Farewell (The Supremes album)

History

The material performed in the show was a mix of popular Supremes hits, cover songs, and Broadway showtunes. During the extended twenty-minute rendition of "Let The Sunshine In", Diana Ross walked through the audience and let some of the guests sing the title-chorus of the song; some of these guests included Smokey Robinson and his wife Claudette, Dick Clark, Lou Rawls, Steve Allen, Bill Russell, Johnny Carson, and Marvin Gaye.

The live album was issued as a two-LP deluxe edition box set, produced by Deke Richards. The album was reissued as a single disc under the title Captured Live on Stage! in 1982, and as a two-disc compact disc reissue Captured Live on Stage!, in 1992.

According to Mary Wilson, Berry Gordy had last-minute reservations about having Terrell replace Ross, as she was more independent and headstrong than Ross had been. Gordy called Wilson during the early morning hours following the final show, and informed her that he was going to instead replace Ross with his original choice for a Ross replacement, Syreeta Wright.

Terrell, Wilson, and Cindy Birdsong had already recorded most of the material for the first post-Ross Supremes album, Right On, and Terrell had just been publicly introduced as the newest Supreme, so Wilson refused and threatened to quit if Gordy dropped Terrell. Gordy angrily replied he would "wash his hands of the group", and hung up the telephone receiver.

The Supremes enjoyed a number of hits following Ross' departure, including "Up the Ladder to the Roof", "Stoned Love", "River Deep – Mountain High" (with The Four Tops), "Nathan Jones", "Floy Joy", "Automatically Sunshine", and their last Top 40 Billboard Pop Chart hit in 1976, "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking"—although promotion and backing from Motown decreased. The Supremes carried on through the middle of the decade, briefly enjoying disco hits, concert touring, and television appearances, before finally disbanding officially in 1977.

Rumors About The Video Recording

Motown signed a deal with NBC to do 3 TV specials with The Supremes, two were TCB and GIT on Broadway with the third still remaining. It was going to be Farewell but Motown decided to make the third Diana's solo special. Deke Richards who produced the Farewell album stated he didn't remember them filming it but some swear it was and have copies. Also Deke stated so many other entertainers were in the audience it was hard getting them to sign off on legal stuff as some didn't want to be included in the album, perhaps the DVD as well.Short footages were shown on the TV special An Evening with Diana Ross, on the TV show Dick Clark's American Bandstand and on the documentary Brown Sugar: Eighty Years of America's Black Female Superstars.

Side one

1. "TCB"
2. Medley:
   1. "Stop! In the Name of Love"
   2. "Come See About Me"
   3. "My World Is Empty Without You"
   4. "Baby Love"
3. Medley:
   1. "The Lady Is a Tramp"
   2. "Let's Get Away From It All"
4. Monologue - Diana Ross
5. "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone"
6. "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
7. Monologue - Mary Wilson
8. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" - Mary Wilson on Lead
9. Dialogue - Diana Ross & Mary Wilson
10. "Reflections"

Side two

1. "My Man"
2. "Didn't We"
3. "It's Alright With Me"
4. "Big Spender"
5. "Falling In Love with Love" - Mary Wilson on Lead
6. "Love Child"
7. Monologue - Diana Ross

Side three

1. Monologue - Diana Ross
2. "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In (The Flesh Failures)"

Side four

1. Monologue - Diana Ross
2. "The Impossible Dream"
3. Monologue - Diana Ross
4. "Someday We'll Be Together"
5. Closing Dialogue - Diana Ross & the Supremes

Personnel

Diana Ross: lead and background vocals

Mary Wilson: lead and background vocals

Cindy Birdsong: background vocals

Gil Askey: musical direction, arrangements, orchestra conductor.

Wally Heider: engineering

John Stronach: engineering

Berry Gordy: executive producer

Deke Richards: album producer

Deke Richard and Kevin Kim: art direction

Kevin Kim: photography, design

Ivy Hill: lithography