The Marvelettes: Five Black Girls From the ‘Burbs Put Motown on the Map
Right from the start, they doubted their prospects. With humility, the quintet of young ladies hailing from Inkster, Michigan, made the decision to call themselves the Casinyets (their abbreviation of “We can’t sing yet”) to meet the eligibility criteria for the high school talent competition. True to their moniker, they secured a fourth-place finish, narrowly missing the opportunity to qualify for an audition with Motown Records. However, a perceptive school administrator recognized the group’s latent potential, perhaps appreciating the self-deprecating name they had adopted, and graciously granted them an audition anyway.
Left to Right: Wanda Young, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, and Gladys Horton. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
“Some of the teachers thought we were exceptionally good and should have won,” remembered Katherine Anderson. “Mrs. Shirley Sharpley, our teacher, told us that we were really good, and so she and several other teachers said that maybe we could go to Motown and sing.”
• THE AUDITION •
The girls traveled from the suburbs to Hitsville USA, now the renowned Motown Museum, for their audition. Though just eighteen miles separated them, it felt like a world apart from the dream that awaited them at this emerging music powerhouse.
One significant hurdle could arise from a cautious legal guardian hesitating to endorse a contract on behalf of these underage artists. Gladys Horton, Georgeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart, Georgia Dobbins, and Katherine Anderson, who were once jesting about their singing talents, found themselves progressing through the audition rounds, eventually catching the attention of Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson.
“They looked at us like we were dumb,” recalled Dobbins. “To them, we were little young, country, dumb-looking chicks. We were square, we weren’t glamorous at all. We were country kids coming to the big city.”
“To them, we were little young, country, dumb-looking chicks. We were square, we weren’t glamorous at all. We were country kids coming to the big city.”
- Georgia Dobbins, Marvelettes
Even in 1961, it was widely understood that the path to success hinged on frequent stage appearances and the ability to maintain a sense of novelty. Achieving chart success demanded unwavering perseverance. Ultimately, the fate of aspiring young talents, fresh out of (or even in) school, also lay in the hands and wallets of studio executives. These executives were discerning, considering the potential in these young artists. Juggling responsibilities like school, home, and work, these artists faced the fickleness of time management, making the prospect of stardom both incredible and overwhelming. As gatekeepers, these executives held the power to determine the conditions for promoting and pushing recordings onto the airwaves and ultimately the charts. The process was costly, yet essential, necessitating creative strategies to garner exposure. The lucky groups found themselves booked onto Dick Clark’s American Bandstand or The Ed Sullivan Show.
The Casinyets, a determined yet inexperienced group, faced a brand-new challenge. They were instructed to return with an original song. “Motown was growing, it was building,” Anderson said. “So bringing in new material was like bringing in new blood.”
Dobbins assumed the role of songwriter, transforming a Blues piece written by a local musician she knew. “I was standing by the window,” recalled Dobbins. “I was waiting for the postman to bring me a letter from this guy who was in the Navy. That’s how I came up with the lyrics. Then I made up the tune.”
However, just before their anticipated return to Motown, Dobbins parted ways with the group. Her departure was prompted by her father’s refusal to co-sign her contract, leading to her replacement by Wanda Young, another recent graduate.
“Georgia told my mother [Gladys Horton] that she couldn’t travel and that she would have to leave the song,” said Vaughn Thornton, the son of the late Gladys Horton. “My mother was very fond of Georgia. She was like a role model to my mother. Georgia reassured her that she could go on. Georgia came from a religious background and someone in her family wasn’t well and that was what she told my mother. But later on we heard that her father was really strict when it came to traveling like that.”
Dobbins recalled, “When my dad wouldn’t sign the contract, it was just like somebody had snatched the rug from up under me. It’s like wanting something and somebody just takes it away from you. You want to go, you’ve got your outfit ready, but Daddy says no. That’s the way it was for me. You’ve got your little dress and your shoes laid out, and you’re ready to go to the party, but Daddy said, ‘No, you ain’t’ going.’ I stayed in seclusion for about a year. I didn’t even come outside. I was so hurt. I felt… robbed. I wouldn’t listen to the radio or anything. It was until 1978 before I sang again.”
