Hip-OSelect.com uncovers more than 40 Supremes gems from deep in the Motown vault…

 

REALLY? FINALLY?

            Yes.

The Supremes—Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard (and, later, Cindy Birdsong)—were the beacon of a decade; with 12 No. 1 hits and many more top 40 smashes, they are the most successful female group of all-time. More than 40 years later their sound and look remain timeless. And for the fans, especially the fans, there is never enough Supremes music.

Let The Music Play: Supreme Rarities 1960-1969 brings to light many of the unreleased tracks Supremes lovers have been waiting for, with cuts from their earliest Motown days right through their final sessions together. It’s the latest installment in the “Motown Lost & Found Series,” joining previous vault-busting collections by Four Tops, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, the Temptations, the Miracles and Marvin Gaye. Here’s more, from the booklet’s introduction by Andrew Skurow, the set’s producer:

            “Long before music’s digital age, fans had tried, with great tenacity, to find virtually every Supremes song ever recorded. They (we!) made lists of desired bounty; traded cassettes, acetates, reels and pictures... With respect to the fans’ devotion and expertise, we say now, Friends, lose that 10th-generation cassette. Here’s a trip into the original treasure trove.

“[While] it’s certainly not the first time Motown has dipped into the vaults to satisfy the fans’ thirst for Supreme sounds, this Lost & Found collection is a rare opportunity to hear more of what got stopped, for one reason or another, at the Quality Control door… Let The Music Play is the ultimate overview of the vault rarities—a wonderful reminder of why the Supremes remain the greatest female group of all time.”

             At their first Motown session as a Detroit quartet in 1960, the group recorded Smokey Robinson’s “(You Can) Depend On Me,” the lead track on this collection.  In quick succession over the next several months they were signed to the company and became a trio. This set includes further unreleased recordings from this period, most of them written by Motown founder Berry Gordy.

            The Supremes recorded constantly, especially in their hit-making years. Discovered from that time are covers of “I Saw Him Standing There,” “Mickey's Monkey,” “MacArthur Park,” “It's Not Unusual” and more, plus extraordinary alternate versions of familiar hits, as well as several tracks that provide unique glimpses into Diana Ross’ working process. Included where available is unheard studio chatter from the girls and their producers.

To top off the collection, features extra-rare radio promos from the personal collection of disc jockey Scott Regan, who was a Motown company favorite. These wonderful artifacts have not been heard since they were broadcast on local Detroit radio in the mid-sixties.

            Let The Music Play is packaged with a 32-page deluxe booklet including never-before-seen photos, detailed song annotations and a discography of the Supremes rare and unreleased catalog.

            Finally.