Jean Terrell facts for kids

Velma Jean Terrell (born November 26, 1944) is an American R&B and jazz singer. She became famous when she took over as the lead singer of The Supremes in 1970. This was after Diana Ross left the group.

Jean Terrell's Early Life and Music Beginnings

Jean Terrell grew up with a famous brother, Ernie Terrell. He was a WBA heavyweight boxing champion and even fought Muhammad Ali.

Jean's family moved from Belzoni, Mississippi to Chicago when she was young. They wanted a better life there. Her family encouraged her to sing. In the late 1960s, she and her brother Ernie started a music group together. They called themselves Ernie Terrell and the Heavyweights.

Joining The Supremes (1970–1973)

In 1969, Motown president Berry Gordy found Jean Terrell. She was 24 years old and performing with her brother in a club in Miami, Florida.

Berry Gordy was looking for a new lead singer for The Supremes. Their lead singer, Diana Ross, was leaving to start her own solo career. At first, Gordy signed Jean Terrell as a solo artist. But then, he decided she would be perfect to join The Supremes. She would sing alongside Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong.

Jean spent her days recording new songs and practicing with Mary and Cindy. At night, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Cindy Birdsong still performed as "Diana Ross & The Supremes."

After Diana Ross's last show with the group in Las Vegas on January 14, 1970, Jean Terrell officially joined them on stage. She was introduced to everyone. Mary Wilson later shared that Berry Gordy almost changed his mind about Jean leading the group. He thought about replacing her with another singer named Syreeta Wright. But Mary Wilson said no, she wanted to keep Jean.

Jean Terrell quickly made a big impact as the new lead singer. The new Supremes recorded many successful songs with Motown's best producers.

After the song "Floy Joy" became a hit, Cindy Birdsong left the group to start a family. Lynda Laurence joined The Supremes, taking Cindy's place. Lynda had been a member of Stevie Wonder's group, the Third Generation. Even though they had some hits, by the end of 1973, Jean and Lynda decided they wanted to leave Motown. They hoped to find a new record company.

However, Motown owned the name "Supremes," not Mary Wilson. So, Jean Terrell and Lynda Laurence both left the group that year. All three Supremes (Jean, Lynda, and Mary) felt that Motown wasn't doing enough to promote their group. Also, Lynda was expecting a baby at that time. So, Scherrie Payne replaced Jean, and Cindy Birdsong came back to replace Lynda. The group didn't release new music again until 1975.

Jean Terrell's Solo Music Career

After leaving The Supremes, Jean Terrell signed a contract with A&M Records. In 1978, she released her own solo album called I Had to Fall in Love. This album didn't become a big hit on the music charts. However, she did have a smaller hit song called "Don't Stop Reaching for the Top." This song reached number 72 on the R&B charts.

In the early 1980s, Jean Terrell created her own one-woman show. She toured a bit around the United States. Her show included some Supremes songs, songs from her solo album, and cover versions of songs by other artists like Bette Midler and Lionel Richie. Lynda Laurence often sang background vocals for Jean during these shows. Another singer who helped with background vocals was Freddi Poole, who later joined a group with Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence.

The Former Ladies of the Supremes

In 1985, eight years after The Supremes officially stopped performing in 1977, Scherrie Payne had an idea. She wanted to bring The Supremes back together. She asked Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong to join. Mary Wilson decided to continue her solo career. But Cindy Birdsong agreed and convinced Jean Terrell to join the new group.

Jean Terrell, Scherrie Payne, and Cindy Birdsong formed a new group. Because of legal issues over who owned the name "Supremes," they couldn't use that name. So, they decided to create a completely new group. They called themselves the "Former Ladies of the Supremes," often shortened to "FLOS."

Before the group officially started, Cindy Birdsong left to focus on her solo career. Lynda Laurence then joined the group with Jean and Scherrie. This was just like when Lynda replaced Cindy in The Supremes back in 1972! The group released a song called "We're Back." However, the record label didn't have wide distribution, so the song didn't become a hit. The group then started touring and performing shows. They made their first appearance in Los Angeles in 1987. They also recorded several songs for a UK-based record label called Motorcity Records in 1989 and 1990. They joined many other former Motown artists on this label.

Recent Years

In December 1992, Jean Terrell left the group. Sundray Tucker took her place. Jean Terrell later released a DVD about her life called "Through the Eyes of a Supreme." Today, she continues to sing on stage with different jazz musicians. She sometimes performs Supremes hits with other singers like Freddi Poole and Mary Flowers.

Personal Life

Jean Terrell was married to Juan Thompson. They had two sons named Jason and Jonathan.

Discography

Jean Terrell recorded many successful albums and singles during her time with The Supremes.