew dissatisfied with Ross' increasing
dominance of the group and Gordy's relentless promotion of the ambitious Ross. Ballard exited the group in mid-1967 and
launched a solo career, but none of her releases caught on with the public and she died in poverty a decade later.
Meanwhile, The Supremes continued with replacement Cindy Birdsong. By then, the act was billed as Diana Ross and
The Supremes, tipping Gordy's plan to spin Ross off into a solo career. Many later releases by The Supremes (including
"Love Child" and "Someday We'll Be Together") in fact had Diana Ross accompanied by anonymous studio singers rather
than the actual Supremes.
Ross' long-planned launch as a solo star came at the beginning of 1970 and yielded immediate commercial results with
the hits "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)." The post-Ross Supremes,
with new lead Jean Terrell, scored a few more hits (e.g. "Stoned Love," "Nathan Jones," and "Up the Ladder to the Roof").
Finally, in 1977, after a farewell concert at London’s Drury Lane Theater, The Supremes officially disbanded.
Teach Rock, http://teachrock.org/
Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard was born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 30, 1943. The ninth in a household of many children, Florence
Ballard and her large family moved around frequently among different public housing projects before finally settling down
in the Brewster-Douglass Projects in 1958. Ballard participated in the church choir from an early age. Lovingly referred to
as "Blondie" because of her auburn hair and mixed racial heritage, Ballard would befriend a neighborhood girl named
Mary Wilson after competing against her in several local talent shows.
Milton Jenkins of The Primes (a singing group which would later become The Temptations) was recruiting girls to audition
for an all-female quartet when he became impressed by Ballard's singing style at a talent show. Having outdone herself at
the audition, Ballard was commissioned by Jenkins to find other members to form The Primes' new sister group, The
Primettes. Ballard immediately invited her good friend Mary Wilson, who in turn recruited another neighborhood pal, Diane
Earle, later known as Diana Ross. Betty McGlown soon completed the quartet. (McGlown would leave the group in 1962
and was replaced by Barbara Martin. When Martin also quit the group, Ballard, Wilson and Ross decided it would remain
a trio.)
Ballard's short life witnessed more than its share of disappointment and sadness, but her contribution to music, especially
as a member of The Supremes, brought joy to fans around the world. Ballard sang on 16 different Top 40 hits; she, Diana
Ross, and Mary Wilson dazzled the world with their talent and style, becoming role models to millions of people.
Florence left the group in 1967 after a dispute with Motown Records. She died on February 22, 1976, in Detroit, Michigan
at only 32 years old.
https://www.biography.com
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
4
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
Mary Wilson
Born March 6, 1944, in Greenville, Mississippi, Mary Wilson endured a difficult childhood before rising to music
superstardom. As a young Black girl, Wilson frequently encountered the harsh realities of racism and inequality. Wilson
moved around frequently during her childhood, living for long stretches of time with her aunt and uncle instead of her
parents before finally landing in the rough-and-tumble Brewster-Douglass projects of Detroit, Michigan.
It was in a Brewster-Douglass grade school where Mary Wilson first met Florence Ballard, another girl who loved to sing;
the two friends made a pact never to forget each other if either someday got a chance to make it big. As Wilson later
remembered, "I used to listen to rock and roll when it was very early and I just loved it. Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers
were my favorite group. And I was in the eighth grade when I joined the school talent show and I did one of their songs.
That was the very first time and I just fell in love with it. Then I met Florence and she told me about this group that they
were going to start, and would I like to be in it, and that's what got me into doing this."
In 1970, Ross left The Supremes to pursue a successful solo career. Mary Wilson once again became the group's key
member. After the group officially disbanded in 1977, Mary Wilson began her solo career. In 1979, she released her first
solo album featuring the single "Red Hot" which became a great dance hit. Later in the decade, Wilson married Pedro
Ferrer and started a family. In the 1990s and 2000s, Wilson shifted her focus to her humanitarian efforts. Her lecture
series, "Dare to Dream," has inspired thousands of young people to pursue their goals. She has spoken out about safe
landmine removal in war-torn countries, become an advocate for women's health in developing nations, and raised
thousands of dollars for AIDS and HIV awareness. In 2003, she was named by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to
serve as one of nine Goodwill Ambassadors to the world. Wilson went on to become a best-selling author, motivational
speaker, businesswoman, and U.S. Cultural Ambassador.
https://www.biography.com
Diana Ross
Diane Earnestine Earle Ross was born on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan. Developing a reputation as an
accomplished performer, Ross began singing in the group the Primettes with friends Mary Wilson, Florence Ballard and
Barbara Martin as a teenager. Martin eventually dropped out, but the remaining members of the group went on to become
the internationally successful 1960s R&B and pop trio, The Supremes.
