- Jean Terrell
Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Jean Terrell
Background = solo_singer
Birth name = Velma Jean Terrell
Born = Birth date and age|1944|11|26|mf=y
Origin =Belzoni, Mississippi
Genre = R&B/soul/jazz singer -songwriter
Occupation = Singer
Years_active = 1969 - present
Label =A&M Records
Associated_acts = Ernie Terrell and the Heavyweights,The Supremes Jean Terrell (born Velma Jean Terrell,
November 26 1944 , Belzoni,Mississippi ) is an American Grammy-nominated R&B andjazz singer -songwriter , known for having replacedDiana Ross inThe Supremes in 1970.Biography
Early life and career
She is the
sister of the former WBA heavyweight boxing champion,Ernie Terrell , who famously foughtMuhammad Ali .Moving from Belzoni, Mississippi to
Chicago for a better life at an early age, Jean Terrell was guided by her family to sing, and it was in the late 1960s that she and her brother formed a group called Ernie Terrell and the Heavyweights.The Supremes
It was while singing in Miami,
Florida where Motown presidentBerry Gordy discovered the 24 year old singer performing with her brother at a club in Miami Beach. Looking for a replacement for his protegée, singer Diana Ross, who was leaving the group she had fronted during most of the 1960s, The Supremes, for a solo career, Gordy first signed Terrell to Motown as a solo artist, but then decided to drop her into The Supremes as Ross's replacement alongside continuing, fellow membersMary Wilson andCindy Birdsong . Terrell then recorded much of the new post Ross Supremes material in the studios, and rehearsed the group's new act during the day with Wilson and Birdsong, while Ross, Wilson and Birdsong performed as Diana Ross & The Supremes at night.After Ross's farewell show with the group at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas on
January 14 1970 . Terrell made instant impact fronting the new Supremes, recording prolifically and successfully with several of Motown's top producers. The revitalised Supremes scored more chart success right from the beginning of the new decade; "Up the Ladder to the Roof ", "Stoned Love ", "River Deep Mountain High " (withThe Four Tops ), "Nathan Jones ", and "Floy Joy ." After the success of "Floy Joy," Birdsong quit to start a family and was replaced byLynda Laurence (a former member ofStevie Wonder 's group Wonderlove). Despite the successes, toward the end of '73, Terrell and Laurence decided to leave. Both were unhappy with Motown's lack of interest in promoting the Supremes and Mary Wilson's announcement that her then-husband (with no previous showbusiness or management experience) would be the new manager the group; in addition, Laurence was expecting a child at the time. SoScherrie Payne replaced Terrell as lead singer andCindy Birdsong returned to replace Laurence.Later career and current work
Signing a contract with
A&M Records , Terrell had finished a solo recording, "I Had To Fall in Love ", in 1978 but due to herJehovah's Witness beliefs disagreeing with promoting the recording in a specific way therecord label wanted, she semi-retired. In the early 1980s Terrell put together a one woman show and did limited touring throughout theUnited States . Her act consisted of several Supremes songs, songs from her solo album andcover version s of songs byBette Midler andLionel Richie . Friend and former SupremeLynda Laurence would often perform background vocals for Terrell during these tours. Another who performed backing vocals for Terrell during these tours was Freddi Poole, now the long-standing member of Scherrie & Lynda's group the F.L.O.S. (former ladies of THE SUPREMES).Scherrie was approached by Superstar International records for a Supremes' reunion record project and from this the Former Ladies of the Supremes (FLOS for short) with Terrell and Laurence was born in 1986; Jean left the FLOS to pursue business interests and was replaced by Laurence's
sister ,Sundray Tucker who, after several years with the FLOS exited leaving the path clear for Freddi Poole to join and she remains in the line-up today. Terrell has since released a biographicalDVD of her life and has continued to sing onstage withjazz musician s.
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