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{{short description|American singer}}
{{Short description|American singer (1943–2020)}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2020}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
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| instrument = [[Vocals]]
| instrument = [[Vocals]]
| label = [[Motown]]
| label = [[Motown]]
| associated_acts = [[The Supremes]], [[Diana Ross]], [[Florence Ballard]], [[Mary Wilson (singer)|Mary Wilson]]
| website =
| website =
}}
}}
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==Career==
==Career==
After [[Betty McGlown]] left the Primettes due to her upcoming nuptials, Martin replaced her in the group in 1960.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51766812|title=Former Supremes singer Barbara Martin dies|date=2020-03-06|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-03-06|language=en-GB}}</ref> She and her group mates, [[Diana Ross]] (then known as Diane), [[Mary Wilson (singer)|Mary Wilson]] and [[Florence Ballard]], signed a recording contract with [[Motown]] founder [[Berry Gordy]] on January 15, 1961, as the Supremes, a name that Ballard had chosen (as she was the only group member in the studio at the time) from a list provided by Motown songwriter [[Janie Bradford]]; the group became part of the Motown stable of performers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2019/09/19/motown-sixty-anniversary-detroit-hitsville-berry-gordy/2287281001/|title=At 60, Motown set to celebrate cultural legacy|website=Detroit News|language=en|access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>
After [[Betty McGlown]] left the [[Primettes]] due to her upcoming nuptials, Martin replaced her in the group in 1960.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51766812|title=Former Supremes singer Barbara Martin dies|date=2020-03-06|work=BBC News|access-date=2020-03-06|language=en-GB}}</ref> She and her group mates, [[Diana Ross]] (then known as Diane), [[Mary Wilson (singer)|Mary Wilson]] and [[Florence Ballard]], signed a recording contract with [[Motown]] founder [[Berry Gordy]] on January 15, 1961, as the Supremes, a name that Ballard had chosen (as she was the only group member in the studio at the time) from a list provided by Motown songwriter [[Janie Bradford]]; the group became part of the Motown stable of performers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2019/09/19/motown-sixty-anniversary-detroit-hitsville-berry-gordy/2287281001/|title=At 60, Motown set to celebrate cultural legacy|website=Detroit News|language=en|access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>


While recording a handful of early singles, none of which became hits, Martin, Wilson, Ross, and Ballard worked as studio backing singers, providing vocals and rhythmic effects, such as hand claps, for Motown's leading groups. In October 1961, Martin became pregnant. Her husband supported her decision to stay in the group, but she left in the early spring of 1962 – leaving Ross, Wilson and Ballard as a trio.<ref>Slonimsky, Nicolas & Kuhn , Laura Diane. "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians". Schirmer Books, 2001. 3539. {{ISBN|0-02-865527-3}}</ref>
While recording a handful of early singles, none of which became hits, Martin, Wilson, Ross, and Ballard worked as studio backing singers, providing vocals and rhythmic effects, such as hand claps, for Motown's leading groups. In October 1961, Martin became pregnant. Her husband supported her decision to stay in the group, but she left in the early spring of 1962 – leaving Ross, Wilson and Ballard as a trio.<ref>Slonimsky, Nicolas & Kuhn , Laura Diane. "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians". Schirmer Books, 2001. 3539. {{ISBN|0-02-865527-3}}</ref>


Although Martin sang on many of the group's early singles (including a shared lead vocal with Diana Ross on "(He's) Seventeen"), and most of the tracks on the group's first album ''[[Meet the Supremes]]'', she is not pictured on the album's cover.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/barbara-martin-dead-dies-the-supremes_uk_5e620a61c5b647a5bd2fe21c|title=The Supremes Member Barbara Martin Dies, Aged 76|website=Huffington Post|access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>
Although Martin sang on many of the group's early singles (including a shared lead vocal with Diana Ross on "(He's) Seventeen"), and most of the tracks on the group's first album ''[[Meet the Supremes]]'', she is not pictured on the album's cover.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/barbara-martin-dead-dies-the-supremes_uk_5e620a61c5b647a5bd2fe21c|title=The Supremes Member Barbara Martin Dies, Aged 76|website=Huffington Post|date=6 March 2020 |access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref>


