Wanda Young of the Marvelettes dies at age 78

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(December 16, 2021) In a month that has already taken from us too many musical greats, tonight we say a sad goodbye to Wanda Young, co-lead singer of the legendary Motown act, The Marvelettes. She was 78.

Young and fellow Inkster High School classmate Gladys Horton auditioned together for a position in the musical act The Marvels. She was successful and joined the quintet right around the time of the act’s signing by Motown and the changing of their name to The Marvelettes. They hit the ground running with the #1 smash “Please Mr. Postman,” and began nearly a decade as one of the premiere female vocal groups.

Horton sang on many of the group’s subsequent hits, but Young also had her share, on which she showed off her sensuous, playful voice, including top hits “Don’t Mess With Bill,” “The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game” and “Too Many Fish In The Sea.”

After the Marvelettes’ time had run, Young had a brief solo career in the 70s, and she remained in the Detroit area to live after Motown made its move to Los Angeles.

Young made a brief comeback with other former Motown stars in the 80s as part of the UK’s Motorcity Records, releasing new music and covers of old Marvelettes songs. She and the Marvelettes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.

Wanda Young’s name may not have been familiar to casual music fans, but her imprint was large, not only recording some of the most iconic songs of the 1960s, but helping to pave the way for female singers for the next half century.

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