Jean Terrell
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| Jean Terrell | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | November 26, 1944 |
| Origin | Belzoni, Mississippi |
| Genre(s) | R&B/soul/jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1969 - present |
| Label(s) | A&M Records |
| Associated acts | Ernie Terrell and the Heavyweights, The Supremes |
Jean Terrell (born Velma Jean Terrell, November 26, 1944, Belzoni, Mississippi) is an American R&B and jazz singer, best known for having replaced Diana Ross in The Supremes in 1970.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life and career
She is the sister of the former WBA heavyweight boxing champion, Ernie Terrell, who famously fought Muhammad Ali.
Moving to Chicago for a better life at an early age, Jean Terrell was guided by her family to sing, and it was in the late 1960s that she and her brother formed a group called Ernie Terrell and the Heavyweights.
[edit] The Supremes
It was while singing in Miami, Florida where Motown president Berry Gordy discovered the 24 year old singer performing with her brother at a club in Miami Beach. Looking for a replacement for his protegée, singer Diana Ross, who was leaving the group she had fronted during most of the 1960s, The Supremes, for a solo career, Gordy first signed Terrell to Motown as a solo artist, but then decided to drop her into The Supremes as Ross's replacement alongside continuing, fellow duo members Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong. Terrell then recorded much of the new post Ross Supremes material in the studios, and rehearsed the group's new act during the day with Wilson and Birdsong, while Ross, Wilson and Birdsong performed as Diana Ross & The Supremes at night.
Terrell was made an official member after Ross's farewell tour with the group in Las Vegas on January 14, 1970. Terrell took lead in the group's first notable 1970s hits "Up the Ladder to the Roof", "Stoned Love", "River Deep Mountain High" (with The Four Tops), "Nathan Jones", and "Floy Joy". Between 1970 and 1973, Terrell served as the official lead singer of the group until contractual disputes led to her exit from the group, when she was replaced by Scherrie Payne.
[edit] Later career and current work
Signing a contract with A&M Records, Terrell had finished a solo recording, I Had To Fall in Love, in 1978 but due to her Jehovah's Witness beliefs disagreeing with promoting the recording in a specific way the record label wanted, she semi-retired. In the early 1980s Terrell put together a one woman show and did limited touring throughout the United States. Her act consisted of several Supremes songs, songs from her solo album and cover versions of songs by Bette Midler and Lionel Richie. Friend and former Supreme Lynda Laurence would often perform background vocals for Terrell during these tours. Another who performed backing vocals for Terrell during these tours was Freddi Poole.
Terrell went on to form the Former Ladies of the Supremes (FLOS for short) with Payne and Laurence in 1986; she left FLOS to pursue business interests and was replaced by Laurence's sister, Sundray Tucker. Terrell has since released a biographical DVD of her life and has continued to sing onstage with jazz musicians.
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