Jean Terrell

Velma Jean Terrell (born November 26, 1945) She was born into a family of 10 children, and her father was a Mississippi sharecropper. When Terrell was a child, the family moved north when her father found employment in Chicago factories.

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

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

The Supremes (1970–1973) Motown president Berry Gordy discovered Terrell in 1969 in Miami, where she was performing with her brother at a club. Gordy was seeking 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 to join her with the Supremes as Ross's replacement alongside Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong, as announced in 1969.

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

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". Despite the success toward 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 Wilson was reluctant to leave, so both Terrell and Laurence departed the group that year. and Cindy Birdsong returned to replace Laurence in 1973.

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; however, she did promote the title track on the Dinah! show in July 1978. In the early 1980s, Terrell put together a one-woman show and did limited touring throughout the United States. Her act consisted of several Supremes songs, songs from her solo album, and cover versions of songs by Bette Midler and Lionel Richie.

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. However, the label did not have national distribution, and the song failed to chart. 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. 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. In 1996, Tucker left the trio and Terrell made a brief comeback to the group, reuniting with both Payne and Laurence for two special concerts held at the Industry Cafe in Los Angeles. This reunion ended with the recruitment of Freddi Poole in July 1996. In 2004, Terrell released a biographical DVD, "Through the Eyes of a Supreme", and has continued to sing onstage with various jazz musicians.

Personal life

Jean married Juan Thompson in 1973 shortly after leaving The Supremes. They divorced in the mid-1980s. The union produced two sons, Jason and Jonathan.

Discography

Albums With The Supremes + List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications+ All records released on Motown Records.Title Album detailsPeak chart positions Sales CertificationsUS USR&B/HH USRecord World CAN GER NOR UK Right On Released: April 26, 1970 Label: Motown (#Motown 705) Format: LP, cassette2542441———The Magnificent 7(with the Four Tops) Released: September, 1970 Label: Motown (#MS 717) Label: Motown (#MS 720) Format: LP, cassette681243————The Return of the Magnificent Seven(with the Four Tops) Released: June, 1971 Label: Motown (#MS 736) Format: LP, cassette1541872————Touch Released: June, 1971 Label: Motown (#MS 737) Label: Motown (#M 745 L) Format: LP, cassette16021–————Floy Joy Released: May, 1972 Label: Motown (#M 7511 L) Format: LP, 8-track, cassette541244–———The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb Released: November, 1972 Label: Motown (#M 756 L) Format: LP12927104————"—" denotes the album failed to chart or was not released

Singles