• “PLEASE MR. POSTMAN” •
Gladys Horton and Wanda Young assumed the roles of lead singers for the group. Upon their return to Motown and under Gordy’s close guidance, they delivered a stunning rendition of “Please Mr. Postman.” Impressed by their performance, Gordy expressed his interest in working with the group, on one condition—they need to change their name to the Marvelettes. The Marvelettes eventually joined Motown’s Tamla label in July 1961 officially, with Motown recognizing the immense potential in these talented young women, even though managing their journey would pose logistical challenges.
In April 1961, the Marvelettes were in the studio creating “Please Mr. Postman” (with “So Long Baby” as the B-side), which was slated for release in August.
Diane Ross was closely observing the Marvelettes’ activities. Before Ross and her group, the Primettes, were signed as the Supremes in early 1961, she frequented Motown, harboring a strong determination to achieve stardom ahead of anything else. Certainly, the Marvelettes’ rise gave Ross some curiosity and anxiety.
Gladys Horton. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
Thornton recalls what his mother told him of Diane Ross. “The first time they were actually putting together the song in the studio, she [Diane Ross] came in wanting to know ‘who these girls coming in here getting their hit before us?’ My mother described Diana Ross, even back then, as being feisty, dominant. When they were making ‘Please Mr. Postman,’ Florence Ballard [of the Supremes] came in and gave my mother a lot of key points and how to even ad-lib, points to fill the song in. That’s where my mom came up with ‘Deliver the letter, the sooner the better.’ Florence helped out with that part. It was like a team effort even though the Marvelettes had the number one hit. A lot of people knew they had the hit.”
LISTEN TO “PLEASE MR. POSTMAN” BY THE MARVELETTES
By December, the song had climbed to the top spot on the singles chart, making a historic achievement as they became the first Motown group to claim the number one position on the Top 100 chart. However, the complete Marvelettes album, also titled Please Mr. Postman, hit the shelves prior to Thanksgiving but faced disappointment as it failed to make an impact on the charts. The LP featured a solitary illustration of a mailbox covered in cobwebs instead of the group’s photograph on the cover. During the early years of Motown, it was a common industry practice to avoid featuring Black artists on album covers to appeal to a broader, racially diverse teenage audience and maximize sales with white buyers. With the newfound success of the “Postman” single, Motown would become a factory to pump out additional hits and they knew the Marvelettes had to continue to deliver. The sooner, the better.
In fact, the radio airplay of “Please Mr. Postman” held such immense significance that it found a place in the 2016 documentary August 28: A Day in the Life of a People, directed by Ava DuVernay for the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. This captivating documentary, serving as the museum’s introductory video, delves into six pivotal events in Black history that all occurred on the same date, August 28. These events include the granting of royal assent to the UK Slavery Abolition Act by William IV in 1833, the tragic lynching of Emmett Till in Mississippi in 1955, the 1961 radio airplay of “Please Mr. Postman,” Dr. Martin Luther King’s iconic “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963, the devastating landfall of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the historic moment when Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
“Marvel sounds a lot better, like the Marvelettes.”
- Nick Fury in Captain Marvel
In 2019, audiences were reintroduced to “Please Mr. Postman” in the film Captain Marvel. The character Nick Fury, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, belts out a portion of the song during a playful debate over pronunciation with Carol Danvers, played by Brie Larson. Fury argues, “Marvel sounds a lot better, like the Marvelettes.” However, Larson’s character remains oblivious to the song, highlighting the generation gap between the two protagonists. It’s worth noting that Marvel Comics, which secured its trademark in 1967, has no direct connection to the girl group, and the name “Captain Marvel” has roots dating back to 1939. Earlier in the same year, Jennifer Lopez delivered a performance of the song as part of a Grammy Awards tribute, sharing the stage with Smokey Robinson.
But in 1961, the Marvelettes managed to break the crossover barrier with “the self-penned song “Please Mr. Postman.” However, the 45’s label painted a different picture.
“I don’t know how they did things back then with the credits, but they [Brianbert] shouldn’t be on there,” said Vaughn Thornton, the son of the late Gladys Horton. Brianbert was a portmanteau of Brian Holland and Robert Bateman of Motown. “I’ve gotten into arguments with people so I won’t mention names. It was William Garrett and Georgia Dobbins had to do the writing of that song. And that’s the truth.”
