Mary Wilson launches frock-tastic exhibition

Oct 24 2009 by Barbara Hodgson, The Journal

MARY Wilson will reign supreme again tonight as the Motown star launches a frock-tastic exhibition. Barbara Hodgson meets the singer – and you can too.

It’s the one they wore for a Royal Command Performance at London Palladium in front of the Queen Mother in 1968.

“We gave the dresses names at the time and I’m considering re-naming that one ‘the Queen Mother pink beaded’.”

For that occasion, the band had brought over “our more exquisite gowns – our best dresses of course!”

Were there ever disagreements over what to wear? “We weren’t always glamorous!” she points out. “At the start we wore skirts and sweaters – matching of course – and Oxford shoes.

“Diana and I would make a couple of gowns – cute dresses – and bought pearls from the Five and Dime store.

“Then we went on to larger department stores and we thought it was fabulous shopping at Saks.

“When we started doing major TV after our second hit record we got on to designer-type dresses. We were on the Ed Sullivan show – they had designers and we were asked if we’d like to see them. We thought ‘wow’!

“We wanted to dress up. There were not a lot of disagreements because we’d like them all.

“As we got older there might have been issues about breasts or showing arms but there were not a lot of disagreements.”

At 65, she reckons she couldn’t fit into the dresses any more but she looks great – and clearly still sounds it. The only enduring member of the Supremes during its 18-year history, Mary was in Newcastle earlier this year performing as part of Motown’s 50 year anniversary celebration.

With the line-up changing a fair few times along the way, it’s largely thanks to Mary that the Supremes have had a lasting legacy. After Ross left, Mary felt at a bit of a cross-roads, believing she wasn’t ready to fill the lead singer’s shoes. Soon she was the only original left.

“Before Diana left I had a concern about what I was going to do and then I decided I don’t want to stop just because they’d gone, their dream was dead or whatever; I still wanted to carry on.”

“Then once I heard (new member) Jean Terrell’s voice I knew I was going to go on.”

Later, when Terrell also left, Mary realised it was time to prepare herself to step forward into the main role.

It was, she agrees, a huge challenge for her – “It took me a long time!”. But it’s paid off.

Fans can hear more of Mary’s story, and the memories behind those beautiful dresses, at tonight’s event.

“It’s going to be nice,” says Mary.

An Audience with Mary Wilson at Shipley Art Gallery, Prince Consort Road, Gateshead, starts at 7pm. Tickets cost £50 and include a tour of the exhibition, a question and answer session with Mary, plus food and drink. For tickets call (0191) 477-1495.

Visit www.twmuseums.org.uk for information on further events linked to the exhibition, including a Shipley Lates Fashion Fix on October 30 and Supremes Style on November 14.