Ross left The Supremes for a solo career in 1969 and continued to be a musical mainstay the following year with the Top
20 "Reach Out and Touch Somebody's Hand" and the No. 1 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." In 1972, she branched out
into acting and starred in the Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. While the film received somewhat mixed reviews,
Ross's performance garnered her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. The Blues soundtrack was a huge
success and helped spur new interest in Holiday as well. Ross went on to star in the films Mahogany (1975), co-starring
Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Perkins, and The Wiz (1978).
In 2007, Ross was honored by the Kennedy Center for her contributions to the arts. Vocalist Smokey Robinson and actor
Terrence Howard were on hand to provide tributes to the superstar, and Ciara, Vanessa Williams and Jordin Sparks paid
homage to Ross in song.
https://www.biography.com
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
5
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
Activities
Elementary Activities for “Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes”
(The following activities may be used individually but have been intended to build on one another.)
o Lead a discussion with students about “heroes.” Have them name a few heroes. Start a visual list for students to
see. (Ex. Spider-Man, Superman, Superwoman, Black Panther, Martin Luther King, my mom, a character in a
book or story, etc.) Ask students “why” he/she is a hero; what characteristics made/makes a hero. (Ex. My mom
saved my friend from drowning, Batman saved the city, etc.) Ask students to define in their words “exactly what is
a hero.” (a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities; a
person who is admired for doing something very brave) This question may spark more examples of heroes.
o Lead students to understand that we each admire others because of the qualities we see in them. Most of the
time, admired people have worked very hard to accomplish their goals and have all faced a few difficult times.
o Lead students to name a goal that they would like to accomplish. (Ex. Learning to count to 100, learning to read,
becoming a singer, becoming a gymnast, playing an instrument, becoming the President, etc.) Show students a
couple of YouTube clips of Motown era groups, including Michael Jackson with the Jackson 5 (“ABC” song) and
The Supremes. Lead students to understand that these icons began pursuing their goals, or dreams, at an early
age. They set their goals, worked hard, and were persistent in achieving their accomplishments.
o Ask students to name a goal that they plan to accomplish soon. Goals may be short-term goals leading to bigger
goals or long-range goals. Ask students to name ways they could accomplish these goals and difficulties they
may encounter when trying to accomplish them. Lead students to set an individual short-term goal with the
teacher recording it visually as a reminder. Goals could include academic accomplishments, rewards for behavior
or actions, etc.
o During The Supremes era of music, Motown songs were popular because of the truth told in the songs. Listeners
of all races could usually relate to the words and feelings expressed in the songs. Listen to or sing a couple of
musical verses (may be a verse that the children are familiar with). Ask students to tell what the song is about or
the theme of the song. Lead a discussion having the students list a few themes in which they are interested. (Ex.
love, being happy, playing with friends, etc.) Ask students, individually, with a partner, in a small group and/or as
a class to write a verse(s) of a song after selecting a theme. Have students share individual work with the class.
As Motown music performances evolved, they did not always include a lot of different musical instruments. Doo Wop
music changed the game in the 1950s. It created the formula for the modern pop song and directly inspired other genres
such as Rock, R&B, and Soul. You could say this style was the predecessor for Motown, giving emphasis to bands over
soloists found during the jazz age as well as bringing back a sense of theatrics and costumes to music.
The following video offers a brief history behind the “Doo Wop” sound: “How Doo Wop Changed Everything”
https://youtu.be/Vx1tDQXzxlI 7:35, consider only watching short clips, depending on the age group. After watching
previous videos regarding the history of Motown, lead a discussion on the similarities and differences between Doo Wop
and Motown. Reference the lesson plan below or use the following activities.
Give students the opportunity to perform their songs, making their own music with instruments created from simple items.
(Ex. rattling spoons, toe tapping, snapping fingers, rubbing small boxes together, etc.)
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
6
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
BrainPOP.com has a “Motown Music” section for grades 3-12 and a “Rhythm and Beats Lesson Plan: One Man Band
Music Game” for grades K-3 and 3-5. BrainPOP also offers other music lessons with games/activities for school aged
children. Relevant music terms, such as “Pitch, Tone, Beat,” are demonstrated and explained at different grade levels.
Lesson: What is Doo Wop? ( https://www.campusvinyl.com/bucknellu/doo-wop-soul-music-50s-60s)
Essential Question: How did Doo Wop develop as a musical genre?
Target Grades: PreK-2nd Music: Creating/Performing (CP): Students will communicate ideas and feelings by improvising,
composing, arranging, and performing works of music. 1.2 Students will create and perform music using simple melodic
and rhythmic patterns
Music: Critical Analysis (CA): Students will respond to, describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate the complex
characteristics of music 2.1 Students will listen to, describe, and respond to short works of music.
Music: History/Culture (HC): Students should recognize the roles and functions of music and musicians in cultures,
times, traditions and places 3.1 Students will recognize that music reflects the culture, time, and place of its origin.
