In remembrance of Mary Wilson, I’m sharing my 2017 sit down with her.

It was such a privilege to be able to talk to her about her fame and her life. She was as gracious and generous as could be. We talked about her amazing career as part of the Supremes, getting that first hit record, the early days, her childhood, her diaries, her English teacher who inspired her and we even talked about clothes she wore. We giggled, we laughed and I'm reminded again, how very lucky I was to have that time with her.

Wilson was a "trendsetter who broke down social, racial, and gender barriers." She began her career in Detroit in 1959 as a singer in a group that was then called The Primettes. They went on to become The Supremes, Motown's most successful group of the 1960s, with 12 No. 1 singles including "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love," and "Stop! In the Name of Love."

The Supremes' influence not only carries on in contemporary R&B, soul, and pop, they also helped pave the way for mainstream success by Black artists across all genres. In 2018, Billboard celebrated the 60th anniversary of Motown with a list of "The Hot 100's Top Artists of All Time," and listed The Supremes at number 16.