Mary attended the Kentucky Derby last weekend with author and friend, Mark Bego.

Mary will be starring in James Gavin’s “Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project” tonight at the Smith Center in Las Vegas. Mary was at the NBC Bay Area studio earlier this week to discuss Lena Horne and the show. Watch the video below.

By Jackie Brett, Las Vegas About the Town Examiner

Las Vegas resident Mary Wilson, who was a Supreme and one of the famous trio’s founders, will be performing in a tribute show aptly named, “Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project,” in the new Cabaret Jazz Club at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, May 11 and 12.

The showbased on James Gavin’s book released in 2009 about Hollywood’s first African-American goddess, Lena Horne, goes from her reign at MGM’s “dream factory,” to a fabled night club seductress, and civil rights icon.

While Wilson was performing in “The Fabulous Palm Springs Follies,”she saw a lady carrying a book about Lena Horne and as chance would have it found out the author was at a book signing in town. She went and met James Gavin and told him the story about how she met Horne and stayed friends.

It was in 1967 or ’68 when Horne was closing at the Talk of the Town in London and the Supremes were opening the next night. The ladies had Barry Gordy get them in to see the show and they stayed backstage in Horne’s dressing room for over an hour. “It was one of the best moments in my life meeting someone famous,” Wilson said and added, “We remained friends. Whenever I saw her, she’d run over to me.”

Talking with Gavin, Wilson learned that he wanted to bring the play created from his book to some bigger stages with a jazz singer. Wilson liked the project and got involved. They opened in Los Angeles at the Musicians Institute to work out the kinks and went on to work small venues in Middle America.  Now they are taking it another step up at The Smith Center in Las Vegas.

Wilson describes the show as having the spoken word presented by narrator Gavin, being a concert with her singing the songs, and featuring multi-media with film clips showing Horne’s amazing life. Wilson changes cloths and styles her hair all to create the mood of the ‘30s period but not to imitate. Three musicians add to the realism.

Many will be surprised to learn that this Supreme grew up listening to jazz. “It’s probably my first love.  It’s not a stretch, its closer to me musically,” confesses the Motown queen.

A sample of the songs on the program include: “Stormy Weather” by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler; “Why Was I Born?” by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II; “A Lady Must Live” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart; “Honeysuckle Rose” by Fats Waller and Andy Razaf, and many more.

Three performances are set for May 11 at 8:30 p.m. and May 12 at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Ticket prices start at $45, call 702-749-2000 or visit www.TheSmithCenter.Com.

The schedule has been updated with four new concert dates for James Gavin’s Stormy Weather: The Lena Horne Project starring Mary Wilson. The shows are scheduled for November 2012.

Backstage Axxess is giving fans the chance to win a photo signed by Mary Wilson! Contest rules can be found by clicking here. Hurry! The contest ends April 30th at 12 noon EST.

Backstage Axxess interviewed Mary after her first show at the Seneca Niagara Casino’s Bears Den on Saturday, March 31st. Click here to watch the interview on BackstageAxxess.com .

Mary recently played poker at a charity poker game event in Las Vegas, benefiting children with disabilities.

Mary Wilson @ Bears Den (Inside the Seneca Niagara Casino), Niagara Falls, New York
Saturday, March 31, 2012

By: Thom Jennings from backstageaxxess.com

“Mary Wilson may not be the best-known member of The Supremes, but she can lay claim to being in the group longer than anyone other member of the trailblazing female super group. Take away The Supremes moniker and Wilson is an incredible performer in her own right, combining raw talent with an elegance that is matched by her humility.

Wilson performed two shows at Seneca Niagara’s Bears Den Saturday, I caught the matinee performance in the intimate venue. As expected, Wilson lived up to her status as a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, and put on a wonderful show filled with great musical moments and spontaneous interactions with the crowd.

As soon as Wilson hit the stage, she filled the room with her radiance. Wilson combines all of the elements of the great female performers from the sixties. Her performance combined elements of Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner and Diana Ross. Whether she needed to strut around the stage belting out a Rolling Stones cover like “Satisfaction” or a beautiful ballad like Sting’s “Fields of Gold,” Wilson pulled it off with precision.

What really made the show work was her obvious love of performing. Wilson’s command of the stage is awe-inspiring, regardless of the size of the venue. Every up and coming performer should be required to see Wilson.

After the show, Wilson graciously signed autographs and posed for pictures for an hour after the show. In spite of a hectic evening of travel and a second show scheduled for later that evening. Wilson smiled and joked with her fans and didn’t rush any of them through the line. After all the fans were gone she gave a great interview to BackstageAxxess, one that you will see on the site shortly.”

The image below is the promotional poster that is being displayed in stores and newsstands to promote Mary’s cover story in this month’s edition of Daeida Magazine. The poster features a beautiful outtake from the photo shoot, not included in the magazine. There are a limited number of promotional posters available to purchase through Daeida Magazine’s website:

http://daeida.com/2012_Daeida_Shop_Posters.html