Barbara Martin
Encyclopedia
Barbara Diane Martin in Detroit, Michigan
is an African-American
singer
; better known for being one of the original founding members of Motown singing group The Supremes
. After The Primettes dropped Betty McGlown
from their lineup due to McGlown's upcoming nuptials, Martin replaced her in the group in 1960. She and her groupmates, Diana Ross
(then known as Diane), Mary Wilson
and Florence Ballard
, signed a recording contract with Motown founder Berry Gordy
on January 15, 1961 as The Supremes
, a name that Ballard had chosen (as she was the only group member in the studio at the time) from a list provided by Motown songwriter, Janie Bradford
, and became part of the Motown stable of performers.
In between recording a handful of early singles, none of which became hits, Martin, Wilson, Ross, and Ballard worked as studio singers and hand clappers for other leading groups. In October 1961, Martin became pregnant. Her husband supported her decision to stay in the group, but she left in the early spring of 1962 - leaving Ross, Wilson and Ballard a trio.
Although Martin sang on many of the group's early singles, and most of the tracks on the group's first album, Meet The Supremes
, she is not pictured on the album cover, and never received any royalties from Motown after 1962. All of Martin's recorded vocals appear under the name of The Supremes, while McGlown's appear under The Primettes
. Martin's only lead vocal (singing-wise) for the group was recorded in 1960 when the group recorded the Smokey Robinson
ballad, "After All
", singing the bridge to the song whereas Ross, Wilson and Ballard sang verses. The song was featured on the group's 2000 box set The Supremes. Martin also has a spoken interlude line (spoken lead) during the song "(He's) Seventeen", and has brief solos (but not leads) on two other songs; she has the first note (and says the first "the") and on the song "The Tears, and does the countdown at the beginning of the song "The Boy That Got Away" (on which she also holds a few notes longer than the other group members near the end). She did sing the lead on "(He's) Seventeen" during live performances the group made in 1961 and 1962. All album and "unreleased" tracks featuring Martin's vocals have been released on various Motown and Supremes compilation albums.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
is an African-American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
; better known for being one of the original founding members of Motown singing group The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
. After The Primettes dropped Betty McGlown
Betty McGlown
Betty McGlown-Travis is an African American singer, a member of The Primettes, later known as The Supremes.In 1959, McGlown started dating future Temptations member Paul Williams who was then singing with the Primes...
from their lineup due to McGlown's upcoming nuptials, Martin replaced her in the group in 1960. She and her groupmates, Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
(then known as Diane), Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
and Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard
Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown group The Supremes. From 1963 until 1967, Ballard sang on 16 Top 40 hit Supremes' singles, ten of which hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1967, Motown CEO Berry Gordy decided to remove Ballard from...
, signed a recording contract with Motown founder Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy
Berry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
on January 15, 1961 as The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
, a name that Ballard had chosen (as she was the only group member in the studio at the time) from a list provided by Motown songwriter, Janie Bradford
Janie Bradford
Janie Bradford is an American songwriter, most known for her tenure with Motown. With Berry Gordy, she co-wrote "Money ", originally recorded by Barrett Strong and used by The Beatles on their second album With The Beatles...
, and became part of the Motown stable of performers.
In between recording a handful of early singles, none of which became hits, Martin, Wilson, Ross, and Ballard worked as studio singers and hand clappers for other leading groups. In October 1961, Martin became pregnant. Her husband supported her decision to stay in the group, but she left in the early spring of 1962 - leaving Ross, Wilson and Ballard a trio.
Although Martin sang on many of the group's early singles, and most of the tracks on the group's first album, Meet The Supremes
Meet the Supremes
Meet the Supremes is the debut album by The Supremes, released in late 1962 on Motown. The LP includes the group's earliest singles: "I Want a Guy", "Buttered Popcorn", "Your Heart Belongs to Me" and "Let Me Go the Right Way"...
, she is not pictured on the album cover, and never received any royalties from Motown after 1962. All of Martin's recorded vocals appear under the name of The Supremes, while McGlown's appear under The Primettes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
. Martin's only lead vocal (singing-wise) for the group was recorded in 1960 when the group recorded the Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is one of the primary figures associated with Motown, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy...
ballad, "After All
After All (The Miracles song)
"After All" is a 1960 song written by Smokey Robinson and originally recorded and released by The Miracles on the Tamla label. It was later covered as an unreleased single by The Supremes for Tamla; it was canceled in favor of the single "Buttered Popcorn", and their cover wasn't released until it...
", singing the bridge to the song whereas Ross, Wilson and Ballard sang verses. The song was featured on the group's 2000 box set The Supremes. Martin also has a spoken interlude line (spoken lead) during the song "(He's) Seventeen", and has brief solos (but not leads) on two other songs; she has the first note (and says the first "the") and on the song "The Tears, and does the countdown at the beginning of the song "The Boy That Got Away" (on which she also holds a few notes longer than the other group members near the end). She did sing the lead on "(He's) Seventeen" during live performances the group made in 1961 and 1962. All album and "unreleased" tracks featuring Martin's vocals have been released on various Motown and Supremes compilation albums.