Many will argue that because Bateman and Holland optimized “Please Mr. Postman” to fit Horton’s voice and arranged the background vocals, including them in writing credits was appropriate.
• THE STAGE VS. THEIR STUDIES •
Balancing the demands of being both successful recording artists at Motown and high school students posed numerous challenges for the Marvelettes. Although tutoring had been promised, it never materialized. The 17-mile gap between Detroit and Inkster created logistical hurdles, and it eventually led to Esther Gordy Edwards of Motown taking them under her wing. Notably, one of the lead singers, Gladys Horton, was an orphan and a ward of the court. With their constant whirlwind of activities, including being on the road, recording in the studio, and performing on stage, the girls rarely had a moment of rest. To account for their school absences due to television appearances, letters had to be written on behalf of all the girls, except for Wanda Young.
“Opportunities were different back then,” said Thornton. “It wasn’t about going to school and getting your education to become a doctor or police officer. Back then it was about taking an opportunity that was in front of you at the time.”
“We decided to take and leave school and go on out, because what sense does it make to have somebody else go out there, and we had done all the hard work?”
- Katherine Anderson, Marvelettes
The young girls faced a pivotal moment in their early lives: they had to decide between leaving school or forfeiting their chance at stardom. Gordy and the Motown executives were always ready to emphasize that the rewards matched the effort put in, and they made it clear that anyone who didn’t step beyond their usual record hop performances could be swifty replaced. “Nobody knew who we were anyway because there was no picture on a record or anything like that,” said member Katherine Anderson (Schaffner). “We decided to take and leave school and go on out, because what sense does it make to have somebody else go out there, and we had done all the hard work?”
• SONGWRITING CREDIT COMPLEXITIES •
When their next chart-topping track was on the horizon, the Twist had taken the world by storm. So, why not fuse the victorious formula of “Please Mr. Postman” with the infectious energy of the Twist? The Marvelettes unveiled “Twistin’ Postman,” in early 1962, reaching number 34 on the pop chart. Not stopping there, the Marvelettes also recorded their third hit, “Playboy,” penned by Horton. The song managed to climb all the way to the seventh spot on the charts.
LISTEN TO “TWISTIN’ POSTMAN” BY THE MARVELETTES
“She [Gladys Horton] wrote ‘Playboy’ and nobody else wrote it either,” Thornton said. “That’s one thing back in Motown, you have these songs that had all these other names on them. However, that was how it was done back then, it was done. But my mother was the one that wrote ‘Playboy.’”
To Thornton’s point, Motown issued “Playboy” crediting “(Holland, Bateman, Horton, Stevenson)” as songwriters with Robert Bateman and Brian Holland also as producers.
LISTEN TO “PLAYBOY” BY THE MARVELETTES
Even Horton testifies in writings left behind after her death in 2011, “’Playboy’ was a song that I wrote, and I wrote it by myself. I was just trying to copy off of Georgia Dobbins with ‘Please Mr. Postman’ but it didn’t come out as good. It was one of those songs that Mickey Stevenson, Brian Holland and Robert Bateman’s names are on, but their names should not have been on it. I wrote that song by myself. Now that I’m in my fifties, I realize that when you write a song, if you’re the only one there at the time the song is being written, your name is supposed to be the only one on the front cover.”
“…Their names should not have been on it. I wrote that song by myself.”
- Gladys Horton, Marvelettes
Horton was unequivocal in her stance. While the exclusively male team of songwriters could have penned a song about a promiscuous man, the counsel to steer clear of him and his advances due to his well-known behavior was undeniably a female perspective. What’s more, the Marvelettes didn’t just write songs; they authored the two most successful ones and Dobbins and Horton never got primary credit for them, nor did they reap the royalties they rightfully deserved.
