Mary Wilson, who co-founded Motown group The Supremes alongside Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, has died aged 76.
Wilson's longtime publicist, Jay Schwartz, announced that she died suddenly at her home in Las Vegas. The cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
Wilson co-founded the US group aged 15 while living in a Detroit housing project, according to Variety, and continued with the trio long after lead singer Diana Ross' departure, eventually going on to be inducted into the 1988 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Only two days ago, Wilson uploaded a short clip to YouTube, celebrating Black history month and announcing "exciting news about The Supremes, Florence Ballard and unreleased materials".
The founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy, said in a statement: "I was extremely shocked and saddened to hear of the passing of a major member of the Motown family, Mary Wilson of the Supremes.
"The Supremes were always known as the 'sweethearts of Motown.' Mary, along with Diana Ross and Florence Ballard, came to Motown in the early 1960s. After an unprecedented string of No. 1 hits, television and nightclub bookings, they opened doors for themselves, the other Motown acts, and many, many others…
"I was always proud of Mary. She was quite a star in her own right and over the years continued to work hard to boost the legacy of the Supremes. Mary Wilson was extremely special to me. She was a trailblazer, a diva and will be deeply missed."
Born 12 March 1944 in Greenville, Mississippi, Wilson was brought up by her aunt and uncle, before moving to Detroit with her mother when she was 12.
There, she began singing and with Ballard founded the group that would eventually become known as The Supremes.
Despite limited early success, the group struck gold in the late Sixties with hits like Stop! In the Name of Love and Baby Love.
But following Ross's departure in 1970 for a solo career, the group never regained its dominance on the US charts, but did enjoy some hits such as River Deep, Mountain High and Stoned Love.
Wilson continued to perform in the group - Ross was replaced by Jean Terrell - remaining a constant during the shifting cast of members until the group finally folded in 1977.
Little heard of in the intervening years, she burst back onto the public stage with her 1986 memoir Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme, detailing her time in the group - and her relationship with Ross.
In 1974, she married Pedro Ferrer, but the couple divorced in 1981.
She is survived by their two children, daughter Turkessa and son Pedro Antonio Jr., as well as 10 grandchildren.
