Mary Wilson is a founding member of the Supremes and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She continues to perform, tell her incredible life story and is a tireless advocate for social and economic change. She’s also a best-selling author and motivational speaker.
She explains how she went from being a poor girl from the projects of Detroit to one of the most famous voices in the world, with her girlhood friends Diana Ross and Florence Ballard at her side.
“It’s all in how you play your cards. No matter what hand you’re dealt, you’ve got to play your cards right,” Mary told us.
She says they were just 13 years old when they found their dream. From the time they met and started hanging out together, they knew they wanted to be singers.
She credits their families, their teachers and their own desire to succeed for helping their dream to finally come true.
Mary’s life story is filled with some of the most famous names in music history. In this wide-ranging interview, she talks about her path crossing with people like Michael Jackson, Barry Gordy, the Miracles and Marvin Gaye.
Find out why Barry Gordy first told the girls they needed to wait a few years before he would work with them and what it was like to tour the world as a young woman.
Plus, she explains why she’s never stopped working.
“You have to enjoy what you’re doing. It’s hard. Everything is hard work. Unless you’re born a millionaire, you’re going to have to work and earn your living. If you’ve got to work hard, you might as well work hard at something you enjoy,” she tells Growing Bolder.
Find out her tips for finding your passion in life and how important it is to pursue what makes you happy, not just what you think will make you money.