The Marvelettes potentially could have established a new norm in which all Motown groups were encouraged to become songwriters. However, Motown primarily focused on leveraging their in-house songwriting teams, not necessarily fostering artist songwriting talents. The primary role of the singers was to generate revenue through performances and recordings. Nevertheless, there were exceptions to this rule, particularly in cases like Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder, who penned many of their own songs. One solo Motown artist, Brenda Holloway, acknowledged that as a female artist, the only way to ensure her own songwriting was considered was by sharing songwriting credits. This was exemplified in her 1969 hit “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” In essence, Motown’s business model centered on crafting chart-toppers through quality material, placing less emphasis on the singers themselves. Songwriting producers engaged in friendly competition, occasionally completing a full music arrangement before even writing lyrics. Subsequently, the best group or singer—sometimes, first available—would be selected to record the song.
• “PLEASE MR. POSTMAN” VS. “MASHED POTATO TIME” •
In 1962, when Dee Dee Sharp, an artist signed to the Cameo-Parkway label, recorded “Mashed Potato Time,” it didn’t take long for Motown executives to notice striking similarities between this song and the arrangement of the Marvelettes’ hit, “Please Mr. Postman.” Swiftly, Motown’s Jobete label initiated a legal action against the apparent resemblance. Upon the release of Sharp’s “Mashed Potato Time,” the song was officially credited to Jobete as a co-publisher, along with the collaborative effort of “Brianbert” of Motown. Simultaneously, the LP also indicated a recording date of 1960, creating the impression that “Mashed Potato Time” predated “Please Mr. Postman.”
LISTEN TO “MASHED POTATO TIME” BY DEE DEE SHARP
Sharp and the Marvelettes ran into each other quite frequently on tours. This could have made for an interesting dynamic should Sharp, usually the opening act, performed “Mashed Potato Time” just before the Marvelettes, who headlined the shows, launched into their similar-sounding “Please Mr. Postman.” One can also make the argument that “Mashed Potato Time” promoted the Marvelettes’ hit since the lyrics even called out “Please Mr. Postman” as a dance. Even though “Mashed Potato Time” would be Sharp’s biggest hit, it was less successful, reaching number one on the U.S. R&B chart and number two on the Pop chart. “Please Mr. Postman” remained in the Top 100 for 23 week.
Dee Dee Sharp. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
“Even though Dee Dee Sharp had copied ‘Mashed Potato Time’ off of ‘Please Mr. Postman,’ we were friends,” Horton said. “Dee Dee’s attitude was one that a lot of us didn’t like at the time because she was into ‘starring the show’ and she was into ‘Miss Dee Dee Sharp.’ I felt her ‘Mashed Potato Time’ was a lot like ‘Postman,’ but the story line was so different. It was about doing a dance, so I didn’t take it any kind of way and I didn’t feel anything about it. At the time everybody wanted to get a hit record, and everybody wanted to be the show with each other. We were lovey-dovey girls and that was that. The company sued, they had a big lawsuit, but as far as the artists, the Marvelettes and Dee Dee Sharp have always been friends.”
“I didn’t have anything to do with the writing of those songs.”
- Dee Dee Sharp
Sharp agrees they had a good friendship but clarifies her actual role in the creation of the song. “I didn’t have anything to do with the writing of those songs,” Sharp said. “As a matter of fact, [writer] Kal Mann and [producer] David Appell had to go to court for that particular song. They were asking me what I thought about the song. I said that I had nothing to do with the writing of this song. Now, since then, I write a lot. But I had nothing to do with the writing of that particular song. I didn’t know if they stole it or not. Once I heard it and I heard the other song ‘Please Mr. Postman,’ and they also put that particular passage in ‘Mashed Potato Time,’ I understood. I had nothing to do with it. I think they asked Gladys in court too. But I had nothing to do with that. I just sang it.”
Interestingly, Motown made the rather ironic decision to include a version of “Mashed Potato Time” on the Marvelettes’ album Smash Hits of 1962, later renamed (albeit misspelled) as The Marveletts Sing. This move by Motown has led many to question whether it was an attempt to reinforce the notion, as Horton did, that the arrangement of “Mashed Potato Time” had been borrowed from “Please Mr. Postman.” Regrettably, the LP did not achieve the success Motown may have hoped for, possibly due to its lack of originality. A significant portion of the album consisted of covers of song by artists like Elvis Presley, Clyde McPhatter, Roy Orbison, Sam Cooke, and even Motown’s own Mary Wells. This absence of original material might have contributed to its underwhelming reception. Notably, the LP cover deliberately omitted a picture of the group, a decision aimed at potentially boosting sales by keeping the racial identity of the singers hidden.
