Mary Wilson death: Diana Ross pays tribute, says The Supremes ‘will live on in our hearts’

'I have so many wonderful memories of our time together,' singer said

(Getty Images)

Diana Ross has paid tribute to her fellow Supremes star, Mary Wilson, who has died, aged 76.

The death of Wilson, who co-founded the Motown group when she was 15, was described by her publicist as "sudden".

The circumstances are yet to be revealed.

“I just woke up to the news, my condolences to you, Mary’s family,” Ross wrote on Twitter. “I am reminded that each day is a gift."

She added: “I have so many wonderful memories of our time together. The Supremes will live on in our hearts.”

Supremes co-founder Mary Wilson died suddenly at her home in Las Vegas (Getty Images)

Originally known as the Primettes, the Supremes signed to Motown records in 1961.

They scored their first hit in 1963 with “When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes” and went on to become the genre’s most successful act.

Along with her co-founder Florence Ballard and Diana Ross, Wilson appeared on all 12 of the Supremes’ No. 1 pop hits between 1964-69.

In the years since, Wilson released two solo studio albums, as well as four books. In 2019, she competed on the 28th season of Dancing with the Stars.

On Saturday (6 February), Wilson had posted a video to her YouTube channel announcing that she was working with Universal Music on releasing solo material, including an unreleased album titled Red Hot, which she recorded in the 1970s. She planned to put out the record on 6 March, her birthday.

In the video, which is titled: “Mary Wilson YouTube Channel Celebrates Black History Month 2021”, the singer said that she would be releasing interviews about the Supremes’ experiences with segregation.