==Later life==
==Later life==
After leaving the group, Martin eventually earned a degree in psychology and worked in mental health.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/barbara-martin-dies/|title=BARBARA MARTIN DIES....|website=Soulandjazzandfunk.com|access-date=2020-03-09}}</ref> She never spoke publicly about her tenure with the Primettes/Supremes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?13238-Where-is-Barbara-Martin|title=Where is Barbara Martin?|website=Soulfuldetroit.com|access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref> She denied interviews over the years, with the exception of one interview she gave in 2009 for the 2010 release of ''Meet the Supremes: Expanded Edition''.<ref name="auto"/>
After leaving the group, Martin eventually earned a degree in psychology and worked in mental health.<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/news/barbara-martin-dies/|title=BARBARA MARTIN DIES....|website=Soulandjazzandfunk.com|access-date=2020-03-09}}</ref> Out of respect for Diana Ross and Mary Wilson, she never spoke publicly about her tenure with the Primettes/Supremes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread.php?13238-Where-is-Barbara-Martin|title=Where is Barbara Martin?|website=Soulfuldetroit.com|access-date=2020-03-06}}</ref> She denied interviews over the years, with the exception of one interview she gave in 2009 for the 2010 release of ''Meet the Supremes: Expanded Edition''.<ref name="auto"/>


Martin died in March 2020 at the age of 76.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-supremes-singer-barbara-martin-21641859|title=Original member of The Supremes dies at 76|first=Molly|last=Pike|date=March 5, 2020|website=Mirror.co.uk}}</ref>
Martin died in March 2020 at the age of 76.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-supremes-singer-barbara-martin-21641859|title=Original member of The Supremes dies at 76|first=Molly|last=Pike|date=March 5, 2020|website=Mirror.co.uk}}</ref>
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[[Category:The Supremes members]]
[[Category:The Supremes members]]
[[Category:American soul singers]]
[[Category:American soul singers]]
[[Category:African-American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:American women singers]]
[[Category:American women singers]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues singers]]
[[Category:American rhythm and blues singers]]

Latest revision as of 06:55, 8 July 2024

Barbara Martin
Birth nameBarbara Diane Martin
Also known asBarbara Richardson
Born(1943-06-016)June 16, 1943
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
DiedMarch 4, 2020(2020-03-04) (aged 76)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
GenresR&B, pop
OccupationSinger
InstrumentVocals
Years active1960–1962
LabelsMotown

Barbara Diane Martin Richardson (June 16, 1943 – March 4, 2020) was an American singer, best known as one of the original members of Motown group The Supremes. She was born in Detroit.

Career

[edit]

After Betty McGlown left the Primettes due to her upcoming nuptials, Martin replaced her in the group in 1960.[1] She and her group mates, Diana Ross (then known as Diane), Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard, signed a recording contract with Motown founder Berry Gordy on January 15, 1961, as the Supremes, a name that Ballard had chosen (as she was the only group member in the studio at the time) from a list provided by Motown songwriter Janie Bradford; the group became part of the Motown stable of performers.[2]

While recording a handful of early singles, none of which became hits, Martin, Wilson, Ross, and Ballard worked as studio backing singers, providing vocals and rhythmic effects, such as hand claps, for Motown's leading groups. In October 1961, Martin became pregnant. Her husband supported her decision to stay in the group, but she left in the early spring of 1962 – leaving Ross, Wilson and Ballard as a trio.[3]

Although Martin sang on many of the group's early singles (including a shared lead vocal with Diana Ross on "(He's) Seventeen"), and most of the tracks on the group's first album Meet the Supremes, she is not pictured on the album's cover.[4]

Later life

[edit]

After leaving the group, Martin eventually earned a degree in psychology and worked in mental health.[5] Out of respect for Diana Ross and Mary Wilson, she never spoke publicly about her tenure with the Primettes/Supremes.[6] She denied interviews over the years, with the exception of one interview she gave in 2009 for the 2010 release of Meet the Supremes: Expanded Edition.[5]

Martin died in March 2020 at the age of 76.[7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Former Supremes singer Barbara Martin dies". BBC News. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  2. ^ "At 60, Motown set to celebrate cultural legacy". Detroit News. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  3. ^ Slonimsky, Nicolas & Kuhn , Laura Diane. "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians". Schirmer Books, 2001. 3539. ISBN 0-02-865527-3
  4. ^ "The Supremes Member Barbara Martin Dies, Aged 76". Huffington Post. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  5. ^ a b "BARBARA MARTIN DIES..." Soulandjazzandfunk.com. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  6. ^ "Where is Barbara Martin?". Soulfuldetroit.com. Retrieved 2020-03-06.
  7. ^ Pike, Molly (March 5, 2020). "Original member of The Supremes dies at 76". Mirror.co.uk.
[edit]
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