{"id":2185,"date":"2021-12-19T16:13:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-19T21:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rhythmnation.online\/?p=2185"},"modified":"2021-12-22T18:35:47","modified_gmt":"2021-12-22T23:35:47","slug":"transitions-wanda-young-rogers-co-founder-of-motown-girl-group-the-marvelettes-dead-at-78","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rhythmnation.online\/index.php\/2021\/12\/19\/transitions-wanda-young-rogers-co-founder-of-motown-girl-group-the-marvelettes-dead-at-78\/","title":{"rendered":"TRANSITIONS | Wanda Young, of Motown’s First Girl Group, The Marvelettes, Dead at 78"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Wanda was born and raised in Inkster, Michigan. Originally aspiring to be a nurse, Young’s professional music career started after fellow Inkster High School classmate Gladys Horton asked her to audition for a spot left by original Marvels member Georgia Dobbins. After a successful audition, Young joined the group and the quintet, which had auditioned for a deal with Motown earlier, returned with a song written by Dobbins titled “Please Mr. Postman<\/em>“. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Impressed with the group’s sound, they were immediately signed and had their name changed to the Marvelettes and after the song was remastered, the song was released and became Motown’s first #1 Pop single in late 1961\u2014it also held the top slot for seven weeks on Billboard’s R&B chart. Young sang lead on the B-side of the single on a ballad, “So Long, Baby”.While Young did occasionally sing leads on Marvelettes’ album cuts, Horton was the main vocalist of the group for singles. Young sang co-lead on Marvelettes’ songs, including singles “Locking Up My Heart” and “Too Many Fish in the Sea”. In 1964, she sang her first (solo) lead on a Marvelettes’ single, “You’re My Remedy”, which didn’t translate as successfully to sales or charts figures.The first hit single to feature her on lead was the dance hit, “I’ll Keep Holding On”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From then on until the Marvelettes’ departure, Young would be the main lead vocalist of the group. She went on to sing lead on several classics such as “Don’t Mess with Bill” (a million-selling gold 45) “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game”, “When You’re Young and in Love” and “My Baby Must Be a Magician”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On December 18, 1963, Young married her longtime boyfriend Bobby Rogers, a member of the Miracles, in Detroit and became known professionally as Wanda Rogers. The Marvelettes’ hit making days had waned by the end of the 1960s and in 1970 the group disbanded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n