Written by Patrick McDonald from Adelaide Now

Mary Wilson, one of the original members of Motown group The Supremes, is here to perform her tribute to jazz great Lena Horne at the Cabaret Festival. Picture: Tricia Watkinson.

MARY Wilson’s hand instinctively flies up and her head gives a sassy jerk from side to side when she breaks, mid-sentence, into Stop! In The Name of Love.

The trademark moves are second nature for the co-founder of Motown supergroup The Supremes, who is appearing at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival this weekend.

Just as The Supremes became role models for African-American women in the 1960s, Wilson’s show Stormy Weather pays tribute to 1940s civil rights activist, singer and actress Lena Horne.

“When the The Supremes became popular and famous … we had a goal, and that was to put a pretty good face on Afro-Americans,” Ms Wilson, 68, said yesterday.

“We were three little black girls growing up at a time when that was like an impossible dream.”

Horne, who was of mixed European, Native American and African heritage, was a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, but was  ostracised in the 1950s for her  political views.

“The same things that she and people of her generation were going through was what we ended up going through … but we were able to go on to the next level,” Ms Wilson, 68, said.

Stormy Weather, which is at the Dunstan Playhouse tonight and tomorrow, is a multi-media production that includes video of Horne speaking at civil rights rallies.

“I am not impersonating Miss Horne, by no means,” said Ms Wilson.”I personally have always been a ballads singer, even with The Supremes. So this falls right into what I do as Mary Wilson.”

June 30th of this year marks what would have been Florence Ballard’s 69th Birthday. Mary is asking all of the fans to contact their local radio stations. Make them aware of Flo’s upcoming Birthday and request that they play a song that she had recorded with The Supremes. Our goal is to have as many radio stations as possible commemorate and celebrate Flo’s Birthday this month by playing her recordings. Thank you for your efforts and support.