Occupation(s) Singer, dancer Name Gladys Horton Instruments Vocals Role Singer | Years active 1960–2009 Children Vaughn Horton Labels Tamla, Motown | |
Full name Gladys Catherine Horton Birth name Gladys Catherine Horton Born May 30, 1945 or May 30, 1944Gainesville, Florida, United States ( 1945-05-301944-05-30 ) Genres Rhythm and blues, rock and roll, pop Died January 26, 2011, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California, United States Music group The Marvelettes (1960 – 1967) Albums The Marvelettes' Greatest Hits, The Marvelettes Similar People Wanda Young, Katherine Anderson, Georgeanna Tillman, Georgia Dobbins, Brian Holland | ||
The marvelettes gladys horton please mr postman live
Gladys Catherine Horton (May 30, 1945 – January 26, 2011) (various sources cite her year of birth as 1944) was an American R&B and pop singer, famous for being the founder and lead singer of the popular Motown all-female vocal group The Marvelettes.
Contents
- The marvelettes gladys horton please mr postman live
- Tribute to gladys horton david frye charlie callas
- Biography
- Early years
- Popular Success
- Later years and death
- References
Tribute to gladys horton david frye charlie callas
Biography
Born in Gainesville, Florida, she was raised in the western Detroit suburb of Inkster by foster parents. By the time of her high school years at Inkster High School on Middlebelt Road, Gladys had taken a strong interest in singing, joining the high school glee club. In 1960 Horton formed a group with her former highschool glee club members Georgeanna Tillman, Katherine Anderson and Juanita Cowart. She also invited Georgia Dobbins to join her new group.
Early years
Formerly calling themselves The Casinyets (can't sing yet), the group eventually auditioned for Motown after a talent contest, and while the audition was successful, the group was requested to return to Hitsville with an original song. After member Georgia Dobbins co-created the song "Please Mr. Postman", Dobbins suddenly left the group after her father forbade her to be in nightclubs. Dobbins, who was also the group's original lead singer, gave Horton the spotlight to be the lead vocalist, a spot Horton was not comfortable with in the beginning. The group changed their name to the Marvelettes shortly after Motown signed the act and released "Please Mr. Postman" in the summer of 1961 when Horton was reportedly just fifteen years old.
Popular Success
The single eventually hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 – becoming Motown's first No. 1 Pop hit – and turning the group into instant Motown stars. Horton would later sing lead on Marvelettes' classics such as "Playboy", "Beechwood 4-5789" and "Too Many Fish in the Sea". Horton's position as lead vocalist ended in 1965 with Wanda Young, who had replaced Dobbins, taking over from then on as lead vocalist. Horton left the group in 1967 and was replaced by Cleveland, Ohio vocalist Anne Bogan.
In the late 1980s, Horton and Wanda Young Rogers reunited to collaborate on the 1990 Marvelettes album for Ian Levine's Motor City Records label titled The Marvelettes...Now! though Young didn't take part in the group's performances. The Marvelettes released the single "Holding On With Both Hands" in 1990, which was sung on record by Wanda but performed by Gladys in public due to Wanda's severe personal problems.
Later years and death
Gladys and former Marvelette Katherine Anderson were involved with Marc Taylor's official biography of the group. She remained semi-retired from the business to take care of her disabled son. However, she still performed on occasion as "Gladys Horton of the Marvelettes". She had resided in Southern California since the 1970s.
Gladys Horton died on January 26, 2011, in a nursing home in Sherman Oaks, California, following several strokes and years of declining health.
The Marvelettes were nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and again in 2015.