Background and Front-loading Information: The term “Doo Wop” refers to a type of vocal music usually performed by
a group of 3 to 5 singers. Doo Wop gets its name from the nonsense syllables singers produced as they imitated musical
instruments. Doo Wop became popular in the 1950s. Since musical instruments were expensive, singers used their
voices to create sounds. Allow students time to demonstrate using their voices to make instrumental sounds, flute, horn,
drum.
Doo Wop began in African-American communities in cities like Detroit, Philadelphia and New York.
Have students locate above cities on a given map.
Young people learned to sing in school or at church. Several young singers would form a group and practice and perform
for fun in public places like street corners, schools, and churches.
o Discuss safety issues of practicing today in public places.
o Because only voices were needed to perform this style of music, it was an inexpensive form of entertainment.
o Define inexpensive.
o Explain why some young people living in big cities during this time, before gaming consoles and cable
TV, needed to find activities to do that didn’t cost money
o Brainstorm activities that young people do today that don’t cost money.
Doo Wop could be performed almost anywhere without special equipment. Singers sang harmonies and mimicked the
sounds of instruments. Doo Wop is a special kind of harmony singing.
o Explore the meanings of harmony, social harmony as agreement/cooperation, in music, when two or more
musical tones are sounded together
Record companies like Motown in Detroit, Michigan, noticed Doo Wop singing groups on the streets and invited them to
record their songs in a music studio. Their songs were played on the radio. Vocal harmony-with a Doo Wop sound-
became popular across the country.
o Show examples/pictures of vinyl records, record players, recording studios, Motown.
Activities: Watch video examples of Doo Wop performances:
1-The Chords Doo Wop recording “ShBoom”, Cars Movie, You Tube
2-Children’s Chorus Doo Wop/The Pollywogs perform “Happy Little Frog”, You Tube
3-Brain Breaks/The Learning Station Doo Wop Dancing Voices, You Tube
4-Headspouts Hits/The Turtle Doo Wop, You Tube
5-Kid Kyle & The Students perform Doo Wop, You Tube
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
7
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
Practice and Perform a Doo Wop sound activity using plastic cups: Teachers Pay Teachers: Rhythm Cups Play Along
Training Collection 1
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rhythm-Cups-Play-Along-Training-Collection-1-2809498
In the late 1950s, three teenage girls, Mary Jackson, Florence Ballard and Diana Ross, who were all living in Detroit’s
Brewster housing project formed an “all-girls” Doo Wop singing group. They became good friends with an “all-boys” Doo
Wop singing group called “The Primes” who also lived close by.
o Discuss characteristics, advantages, and challenges of living in a housing project.
Mary, Florence, and Diana called their group “The Primettes” and started practicing together. They later changed their
name to “The Supremes”. They spent many hours practicing after school and were finally recorded by Berry Gordy the
manager of Motown, a recording studio in Detroit. The Supremes first nine songs didn’t catch on, but they didn’t quit. In
the summer of 1964 after many tries, they recorded a song that sold over 2 million copies and became the No. 1 hit
“Where Did Our Love Go”.
o Ask students to share personal stories about a time that it took many attempts to accomplish or master a goal.
The Supremes became America’s sweethearts and appeared many times on television.
o Discuss the evolution of television, black and white TV.
o Discuss The Supremes’ numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan show and why it was ground-breaking at the
time for an African-American girls group to be invited to perform on national TV.
They became a world famous musical trio and influenced many “girl-groups” who followed. (Destiny’s Child, The Pointer
Sisters, Salt-n-Pepper Girl, The Spice Girls, TLC, Fifth Harmony) The Supremes performed around the world. The
Supremes recorded Doo Wop and other types (genres) of music including gospel, soul, rock and pop.
o Play short examples of a variety of music genres and have students identify each.
They were also well-known for their performance costumes and choreography. The Supremes’ music remains popular
today.
o View a variety of their outfits from homemade ones to designer ones. Draw your favorite outfit worn by The
Supremes. Design a dress or suit of your own inspired by The Supremes.
o View their signature dance moves/motions.
Activities: Reference the “Videos” section in this document.
o Listen/Watch their 1st major hit recording: Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson recording “Where Did
Our Love Go”
o Perform the motions and sing along with one of The Supremes’ most famous songs “Stop in The Name of Love”
o Watch several performances of The Supremes on the Ed Sullivan Show
Extended Activities:
o Research & Listen to Barbershop Quartettes
o Listen to songs performed by The Temptations & The Supremes
o Listen to a recording of Sh-Boom by The Chords
o Research and listen to examples of The Motown Sound
o Research The Funk Brothers; Watch the Standing In the Shadows of Motown music documentary
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
8
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
Secondary Activities
o Divide class into groups.
o Questions:
o Do you believe the opportunities/roles/attitudes for women today are the same or have they
changed?
o Does gender play a part in these opportunities?
o How did Motown expand the opportunities/roles/attitudes of women in the entertainment industry?
