シュープリームスのメアリー・ウィルソンさん死去　７６歳

【ワシントンＡＦＰ＝時事】米レコードレーベル「モータウン」を代表する歌手で、女性グループ「シュープリームス」の結成メンバーであるメアリー・ウィルソンさんが死去したと、現地メディアが9日、報じた。76歳だった。（写真は米女性グループ「シュープリームス」のメアリー・ウィルソンさん。ビバリーヒルズで）
　娯楽誌バラエティによると、ウィルソンさんはミシガン州デトロイトにある公営住宅に暮らしていた１５歳の時に、シュープリームスを結成。
　リードボーカルのダイアナ・ロスさんがソロ活動のため脱退した後も、長年シュープリームスでの活動を続け、１９８８年にはロックの殿堂入りを果たした。
　代理人はメディアに対し、ウィルソンさんは８日にラスベガスにある自宅で亡くなったと発表。死亡当時の状況はまだ明かされていないと述べた。
　ウィルソンさんは死去の２日前に、黒人歴史月間に合わせてユーチューブ上に「シュープリームスとフローレンス・バラード（結成メンバーの一人）、未公開資料に関するニュース」を発表する短い動画を投稿していた。
　シュープリームスは１９６０年代後半に「ストップ・イン・ザ・ネーム・オブ・ラブ」や「ベイビー・ラブ」などのヒット曲で成功を収めた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2021/02/10-12:22）

Motown singer and the Supremes co-founder Mary Wilson has died, US media reported Tuesday. She was 76.
She founded the US group aged 15 while living in a Detroit housing project, according to Variety, and continued with the band long after lead singer Diana Ross' departure, eventually going on to be inducted into the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed, said Berry Gordy, founder of Motown records who were behind many of the band's hits.
She died at her Las Vegas home on February 8, her publicist Jay Schwartz told ET News.
Only two days ago Wilson uploaded a short clip to YouTube celebrating Black history month and announcing: exciting news about The Supremes, Florence Ballard and unreleased materials.
The circumstances around her death have not been released, her publicist said.
Born March 12 1944 in Greenville, Mississippi, Wilson was brought up by her aunt and uncle, before moving to Detroit with her mother when she was 12.
There she began singing and with Ballard founded the group that would eventually become known as the Supremes.
Despite limited early success, the band struck success in the late sixties with hits like Stop! In the Name of Love and Baby Love.
But following Ross's departure in 1970 for a solo career the group never regained its dominance on the US charts, but did enjoy some hits such as River Deep, Mountain High and Stoned Love.
Wilson continued to perform in the band -- Ross was replaced by Jean Terrell -- remaining a constant during the shifting cast of members until the group finally folded in 1977.
In 1988 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes.
Little heard of in the intervening years, she burst back onto the public stage with her 1986 memoir Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme, detailing her time in the band -- and her relationship with Ross.
In 1974 she married Pedro Ferrer, but the couple divorced in 1981.
She is survived by their two children, daughter Turkessa and son Pedro Antonio Jr., as well as 10 grandchildren.