Reflections of a Love Supreme: Remembering Mary Wilson

Remembering Mary Wilson

Every decade has its musical phenomenon. The 1960s had Motown and Motown had The Supremes. Elegance, glitter and talent mixed with a sassy earthiness made The Supremes unforgettable in performance, and kept crowds cheering for decades.

In fact, this year marks the 60^th anniversary of the founding of The Supremes. They were unbeatable. Twelve Number One records, selling in excess of sixty million copies. They were trendsetters who broke down racial, gender and social barriers more effectively than any other cultural force in mid-sixties America. They set the bar high as the most successful female group in music history.

Sadly, this year on February 8 (ironically, the date in 1965 when Stop! in the Name of Love was released), we lost Mary Wilson unexpectedly and without warning. She was the group’s legendary founding member.

Growing Up with The Supremes

I grew up with The Supremes. Don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t raised in Detroit’s Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects. And for sure The Supremes didn’t live in tiny Middletown, NY. No, our cultural and physical neighborhoods were hundreds of miles and a world apart.

However, in 1964, just as I was becoming aware of the music playing on the radio, The Supremes burst into the American consciousness with their first Number One record. I fell in love with The Supremes when I saw them on The Ed Sullivan Show in December, 1964. I was eleven years old, and I told my mother that night, “I’m gonna meet them someday.” Yeah, right, kid.

Meeting Mary Wilson

Eight years later, as a nineteen year old college student, I met Mary Wilson, when I interviewed her for a project I was working on. She saw something in me, potential?, and she took me under her wing. We formed an enduring friendship, and Mary Wilson became my mentor and teacher.

She opened doors for me, and told me to step into my dreams. To believe in myself. And then, in 2001, when I was an assistant dean at Clark University, Mary Wilson asked me to become her executive assistant and creative director of her budding merchandising business.

“I have the creative ideas,” she said, “You have the business skills. Let’s work together.” I resigned from Clark the next day. For the next five years, I worked for Mary Wilson, traveling the world with her. This was my dream come true. And when the time came for me to spread my wings and fly out on my own, she said, “I know there are even bigger things in your future. Follow your heart, and dream BIG dreams.”

What I’m Doing Today

Today, I host The Motown Jukebox on WCUW 91.3FM, in Worcester, MA, another of my dreams. There would be no “Motown Tom” without Mary Wilson. She told me to go for it when I had doubts. I have written two award winning books, both of which Mary Wilson assisted with. One of those books is currently being adapted as a documentary film. And at the time of her death, we were making plans for Mary to do the narration.

One of Mary Wilson’s life philosophies was, “Stop…and be silent.” Whenever you are faced with a difficult situation, and you don’t know what is expected of you, “stop and look honestly at yourself. Ask the questions. Then slow down and listen. The answers will come.” Sage advice from a woman of great wisdom. This is what her friends and fans worldwide are doing right now.

Mary Wilson’s Legacy

Mary Wilson’s legacy will live on not only in her music, but also in the lives of countless other young people whom she nurtured, gave confidence to, encouraged, and helped to achieve our dreams. Perhaps her greatest gift was her ability to see that potential in others, often when we couldn’t see it in ourselves, and to bring people together to make things happen.

Our world is empty without her.