Before they were known as The Supremes, the trio of Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Diana Ross were part of a group known as the Primettes. On January 15, 1962, the trio was signed to Berry Gordy’s Motown Records en route to a stellar career and a number of hits.
The Primettes were an off-shoot quartet and sister group to The Primes, featuring Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams of The Temptations fame. The quartet consisted of Ballard, Ross, and Wilson, along with Betty McGlowin and Barbara Martin.
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Ballard chose The Supremes name on her own, and the group was later signed. It has been reported that Ross initially didn’t like the name change as it sounded too masculine.
Now a trio with the departure of Martin, the group struggled early on to notch a big hit. However, they were hard-working and added their vocals to hits for Motown legends like Marvin Gaye as background and session singers. Under Gordy’s direction, Ross became the face of the group, which sparked some tension in the trio. Still, huge hits like “Baby Love” and “Stop! In The Name Of Love” quickly turned the group into one of the label’s superstar acts.
