Mary Wilson

Overview

Born
March 6, 1944 · Greenville, Mississippi, USA
Died
February 8, 2021 · Henderson, Nevada, USA (hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease)
Height
5′ 4½″ (1.64 m)

Mini Bio

Family

Spouse
Children
Parents

Trivia

Suffered a heart attack at her home in May 2006. She successfully underwent heart bypass surgery.
Had three children with ex-husband Pedro Ferrer: daughter Turkessa (b. 1975), son Pedro Antonio Jr. (b. 1977) and son Rafael (1979-1994), who was killed in a car accident.
Graduated from New York University at age 57. She promised her mother, who did not live to see Mary graduate, that she would finish college.
Ranked #16 on VH1's Greatest Women of Rock N Roll.
Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of The Supremes) in 1988.

Quotes

What's Going On changed everything. At Motown, the artists relied on the writers and producers to provide their material. Then a couple of artists proved they were more than just singers and performers, they were creators of music too. There was Stevie Wonder and there was Marvin Gaye.
[on the death of Donna Summer, 2012] I didn't know she was ill. In the entertainment business, we all kinda talk, you know. Never heard that she had been ill. She's young. Sixty-three is like our 46. She's young, great talent.... She was the Disco Queen, but she was more than that. I knew her very well and she was a great artist. Even though it was Disco, she has a very unique voice and sound... It was maybe in the '80s that I spent a lot of time with her, here in L.A. Fun! Fun girl. Very, very down to earth. You see her up on the stage it's one thing but off stage she was really very, very down to earth. She performed in Vegas some years back and I went because I live in Vegas and we were upstairs in the beautiful suite. I think it was the Elvis Presley suite or something like that. And we had a ball. And she ordered all kind of food. She loved to eat. Fun. She was a fun lady.
"What's Goin' On" changed everything. At Motown,the artists relied on the writers and producers to provide their material. Then a couple of artists proved they were more than just singers and performers, they were creators of music too. There was Stevie Wonder and there was Marvin Gaye.
[on the death of Donna Summer, 2012] I didn't know she was ill. In the entertainment business, we all kinda talk, you know. Never heard that she had been ill. She's young. Sixty-three is like our 46. She's young, great talent . . . She was the Disco Queen, but she was more than that. I knew her very well and she was a great artist. Even though it was Disco, she has a very unique voice and sound . . . It was maybe in the '80s that I spent a lot of time with her, here in L.A. Fun! Fun girl. Very, very down to earth. You see her up on the stage it's one thing but off stage she was really very, very down to earth. She performed in Vegas some years back and I went because I live in Vegas and we were upstairs in the beautiful suite. I think it was the Elvis Presley suite or something like that. And we had a ball. And she ordered all kinds of food. She loved to eat. Fun. She was a fun lady.