ENTERTAINMENT
Singer Mary Wilson, a founding member of the Motown female singing group The Supremes, arrives as a
guest at the premiere of the new fi lm “Sparkle” starring Jordin Sparks and the late Whitney Houston in Hollywood,
Aug. 16, 2012. Wilson died on Monday, Feb. 8. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/File
Caribbean Life, FEBRUARY 12-18, 2021 29
By Nelson A. King
The Supremes co-founder Diana
Ross on Tuesday paid tribute to her
friend and longtime bandmate, Mary
Wilson, who died on Monday of undisclosed
causes. She was 76.
“I just woke up to this news,” Ross
tweeted. “My condolences to you,
Mary’s family.
“I am reminded that each day is
a gift,” she added. “I have so many
wonderful memories of our time
together. The Supremes will live on
in our hearts.”
Wilson, who was also a co-founder
of the Supremes, had already briefly
sung in a group led by Aretha Franklin’s
younger sister, Carolyn, when
she was approached by Florence Ballard,
a neighbor in Detroit’s Brewster
projects, to form a new group,
reported Variety.
It said this new group would serve
as a “sister act” to the Primes, a male
quintet that included Paul Williams
and Eddie Kendricks, both future
members of the Motown unit, the
Temptations.
Variety said the two girls were
soon joined by Ross, who would only
take the professional name “Diana”
after the group’s first hits.
With fourth member Betty
McGlown and her successor, Barbara
Martin, they would perform as
the Primettes until they rechristened
themselves as the Supremes in early
1961, Variety said.
With lead vocalist Diana Ross and
founding member Florence Ballard —
and with Ballard’s replacement Cindy
Continued on Page 30
Reggae singer Buju Banton. Shawn
Theodore
By Nelson A. King
Streaming and distribution company
Audiomack has linked up with the Buju
Banton Foundation to offer hope to economically
challenged youth in Jamaica
by donating US$5,000.
“Giving back to artists and their
communities is a cornerstone of the
music sharing and discovery platform’s
ideology,” said Audiomack in a statement
on Monday.
It said aid to iconic talent Buju Ban-
Continued on Page 30
By Nelson A. King
The Trinidadian band Kes The Band
(KTB) says it will host its “IzWe” event
series with five nights of live, sociallydistanced
concerts celebrating soca and
calypso music and Trinbagonian culture
during the traditional run-up to Trinidad
and Tobago’s Carnival.
According to the Trinidad and Tobago
Guardian, the series, which will feature
surprise special guests each night, takes
place from Feb. 9 to Feb. 13 at the spacious,
open-air venue theatre Sound Forge
in Port-of-Spain, the Trinidad and Tobago
capital.
The Guardian said on Monday that each
night of KTB’s performance will be open
to 300 patrons, strictly in compliance with
the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Theatre
Guidelines (50 percent capacity).
Continued on Page 30
FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT, GO TO CARIBBEANLIFENEWS.COM/ENTERTAINMENT
Audiomack aids
Jamaican youth
Trini Kes The
Band to host
SUPREMES
SINGER DEAD
Diana Ross pays tribute to bandmate
/ENTERTAINMENT
