It was at a school talent show in Detroit, Michigan in 1958 where Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard first met.  A local group known as The Primes was managed by a man named Milton Jenkins.  This group would later merge to become The Temptations.  When Milton decided that The Primes should have a "sister" group, which was common at this time, he became interested in the voice of Florence Ballard.  When she a accepted place in Milton's new group, called The Primettes, Florence thought of her friend, Mary Wilson.  Paul Williams, one of The Primes at the time, was dating a girl named Betty McGlown.  Mary and Betty became the second and third members of The Primettes.  Another girl who was also discovered by Paul Williams, was a girl named Diane Ross.  She became the fourth and final member of the sister group.  

While still in high school, the girls practiced, rehearsed and polished their act.  They began performing at local events and sock hops in the area.  The Primettes won first place and $15 in the Detroit/Windsor Freedom Festival amateur talent contest in 1960.  Some of the songs performed were Ray Charles' "(Night Time Is) The Right Time," Chubby Checker's "The Twist," and The Drifters' "There Goes My Baby."

At this time Smokey Robinson was a member of a group called The Miracles, who were recording for a local record company called Motown Records.  Smokey was one of Diane's neighbours, and through him and a Motown talent scout named Richard Morris, an audition at Motown was arranged.  Ran by Berry Gordy, Motown was becoming known in Detroit as a hit machine for local artists.  Berry had wrote several hits for Jackie Wilson, before starting his own label.  Marv Johnson, Mary Wells, The Miracles and Barrett Strong were already recording for Motown and its subsidiary labels.

At Hitsville USA, Motown's headquarters, The Primettes began an audition.  Berry enjoyed their performance but decided that the girls should audition again once they were finished high school.  Betty McGlown lost interest in the group and soon left to get married.  In the meantime, The Primettes continued to perform in Detroit.  The Primettes recorded two songs at a local label called LuPine.  "Tears of Sorrow" was sung by Diane and Mary sang the lead on "Pretty Baby."  Although the songs went nowhere, it gave the group more exposure in Detroit.

Barbara Martin, a girl recommended by Florence Ballard's school teacher, was chosen as Betty's replacement.  When not performing, the group visited Hitsville USA constantly, hoping for a recording contract.  This came in January of 1961.  That same year, Barbara Martin would leave the group.  Berry Gordy decided that the group needed a new name, and Florence chose The Supremes.  Beginning with the single "I Want a Guy," The Supremes would have eight singles which failed to launch the group.  Diana Ross now sang most of the leads.  The group was supported at Motown, and it was believed that the right song would kick off their success.

Lamont Dozier and Eddie and Brian Holland had been performers before they teamed up to write and produce songs.  When they were teamed with The Supremes, the girls fortunes would soon change.  "When The Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" was written by Holland, Dozier and Holland and produced by Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier.  It became a Top 30 hit.  "Where Did Our Love Go," a song originally written for another Motown group, The Marvelettes, became The Supremes first number one hit.

At this time, Brenda Holloway, who was Motown's first artist based out of Los Angeles, had a hit record with "Every Little Bit Hurts."  Dick Clark was eager to have her tour with his "Caravan of Stars."  With the upcoming release of "Where Did Our Love Go," Berry Gordy allowed Brenda Holloway to go on the tour on the condition that The Supremes joined her.  At the beginning of the tour The Supremes were billed as "others."  The single was released on June 17, 1964 and when the tour wrapped up The Supremes were headlining the bill.

"Where Did Our Love Go" was the first in a series of five number one records.  "Baby Love," "Come See About Me," "Stop! In The Name Of Love" and "Back In My Arms Again" were all penned by HDH.  The Supremes were now hugely successful and had become icons.  Through Motown's artist development program, the girls were taught etiquette, stage presence and posture tips.  Their songs and their look had become very identifiable.

In 1964 The Supremes made their first of many appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, a popular Sunday night variety show that aired throughout the late 50's, 60's and early 70's.  Appearances on shows like Shindig, Hullabaloo, The Hollywood Palace and The Tonight Show would follow.

The Copacabana in New York would be The Supremes' next goal.  Their success at this New York supper club would mean opening the doors to more upper class venues across the world.  In June of 1965, The Supremes performed their first engagement there, and it was a huge success.  A live album entitled "The Supremes at the Copa" was released not long after this performance.

The single "Nothing But Heartaches" was released on June 16, 1965.  It broke the group's string of number one records, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Pop Chart.  The follow-up, "I Hear A Symphony," returned The Supremes to number one spot.  Future singles "You Can't Hurry Love," "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone," and "The Happening" would also attain the number one.

It was announced in an interview that Diane would now be referred to as Diana Ross.  She was now singing most leads on the released songs, and began speaking on behalf of the three girls during interviews.  This began to bother Florence Ballard who, being a lead singer, believed that every group member should be treated equally.  She began drinking heavily and when the group's name was changed to Diana Ross and The Supremes, Florence appeared drunk on stage.  It was at this time that Motown staff began searching for a replacement.

Cindy Birdsong was born in New Jersey and sang with Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles.  She was selected as Florence's replacement.  Florence would go on to have a brief solo career at ABC Records in 1968 and released two singles, "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It" and "Love Ain't Love."  Shortly after these unsucessful releases, she was dropped from the label.  She continued to live in Detroit and died in February 1976 due to a blood clot in a major artery.

Diana Ross and The Supremes' first single, "Reflections," was released July 24, 1967.  It would be one of the last written and produced by Holland, Dozier and Holland.  Contract disputes had begun with Motown over royalty payments, resulting in a work slowdown and eventually their departure from the company.

