Photo: Instagram
She's supreme no matter how you slice it.
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Written on Sep 18, 2019
Dancing With The Stars is in its 28th season — how crazy is that? The reality competition show has kept audiences enthralled since it first took to the airwaves, and that doesn't show any sign of changing, at least, not any time soon! This season, the celebs come from far and wide to shake what their mamas gave them in the hopes the judges will grant them a coveted winning score. Who is Mary Wilson? She's the 75-year-old former singer from The Supremes who may be the oldest contestant on the show, but that doesn't make her any less of a contender!
1. Meet Mary Wilson
This season Dancing With The Stars is upping its game and bringing in musical royalty. For season 28 DWTS has enlisted Mary Wilson, who at the age of 75 is currently the oldest person to be competing on the reality dance show. Mary might not be familiar to younger fans, but music nerds will quickly recognize her as one of the founding members of The Supremes. On the show, she's up against stars like Lamar Odom, Sailor Brinkley-Cook, Lauren Alaina and Ally Brooke. But just because she's older than the other dancers on the show, counting her out when it comes to the victory is a huge mistake.
2. Working With The Supremes
Alongside singers Florence Ballard, Betty McGlown,and Diana Ross, Mary founded the popular girl group, The Supremes. At the start of the 1960s, their music took the world by storm. Mary stayed with the group until 1977 when they all decided to go their separate ways, outlasting every other founding member of the band. Diana Ross left in 1970 and Florence Ballard left in 1967. The band's success made them the lynchpin of then fledging Motown Records, and eventually, they went on to become one of the most successful and revered bands on the label.
3. Mary's Personal Life
Though her professional life took up most of her time, Mary has always made time for her friends and family, however being famous wasn't easy on her romantic life. In 1974, Mary tied the knot with Pedro Ferrer and while the couple gave it everything they had in an effort to make their union stand the test of time, sadly, they had to call it quits by the time 1981 rolled around. But Mary didn't walk away from the marriage empty-handed, she and Pedro had three kids together, Pedro Jr., Turkessa and Rafael, though Rafael tragically died in a car crash in 1994.
4. Mary's Solo Career
Although Mary certainly put in her time when it came to working with the Supremes and starting her family, the popular group and its veritable bevy of hits weren't enough to satisfy Mary's creative drive. After she left The Supremes, she started recording solo albums where she could finally take center stage. Her first solo album was released in 1979, though she didn't release another until she dropped a country-inspired album in 1992. Mary went on to release a compilation album of her solo ventures as well, and I have a feeling that there's still more music from Mary to come!
5. Her Lasting Legacy
While Mary's name might not be one that's instantly familiar to you, music fans have long adored her and more than appreciated the legacy of the music she has created and the importance and influence it has had on the art form, which is still ongoing! Thankfully, it is no longer just the die hard music fans who will know about Mary and her lasting legacy on the world of popular music. Alongside the other members of the band that made her famous, Mary was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame back in 1988. Talk about an achievement for the ages.
6. Mary's Celebrity Friends
When Mary was approached to write a memoir about the style of The Supremes she knew there was just one person who could write the introduction: Whoopi Goldberg! Her special connection with Whoopi means the world to her and when asked why she picked the comedian to write, the answer came easily. "Well, because I love Whoopi! [Laughs] I have been loving her since the first time I saw her. I did see her perform earlier, when she first started out, but I've seen things about her in TV shows and things about her play and those kind of things. And I just kind of admired her outlook in life…. She loved what she was doing, it was a gift, and she used it. And that's pretty much why I chose her because I knew that about her, and every time I've seen her, she always kind of liked me in terms of... I guess she went to me."
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.