• MOVING FORWARD WITH THE MARVELETTES •
The Marvelettes needed a breakthrough, and it was Horton who took the lead vocals on “Beechwood 4-5789,” sending the song soaring to number 17 on the charts. They lyrics tell the story of a young woman who’s eager to get to know a certain guy better. She goes so far as to give him her telephone number, “Beechwood 4-5789,” and encourages him to call her and ask her out whenever he pleases.
In those days, telephone numbers often featured catchy prefixes like “Beechwood.” To make a call, you had to dial the first two letters of the prefix followed by the adjacent numbers. Interestingly, the telephone number mentioned in the song became one of the most well-known numbers in the United States, remaining so until the release of Tommy Tutone’s 1981 hit, “Jenny (867-5309).”
LISTEN TO “BEECHWOOD 4-5789” BY THE MARVELETTES
Radio stations, recognizing the Marvelettes’ potential and the demand from their listeners, started playing the B-side, “Someday, Someway,” ultimately driving it to number 8 on the chart.
LISTEN TO “SOMEDAY, SOMEWAY” BY THE MARVELETTES
During the recording of “Twistin’ Postman,” the Marvelettes temporarily found themselves with just four members when Wanda Young had to step away from the group due to her pregnancy. However, their upcoming tour commitments required a full contingent of five Marvelettes on stage. To resolve this situation, the group’s road manager, Joe Schaffner, proposed a solution: bring in Florence Ballard from the Supremes to fill in for Young while on tour. The substitution made sense at the time because the Supremes hadn’t yet achieved a major hit and were eagerly awaiting their big break.
Florence Ballard seemed to be a good fit both in terms of her vocal abilities and appearance, but she faced challenges when it came to mastering the intricate choreography that characterized many of the Marvelettes’ dynamic on-stage performances. After the tour concluded, Ballard returned to the Supremes, and Young resumed her role within the Marvelettes.
When the Marvelettes were scheduled to appear on American Bandstand, it became evident that the challenges and obligations of the showbiz world were starting to wear them down, despite their efforts to overcome them. During their interview with Dick Clark, Juanita Cowart made a slip-up when asked about their hometown and the location of Inkster. She accidentally stated that Detroit was a suburb of Inkster. Although this mistake was minor and inconsequential, even for national television, it left Cowart feeling deeply embarrassed and demoralized. The relentless teasing that followed, combined with the taxing and often unglamorous demands of the music industry, became too much for Cowart to bear. Eventually, she decided to step away from the group, although she agreed to remain with them until 1963. With the group now reduced to a quartet, their chart success began to wane as they headed further into 1963.
The Marvelettes experienced a noticeable decline in their success when the spotlight and promotional efforts shifted towards other groups, particularly the Supremes. Despite their earlier achievements and the distinction of being the first girl group at Motown to secure a number one hit, the Marvelettes remained confident that this downturn in their career was temporary. They were determined to concentrate on their quest for the next big hit. In 1964, when the producers presented the song “Where Did Our Love Go” to the Marvelettes, they made the surprising decision to decline the opportunity.
“’Where Did Our Love Go?’ was a song that my mother [Gladys Horton] turned down because Diana Ross was always complaining about not having a number one song.”
- Vaughn Thornton, son of the late Gladys Horton
“’Where Did Our Love Go?’ was a song that my mother [Gladys Horton] turned down because Diana Ross was always complaining about not having a number one song,” Thornton said. “So she turned it down and Diana Ross and the Supremes sang it and it was their number one hit. It wasn’t bad for the Marvelettes because that same year they came out with ‘Too Many Fish in the Sea.’”
• THEMES OF FEMALE EMPOWERMENT •
“Too Many Fish in the Sea” starts with 19-year-old Horton offering relationship advice against the backdrop of catchy drum beats and finger snaps. The song delivers a reassuring message to its female audience, advising them not to dwell on one disappointing partner because there are plenty of other decent options available. This song aligns with the consistent theme of female empowerment that the Marvelettes had embraced up to this point, instilling confidence in listeners to navigate the complexities of youthful love.
LISTEN TO “TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA” BY THE MARVELETTES
Song like “Too Strong to Be Strung Along” (1963), “Playboy” (1962), and the gentler “Strange I Know” (1962) all reinforced this theme of empowerment. However, the Marvelettes were not immune to moments of contradiction, occasionally succumbing to the power of love or even giving up on it entirely. For instance, “Locking Up My Heart” (1963), Horton and Young share lead vocals as they express their decision to locking up their hearts and throwing away the key, effectively giving up on love. In contrast, in “Forever” (the B-side of “Locking Up My Heart”), Young sings about her willingness to endure anything to remain with her love, even to her disadvantage. By weaving together these two thematic threads of empowerment and heartache, the Marvelettes created a narrative that resonated with both white and Black female listeners, reflecting the complex and relatable experiences of love and relationships.
LISTEN TO “FOREVER” BY THE MARVELETTES
“Too Many Fish in the Sea” marked the Marvelettes’ return to the charts, reaching number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, when the song they turned down, “Where Did Our Love Go?” stayed number one for two weeks on the charts, it was clear the Marvelettes had missed an opportunity.
While other groups were facing a slump or no time in the studio due to the intense focus on the Supremes, the Marvelettes found themselves receiving new songs to record. Their determination paid off when, in 1966, they achieved a significant breakthrough with the hit song, “Don’t Mess with Bill.” They followed up this success in 1967 with another hit, “The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game,” both featuring Young on lead vocals.
• DEPARTURES, DECLINE, & DISILLUSIONMENT •
By 1965, Motown executives concluded that Young’s voice was the best fit for the group, and she was made lead singer. However, in 1967, Horton departed from the group and was succeeded by Ann Bogan, a native of Cleveland. “My mother was, I guess, kind of bitter at a certain point,” Thornton said. “She had left Motown and felt like the Marvelettes hadn’t gotten their proper due. There were a lot of phony Marvelettes groups going around at one time performing and that made it challenging for my mother.”
Left to Right: Ann Bogan, Wanda Young, Katherine Anderson. Illustration by J.D. Humphreys
Horton, now no longer lead singer, did not direct her resentment towards Young, according to Thornton. “My mother loved Wanda. Around the time Wanda took over — they were young back then — rivalry was in the group. Smokey [Robinson] came in and started writing for the group and I guess his vibe was more towards, he felt, Wanda’s type of singing. Wanda had a groove and he wanted to write for Wanda. My mother always felt like Smokey came in and made Wanda think that her voice was better. To my mother, that really wasn’t true. Wanda coming in was a good thing as my mom described it. Everyone was using my mom’s voice. Wanda helped take the Marvelettes to that 1969 point. My mother had her beginning years and Wanda finished it off.”
“My mother [Gladys Horton] always felt like Smokey came in and made Wanda think that her voice was better. To my mother, that really wasn’t true.”
- Vaughn Thornton, son of the late Gladys Horton
Horton, who was also expecting a child, made the choice that Motown was no longer compatible with her life as a soon-to-be-mother. “She wished she didn’t leave so abruptly,” Thornton said. He also recalls a New Year’s performance incident where Horton became furious when Gordy sent a backstage message demanding she wear something that would conceal her prominent baby bump.
As the late 1960s approached, the group faced additional challenges due to a lack of promotion. Young’s unreliability and difficult working attitude reached a point where the group ceased all performances after numerous cancellations.
By late 1969, Young’s voice was already suffering due to her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. Motown executives reached the conclusion that she no longer possessed sufficient commercial appeal to thrive as a solo artist. This decision created an awkward situation, given that Smokey Robinson started organizing Young’s debut solo album. Now, they sought to include the Marvelettes on the album again, but news had already reached Ann Bogan and Katherine Anderson. Both fed up with what they saw as disrespect, Anderson and Bogan declined to participate.
With a solo career at Motown out of the question, Young alone could not qualify as a group. Motown decided on proceeding with the album’s production as planned in 1970, as if nothing had happened. Young took the lead on the songs, and the Andantes stepped in to replace the absent Marvelettes. Even the album art for Return of the Marvelettes featured Young on horseback, flanked by two shadowy, unidentifiable “Marvelettes.” Unfortunately, the album’s lack of support, promotion, and the repercussions of poor internal decisions led to its failure. Consumers were bored with the album as it only reached number 50 on the R&B charts and missed the Pop chart entirely. At this juncture, Motown had shifted its focus primarily to Diana Ross’s solo career.
• MARVELETTES SUE, MOTOWN SNUBS •
Shortly after Georgeanna Tillman’s passing in 1980, several members filed lawsuits against Motown, alleging they had not received their deserved royalties. In 1983, when Motown artists gathered for a special television event to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary, the Marvelettes were notably absent from the list of invited performers. While it’s worth noting that many other prominent artists and groups were also excluded from the special, Horton harbored bitterness over the omission. The Marvelettes from Inkster played a significant role in putting Motown in Detroit on the map, and not being recognized or even invited felt deliberate rather than accidental.
In the late 1980s, Young, Horton, and Anderson briefly reunited and recorded for the non-Motown label Motorcity. They also found themselves in a legal battle over the trademark rights to the Marvelettes’ name with a concert promoter who was sending fake Marvelettes groups to perform in various locations on the same night.
Notably, Gordy did not attend Horton’s funeral in 2011.
“Gladys was a very, very special lady, and I loved the way she sang with her raspy, soulful voice.”
- Berry Gordy
Gordy said in a statement, “I am so saddened to hear of the passing of another Motown great, one of our first, Gladys Horton, who with the Marvelettes, recorded our first #1 hit, ‘Please Mr. Postman,’ and many others. Gladys was a very, very special lady, and I loved the way she sang with her raspy, soulful voice.”
• TRADEMARK RIGHTS AND UPHOLDING THE MARVELETTES LEGACY •
Now, Thornton bears the weighty responsibility of safeguarding his mother’s and the Marvelettes’ legacy, a duty fraught with its own unique challenges. He highlights that Katherine Anderson (Schaffner), who recently passed away on September 20, 2023, had “started some phony Marvelettes group,” a fact that he believes would have deeply dismayed his mother. Thornton also admits his own culpability, stating, “At the same time, I feel bad because I shouldn’t have signed her [Schaffner] on to that trademark. I shouldn’t have done it. It’s my fault.”
Thornton’s voice resonated with regret as he went on to express his concern that Schaffner was not sharing the earnings with Horton’s estate and was failing to properly uphold the Marvelettes’ legacy by employing non-original group members. Following Schaffner’s recent passing, the fate of the trademark remains uncertain.
Thornton also emphasized that during that period, non-lead singers, including Schaffner, were often substituted with the Andantes in almost all recordings. Consequently, as per Thornton’s perspective, there were no genuine, active Marvelettes performing after his mother’s passing. Even Wanda Young Rogers ceased performing, and this situation persisted until her death in December 2021.
The Truth in Music Act, which received support from artists like former Supreme Mary Wilson, was designed to thwart imposters from capitalizing on the identities of original artists and curbing other unfair trade practices. Nevertheless, many contemporary musical groups continue to perform under their original or slightly modified names, often featuring one or two genuine original members in compliance with the act. Given that a significant number of these original members have passed away, become too old, or simply decided to retire from performing, younger members have stepped in to complete the lineup.
Many perceive this practice as disingenuous because the non-original members haven’t experienced the arduous recording sessions or the hardships of the 1960s, such as navigating the racism-filled Chitlin’ Circuit for performances, or being compensated unfairly or if at all. Moreover, they may not fully grasp the significance of the music they’re paid to sing. Performing under a name or benefitting from a legacy they didn’t create is disrespectful.
While it’s a contentious issue, the general public attending these performances often don’t discern the difference unless they are dedicated fans. Having one or two original members in the lineup provides the closest experience to the “authentic” rendition. These performances often incorporate dedicated dialogue to introduce both the original and new members. Quite often, the new members take a modest approach to recognize and honor the originals and their legacy, making sure that the spotlight continues to shine on the original members.
“I continue to be my mother’s voice.”
- Vaughn Thornton, son of the late Gladys Horton
“I continue to be my mother’s voice,” Thornton said. “They don’t want to admit that it was the Marvelettes coming in with ‘Please Mr. Postman’ that opened the doors for many others. That’s where my voice is at right now. That’s what my mother wanted — for the truth to be told.”