The Marvelettes
Probably the most pop-oriented of Motown's major female acts, the Marvelettes didn't project as strong an identity as the Supremes, Mary Wells, or Martha Reeves, but recorded quite a few hits, including Motown's first number one single, "Please Mr. Postman" (1961). "Postman," as well as other chirpy early-'60s hits like "Playboy," "Twistin' Postman," and "Beechwood 4-5789," were the label's purest girl group efforts. Featuring two strong lead singers, Gladys Horton and Wanda Young, the Marvelettes went through five different lineups, but maintained a high standard on their recordings. After a few years, they moved from girl group sounds to uptempo and midtempo numbers that were more characteristic of Motown's production line. They received no small help from Smokey Robinson, who produced and wrote many of their singles; Holland-Dozier-Holland, Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Marvin Gaye, and Ashford-Simpson also got involved with the songwriting and production at various points. After the mid-'60s Wanda Young assumed most of the lead vocal duties; Gladys Horton departed from the group in the late '60s. While the Marvelettes didn't cut as many monster smashes as most of their Motown peers after the early '60s, they did periodically surface with classic hits like "Too Many Fish in the Sea," "Don't Mess with Bill," and "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game." There were also plenty of fine minor hits and misses, like 1965's "I'll Keep Holding On," which is just as memorable as the well-known Motown chart-toppers of the era. The group quietly disbanded in the early '70s after several years without a major hit. Wanda Young died on December 16, 2021 at the age of 78. Co-founder Katherine Anderson died on September 20, 2023; she was 79.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Some Good Ones
Soul - Released by Archive Catapult on 6 Jan 2019
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White and Yellow
Soul - Released by getmyhits again rec. on 13 Sep 2019
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Ice And Cream
Soul - Released by iceandcream music on 21 Jun 2019
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The Marvelettes
Soul - Released by Milestones Records on 26 Jan 2018
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A Happy Easter
Soul - Released by Archive & Catapulte on 5 Apr 2020
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Moonshine And Music
Soul - Released by Bella Donna on 14 Aug 2018
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Guitar Town Music
Soul - Released by GTM restart rec. on 7 Jun 2020
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Back To Black And White
Soul - Released by btbaw sounds on 20 Jul 2020
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Listen This Music
Soul - Released by Archive Catapult on 10 Jan 2019
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Easter on the Catwalk
Soul - Released by Archive & Catapulte on 11 Apr 2020
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Timeout Music
Soul - Released by Timeout Music Austria on 23 Aug 2021
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Les Idoles Américaines De La Soul: The Marvelettes, Vol. 1
Soul - Released by Mon patrimoine musical on 5 Oct 2018
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Please Mr. Postman (1961)
Pop - Released by JB Production on 16 Jul 2021
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