With the writing team who had written and produced ten number one hits with the group gone, Diana Ross & The Supremes' future was uncertain.  Following some mildly successful releases including "Forever Came Today," and "Some Things You Never Get Used To," Berry Gordy came up with a plan.  He locked a group of writers in a Detroit hotel and instructed them not to leave until they had a hit.  Pamela Sawyer, R. Dean Taylor, Frank Wilson and Deke Richards came up with "Love Child," which became one of Diana Ross and The Supremes' biggest successes.

Diana Ross and The Supremes would team up with The Temptations for "TCB," the NBC television special in 1968.  The live soundtrack album reached number one, and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me," recorded by the two groups, was a hit single.  Diana Ross and The Supremes and The Temptations reunited for a second television special in 1969, entitled "GIT On Broadway."

As 1969 drew to a close, rumours had surfaced that The Supremes would be splitting up.  Diana Ross was being treated as a solo act and The Supremes were regarded as mere background singers.  On many single releases after 1968, Mary and Cindy weren't present for the recording sessions and other background vocalists were used.  Tension and jealousy were prevalent within the group and some of the magic was beginning to fade.

Before Diana Ross left the group, "Someday We'll Be Together" was released on October 14, 1969.  The song became a big hit and would be the last number one of the 1960's.  On January 14, 1970 at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, Diana Ross and The Supremes performed for the last time and Diana Ross left to begin her successful solo career.

While Diana Ross and The Supremes were preparing to split up, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong were already working with Diana Ross' replacement, Jean Terrell, on a new album entitled "Right On."  Jean had previously sung with her brother, boxer Ernie Terrell.  It was while singing with her brother that Berry Gordy discovered Jean and decided that she would replace Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes.

In the early morning after Diana Ross and The Supremes' farewell performance, Mary Wilson received a phone call from Berry Gordy.  He had changed his mind and decided that Syreeta Wright, another singer signed to Motown, should take Diana's place.  Mary refused, as the new group had already begun work on an album and Jean had been introduced to the public during the farewell performance.  This decision would cause Berry to wash his hands of the group.

Without adequate promotion from Motown, "Up The Ladder To The Roof" and "Stoned Love" were big hits for The Supremes.  Jean Terrell's voice was similar to Diana's, but added more soul to the group's sound.  "Nathan Jones," which featured a shared lead vocal by Jean, Mary and Cindy, hit the Top 20 in 1971.

Pregnant with her first child, Cindy Birdsong decided to leave the group and was replaced by Lynda Laurence in April of 1972.  Lynda was a member of Stevie Wonder's backup group, "Wonderlove".  Although Cindy had completed recording on The Supremes' new album, "Floy Joy," Lynda was pictured on the cover.  The majority of the album was written and produced by Smokey Robinson.  He gave the group a retro-sixties sound, which paid off.  "Floy Joy" reached number 5 R&B.

With times and musical tastes changing, Jimmy Webb was hired to work with The Supremes.  He had written songs like "Up, Up and Away" for the Fifth Dimension and "MacArthur Park" for Richard Harris.  This resulting album, "The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb," was drastically different from any of the group's previous endeavours.  The album didn't enter the Top 100.

Stevie Wonder wrote and produced the girl's next single, "Bad Weather."  Stevie had begun recording songs with Jean, Mary and Lynda for a new album.  This project ended when Jean Terrell decided it was time to leave The Supremes.  The failure of "Bad Weather" caused by inadequate promotion from Motown angered her, and she wanted to leave Motown.  Lynda Laurence was expecting a baby, and left the group as well.

Struggling to find replacements, Mary Wilson called Lamont Dozier of Holland Dozier and Holland.  After leaving Motown the trio had founded their own record labels in Detroit with great success.  Lamont recommended Scherrie Payne, lead singer of a group called Glass House.  Cindy Birdsong returned and the group's lineup was once again complete.

After over a year of contractual disputes with Motown, The Supremes LP was released in 1975.  Their first single in two years, "He's My Man," was released and reached number one on the Dance Chart.  It featured a shared lead vocal by Mary Wilson and Scherrie Payne.  The album The Supremes was treated as a comeback album, Mary Wilson and Scherrie Payne alternated leads on the songs.  The album also marked the return of Brian and Eddie Holland.  They wrote and produced the single "Where Do I Go From Here," which reached number 3 on the Dance Chart.

In January 1976, Cindy Birdsong left The Supremes.  Disputes between her and Mary's husband, Pedro Ferrer, who was now managing the group, had grown.  Cindy was replaced by Susaye Greene, who had worked with Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder.  The 1976 album "High Energy" was produced entirely by Holland and Holland.  Mary, Scherrie and Cindy had already begun recording the album, so Susaye's vocals were overdubbed on it.  "High Energy" offered the dance classic, "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do The Walking," which became The Supremes' last Top 40 hit.

Scherrie and Susaye had also become dissatisfied with Mary's manger-husband.  The girls began to argue within the group, and Motown's support was now non-existent.  Mary Wilson decided it was time to go out on her own.  Before the group finally disbanded, one final album was released: "Mary, Scherrie & Susaye."  Their final single, "Let Yourself Go," was released in January 1977 and hit number 5 Dance.

On June 12, 1977, The Supremes performed their final concert at the Drury Lane Theatre in London, England.  The show was broadcast live on BBC Radio.  Scherrie and Susaye began holding auditions for a replacement for Mary Wilson.  Motown decided that with no original group members, the group should be officially dissolved.

Mary, Cindy and Diana reunited for a brief appearance in Motown's 25th Anniversary television special where they sang "Someday We'll Be Together."  In the summer of 2000 Diana Ross had begun planning a reunion tour with Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong.  Disputes over money prevented this, so Diana recruited two former Supremes, Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence.  True fans became unhappy that this wasn't a tour of original Supremes and the tour was cancelled early.