[Vision2020] Motown Loses Another Voice

[Tom Hansen]

The postman will not be making any more deliveries to the Marvelettes'
Gladys Horton.

Courtesy of The Rolling Stone at:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gladys-horton-of-the-marvelettes-dies-at-66-20110127

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Horton sang lead on 'Please Mr. Postman' and 'Too Many Fish In The Sea'

Gladys Horton, a founding member of the pioneering Motown girl group The
Marvelettes who sang lead on their 1961 classic "Please Mr. Postman," died
January 26th in Sherman Oaks, California from complications related a
stroke. She was 66.

Horton formed The Marvelettes (then known as the Casinyets) at Michigan's
Inskter High School with members of her Glee Club when she was just 15. A
1961 talent show caught the attention of one of their teachers, who
arranged an audition at Motown with Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. The
two-year old label had no experience with girl groups, but they signed the
group — largely based on the powerful vocals of Horton and her group-mate
Wanda Young.

Motown's Lost Heroes Emerge

In the summer of 1961 Motown released their debut single "Dear Mr.
Postman," which featured Marvin Gaye on drums. (Watch Horton perform the
song at a 2005 concert below.) It eventually shot to Number One and the
Marvelettes were put on the road. "We went through hell on those tours,"
Marvelette Wanda Young recalled in J. Randy Taraborrelli's 1986 book
Motown. "It was so bad — the traveling, the food, the accommodations —
that Juanita [Coward] went right into a nervous breakdown. We had to put
her under medical care and she left the group in 1963." Despite the
difficulties, the group's success helped transform Motown into a major
record label and paved the way for The Ronettes, The Supremes and all girl
groups that followed.

Horton sang lead on many of the group's other early 1960s hits, including
"Beechwood 4-5789," "Playboy" and "Too Many Fish In The Sea." By the
mid-1960s Motown turned their attention towards The Supremes and Martha &
The Vandellas, and the Marvelettes' winning streak slowed down. In 1965
Wanda Young began singing lead on many songs (including "Don't Mess With
Bill") and in 1967 Horton left the group — in part to care for her
handicapped son.

When Horton returned to the stage in later years she had to tour as
"Gladys Horton of the Marvelettes" because she didn't own the name rights,
a very common situation for artists of that era. She continued to
regularly perform until she suffered a stroke last year.

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The Marvelettes in 1963. Clockwise from top left: Gladys Horton, Katherine
Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, and Wanda Young.

http://tinyurl.com/Marvelettes

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"Please Mr, Postman"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nuEY6fQgzk

"Beechwood 4-5789"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri1PINN6MXQ

Rest well, Gladys.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown