Jean Terrell
Birth nameVelma Jean Terrell
Born (1944-11-26) November 26, 1944 (age 79)
Belzoni, Mississippi, U.S.
OriginChicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
LabelsA&M

Velma Jean Terrell (born November 26, 1944) is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in 1970.[1]

Biography

Early life and career

She is the sister of the former WBA heavyweight boxing champion Ernie Terrell, who fought Muhammad Ali.[2][1]

Before her career with the Supremes, she sang with her brother Ernie in the group Ernie Terrell and the Knockouts (sometimes the Heavyweights).[3]

The Supremes (1970–1973)

In 1969, Motown president Berry Gordy discovered Terrell in 1969 in Miami, where she was performing with her brother at a club.[4] Looking for a replacement for Diana Ross, who was leaving the group she had fronted during most of the 1960s, the Supremes, for a solo career, Gordy first signed Terrell to Motown as a solo artist, but decided her to join the Supremes as Ross's replacement alongside Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, as announced in 1969.[5]

After Ross's farewell show with the group at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas on January 14, 1970, Terrell joined the group on stage to be presented to the press and public. After this introduction, according to Mary Wilson, Gordy changed his mind about Terrell leading the group and suggested replacing her with Syreeta Wright.[6] Gordy quoted,

I don't like Jean. I want to replace her with Syreeta.[6]

Wilson vetoed this move, instead wanting to continue the group with Terrell.[7]

The group scored more chart success at the beginning of the new decade, scoring hits in the United Kingdom, while having several pop and soul hits in the United States, including "Up the Ladder to the Roof", "Everybody's Got the Right to Love", "Stoned Love", "River Deep – Mountain High" (with the Four Tops), "Nathan Jones", and "Floy Joy".[8][3]

After the success of "Floy Joy," Birdsong quit after getting pregnant and was replaced by Lynda Laurence.[9] Despite the success towards the end of 1973, Terrell and Laurence decided that it would be best for the Supremes to leave Motown and seek another record label, however, Motown owned the name "Supremes", and both Terrell and Laurence left the group that year.[9] All three Supremes were not interested with Motown's seeming lack of interest in promoting this line-up of the group, in addition, Laurence was expecting a child at the time.[9] Scherrie Payne, sister of Freda Payne, replaced Terrell[10][11] and Cindy Birdsong returned to replace Laurence in 1973.[12]

Solo career

Signing a contract with A&M Records, A&M issued a solo album by Terrell, I Had to Fall in Love, in 1978, which did not make impact on any charts.[3] She did have a minor hit with "Don't Stop Reaching for the Top".[10] In the early 1980s, Terrell put together a one-woman show, and did limited touring throughout the United States, and her act consisted of several Supremes songs, songs from her solo album and cover versions of songs by Bette Midler and Lionel Richie.[13] Laurence would often perform background vocals for Terrell throughout the shows in the tour.[13] Another who performed backing vocals for Terrell during these tours was Freddi Poole, later a member of Payne and Laurence's group the Former Ladies of the Supremes.[13][14]

Former Ladies of the Supremes

In 1985, eight years after the Supremes officially broke up in 1977, Payne was signed to SuperStar International Records, a Los Angeles-based record label.[15] Her then-partner Ronnie Phillips approached her with the idea of reforming the Supremes, to which she agreed, and asked Wilson and Birdsong to join the group.[15] Wilson declined, instead opting to continue her solo career, while Birdsong agreed and persuaded Terrell to join the new group.

The grouping of Terrell, Payne and Birdsong set about forming a spinoff group of the Supremes, although due to contractual difficulties over the ownership of the name.[15] They decided to create an entirely new group using the abbreviation "FLOS", for the name the Former Ladies of the Supremes.[15] Before the group began their career, Birdsong left for a solo career, and Laurence joined the lineup alongside Terrell and Payne, replacing Birdsong just as she had in 1972, and the group released the song "We're Back", released on SuperStar International Records.[15] However, the label did not have national distribution, the song failed to chart and the label folded after. The group began touring and performing in shows around this time, making their debut at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles in 1987.[16] By then, they recorded several singles for the United Kingdom-based Motorcity Records label for Ian Levine throughout 1989 and 1990, joining a roster of former Motown artists.[3]

Recent years

In December 1992, Terrell left the group and was replaced by Sundray Tucker.[17][18] Terrell released a biographical DVD, "Through the Eyes of a Supreme", and today she has continued to sing onstage with various jazz musicians.[14] She made an occasional appearance onstage (along with Poole and Mary Flowers), singing Supremes hits.[19]

Personal life

Jean was married to Juan Thompson.[20] The union produced two sons, Jason and Jonathan.

References

  1. ^ a b Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London, UK: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 203. CN 5585.
  2. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (February 11, 1971). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ a b c d "Jean Terrell Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  4. ^ Betts, Graham (June 2, 2014). Motown Encyclopedia. AC. ISBN 9781311441546. Retrieved January 17, 2024 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (November 6, 1969). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ a b Ribowsky, Mark (January 29, 2024). The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal. Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780306815867. Retrieved January 17, 2024 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ Wilson, Mary (2000). Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith, Updated Edition: My Life as a Supreme. New York: Cooper Square Press; ISBN 0-8154-1000-X
  8. ^ Publications Inc., Billboard (February 17, 1973). "Billboard". Billboard Publications Inc. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b c Sepia. Sepia Publishing Corporation. 1981. Retrieved January 17, 2024 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ a b Hoffmann, Frank (2005). Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop. Facts On File, Inc. ISBN 9780816069804.
  11. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (December 6, 1973). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (November 1, 1973). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  13. ^ a b c MacKenzie, Alex (January 8, 2024). The Life and Times of the Motown Stars. Together Publications LLP. ISBN 978-1-84226-014-2. Retrieved January 3, 2024 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ a b "Jean Terrell Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c d e Arena, James (July 3, 2013). First Ladies of Disco. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-7581-0. Retrieved January 3, 2024 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (September 14, 1987). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company – via Google Books.
  17. ^ Mednick, Avram (April 2000). The 100 Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Songs Ever. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-09304-5. Retrieved January 3, 2024 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ Rees, Dafydd; Crampton, Luke. Rock Stars Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 3, 2024 – via Google Books.
  19. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive: Freddie Pool - Latest News. freddipoole.tripod.com.
  20. ^ Company, Johnson Publishing (April 11, 1974). "Jet". Johnson Publishing Company. Retrieved December 27, 2023 – via Google Books.
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