Lynda Laurence

From Freepedia

Lynda Laurence (also spelled Lawrence, born Lynda Tucker) is an African-American singer. She is best known for being a part of two Motown acts: Stevie Wonder's backup group Wonderlove and one of the post-Diana Ross versions of The Supremes. She is also the dughter of Ira Tucker.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early years 1.2 The Supremes 1.3 Later career

Biography

Early years

Lynda began her career singing with a group named the Pendelles. Her sister, Sundray Tucker, was also in this group. She eventually made her way to Stevie Wonder's group Wonderlove. At this time, her sister was going by the name Cindy Scott, and rejoined Lynda in the group Wonderlove.

The Supremes

Main entry: The Supremes

In 1972, Mary Wilson, who chose to continue the legacy of The Supremes after the departure of Florence Ballard in 1967 and lead singer Diana Ross in 1970, was about to lose another member of the group, Cindy Birdsong, due to expecting a baby. Cindy originally replaced Sundray Tucker in the group The Ordettes, later to be named Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles, so it was ironic that Sundray's sister, Lynda, would be taking Cindy's place as a background singer. At this time, Jean Terrell was the lead singer of The Supremes.

Although difficult to find Laurence singing lead on any of the Supremes' 70s CDs, she did have to perform lead in her first concert with the new group. Laurence appeared on the cover of the May 1972 Floy Joy album, although the album was recorded before she has joined, and first sang with the Supremes on the 1972 album The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb. Her brother, also named Ira Tucker, produced and co-wrote the 1973 single "Bad Weather" for the group with Stevie Wonder. However, when Laurence planned to leave The Supremes to start a family of her own, she didn't know that Jean Terrell was also leaving due to difficulties with management. Laurence and Terrell both left in 1973, and Mary Wilson asked Cindy Birdsong to rejoin the group. Mary then took over management of The Supremes, and producer Lamont Dozier recomemnded Freda Payne as the new lead singer of The Supremes. When Freda declined, the role was given to her younger sister Scherrie Payne, lead singer of the group Glass House.

Laurence probably had no idea that she would one day be singing lead alongside Scherrie Payne in the future. In 1976, Cindy Birdsong left once again, due to conflicts with management. Susaye Greene became the last of the Supremes, and had almost as short a timespan in the group as Lynda. Susaye was also a former member of Wonderlove, and had the widest vocal range of any of the previous Supremes. In 1977, Mary, Scherrie, and Susaye disbanded the Supremes, ending a legacy that had begun eighteen years earlier.

Later career

Lynda Laurence, Jean Terrell, and Scherrie Payne began performing together in the late 1980s and early 1900s as "FLOS: Former Ladies of The Supremes". Unlike before where Laurence was restricted to being a background singer, she took a lead position alongside Terrell and Payne. Mary Wilson became angered at the use of the "Supremes" name, especially when Jean Terrell left the new group and was replaced by Sundray Tucker, and later by Freddi Poole. At the same time, background singer Karen Ragland of Mary Wilson's 1980s touring act began recording under the name "Sounds of The Supremes". Wilson sued both groups, claiming that the Supremes name had no right being used if an original Supreme wan't present. In recent years, the steam has cooled down and Laurence has expressed wanting to reunite all the Supremes.

Lynda Laurence continues to show pride in being a former Supreme member, as she still performs with The Former Ladies of the Supremes.