The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal (38 page)

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The new fourth, Barbara Martin, en-

For three years, they were the “No-Hit Su premes,” tered the picture when the Primettes

but not for want of trying, as Gordy pushed were signed by Motown and renamed

them hard—to the discontent of more popular the Supremes. When Martin quit, they

acts—in Motown ads like this one.
From the au-continued as a trio.
From the author’s

thor’s collection

collection

One of the “no-hit” flops: “I Want a Guy,” cowritten and produced by Berry Gordy. The 45 was originally released on Tamla Records.
From the author’s collection

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The record that made them the “Number-

A fateful pairing of threesomes: The Supremes One Hit Supremes” in 1964: “Where Did

and the songwriting/producing team of Brian Hol-Our Love Go”—a song they loathed but

land, Lamont Dozier, and Eddie Holland take which changed the face of Motown and

five in front of Motown, with Brian and Diana, pop music.
Courtesy of John J. Grecco, Red
at least seemingly, lost in their own thoughts—

Bird Entertainment Inc.

perhaps about the affair they were having?
Courtesy
of HDH Music

In the mid-’60s came guitarist Robert White, left, and piano master Earl Van Dyke, center.
From
the author’s collection

The unsung heroes were the Funk Broth-

ers, the long-uncredited Motown house

band that turned simple chords into chart

gold. An early edition of the “brothers”

included, clockwise, drummer Benny Ben-

jamin, incomparable bassist James Jamer-

son, pianist Joe Hunter, and sax men Hank

Cosby and Mike Terry.
From the author’s
collection

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Signs of success: Making the cover of the teen A proud Berry Gordy holds aloft the Su -

fan magazines, like
Teen Screen
and
KYA Beat
.

premes’ second album, which seems almost

Courtesy of John J. Grecco, Red Bird Entertain-literally to be propping up Hitsville, U.S.A.

ment Inc.

Figuratively, the group’s ongoing sales did just that.
From the author’s collection
While the Fab Four were invading America, the The “big, happy Motown family” included

“Fab Three” were conquering England, making the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Smokey

appearances on TV shows like the BBC’s popuand the Miracles, and Martha and the Van-

lar
Top of the Pops
.
From the author’s collection
dellas. Diana usually found her way to the

center of attention, right next to Smokey, as the others steamed.
Courtesy of Tom Ingrassia
Productions

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Going where other black acts in

the sixties couldn’t, there was al-

ways room for the Supremes on the

tube—above, sharing the stage on

a 1965
Hullaballo
episode with

Sonny and Cher, the Lovin’ Spoon-

ful, and host Sammy Davis Jr., who

seemed to like Diana the best (left).

Both images courtesy of Tom Ingras-

sia Productions