Give examples and reasoning for your answers. Each group will provide their answers to the class for additional
discussion.
o Many songs recorded at Motown share common musical features. This video demonstrates some of the musical
elements that many Motown songs shared: Memorable riffs, Call and response between lead singer and backing
vocalists, Hand claps or tambourine strikes, A chorus at the beginning of the song before the verse, Emphasis on the
back beat (beats 2 and 4), or emphasis on all beats.
https://www.rockhall.com/digital-classroom-martha-vandellas-dancing-street 3:09
o Select a few of The Supremes’ songs for students to listen to and identify the musical features.
Throughout Motown’s long history of hit music, many of the songs and content produced by Berry Gordy and his team
were socially conscious in nature, commenting on the world around us, telling the truth about the human experience from
many different angles. Themes explored by Motown include love, joy, desire, urban life, civil rights, family and family
relationships, protests, the call for world peace, and more.
o Select a few of the songs mentioned throughout the lesson plans and play for the class. Ask the students what
themes were represented in the songs by title. List these on a whiteboard. Have the students describe how the songs
made them feel?
o While visiting the exhibit, find two favorite artifacts, research what year they were from and what event they represent.
Report back to the rest of the class.
o Compose a short theme (2 or more paragraphs) entitled “Rags to Riches” chronicling the journey of the high school
girls from the housing projects of Detroit to the stardom of The Supremes.
o Write a description of The Supremes’ appearance including costumes, hair and choreography.
o What impact did their appearance have on the American culture?
o What did their appearance reflect?
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
9
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
Videos
Supremes, Mini Bio
https://www.biography.com/video/the-supremes-mini-bio-2079146025 5:29
The Supremes: Where Did Our Love Go?
Tamara Coniff talks about how The Supremes recorded their first hit, "Where Did Our Love Go?" and how it launched
them into superstardom
https://www.biography.com/video/the-supremes-where-did-our-love-go-194362435674 1:29
Awards
The Supremes were twice nominated for a GRAMMY Award
®
—for Best Rhythm & Blues Recording ("Baby Love", 1965)
and Best Contemporary Rock & Roll Group Vocal Performance ("Stop! In the Name of Love", 1966)—but never won.
Diana Ross received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Recording Academy in 2012.
Three of their songs were added to the GRAMMY Hall of Fame
®
: "Where Did Our Love Go" and "You Keep Me Hangin'
On" (both 1999) and "Stop! In the Name of Love" (2001).
"Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love" are among the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that
Shaped Rock and Roll.
The Ross-Wilson-Ballard lineup of The Supremes:
o Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988
o Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1994
o Entered into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.
In 2004, Rolling Stone placed the group at number 97 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".
Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes
10
Lesson developed by Kathie Boone, Dr. Peggy Campbell, Dr. Linda Coleman, and Terry Routman for GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi
in conjunction with the Legends of Motown: Celebrating The Supremes exhibit (Cleveland, MS 2018)
Billboard Chart
Listed Chronologically:
12 No. 1 Hits, 20 Top 10 Hits, 45 Songs
Where Did Our Love Go
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 8.22.1964
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izzKUoxL11E 2:35
Baby Love
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 10.31.1964
https://youtu.be/9_y6nFjoVp4 2:03
Come See About Me
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 12.19.1964
https://youtu.be/Z47xJhnEOVI 2:40
Stop! In The Name Of Love
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 3.27.1965
https://youtu.be/3m4mwJehuiY 2:55
Back In My Arms Again
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 6.12.1965
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-iNQ-E_b6Y 3:08
I Hear A Symphony
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 11.20.1965
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOqbCSTkMrs 2:41
You Can't Hurry Love
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 9.10.1966
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=logwrwJMlBU 2:51
You Keep Me Hangin' On
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 11.19.1966
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxny2KMd0TI 2:17
Love Is Here And Now You're Gone
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 3.11.1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zx89GX96ws 2:55
The Happening
The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 5.13.1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbDbGZEzqmE 2:40
Love Child
Diana Ross & The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 11.30.1968
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXUQvqxj9g4 3:04
Someday We'll Be Together
Diana Ross & The Supremes
Peaked at #1 on 12.27.1969
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixEOMB6jyEE 3:23
References/Resources
Brain Pop
BrainPOP.com
Billboard
http://www.billboard.com/music/the-supremes
Biography
https://www.biography.com
Campus Vinyl
https://www.campusvinyl.com/
Motown Museum
https://www.motownmuseum.org/story/motown/
Recording Academy
https://www.grammy.com/
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
http://rockhall.com
Teach Rock
http://teachrock.org/
