Last night, The Grammy Museum aired a special tribute that honored the life and work of the late Mary Wilson, ahead of what would have been her 77th birthday. The event, which was captured on March 4 at the Los Angeles museum was hosted by Wilson’s daughter, Turkessa Babich, and featured appearances by Stevie Wonder, Janie Bradford, and Brian and Eddie Holland, among other legendary Motown names. Many of Wilson’s close friends also joined in remotely, to share memories in touching video messages, including members of The Temptations, Dionne Warwick, and The Pointer Sisters.
The full event is currently available to stream, free of charge, via the Grammy Museum’s website.
Wilson rose to fame as a co-founder and member of The Supremes in the 1960s, and would go on to earn 12 No.1 pop singles in the United States with the group. After the Supremes disbanded in 1977, Wilson became equally known as a solo artist, a New York Times bestselling author, and an advocate for a variety of causes, including recording artists’ rights. Prior to her sudden passing at the age of 76 last year, Wilson had also gained a new generation of fans as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
“People say I’ve been busy lately, but I do this all the time,” the hardworking artist told uDiscover in 2019. “It’s just that now people know about it. I’ve been busy like this for the past 45 years, but now with social media, people are aware of what artists like myself are doing. There are so many artists that are just out there working, working, working but you never hear about them, because radio’s not what it used to be.”
A compilation of Wilson’s discography, The Motown Anthology, was released last Friday, honoring the artist’s enduring musical legacy. Available on a two-disc CD or digitally, the first-ever collection of her work includes live performances, new mixes, and previously unreleased songs. The physical version also features a 44-page booklet, featuring rare photos and detailed track-by-track annotations.