Marvelettes' Gladys Horton   Dies at 66

                 

 

Horton sang lead on 

'Please Mr. Postman' 

and 'Too Many Fish In The Sea'

Gladys Horton, a founding member of the pioneering Motown girl group The Marvelettes who sang lead on their 1961 classic "Please Mr. Postman," died January 26th in Sherman Oaks, California from complications related a stroke. She was 66.
Smokey Robinson's Motown Memories

Horton formed The Marvelettes (then known as the Casinyets) at Michigan's Inskter High School with members of her Glee Club when she was just 15. A 1961 talent show caught the attention of one of their teachers, who arranged an audition at Motown with Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. The two-year old label had no experience with girl groups, but they signed the group — largely based on the powerful vocals of Horton and her group-mate Wanda Young.
Motown's Lost Heroes Emerge
In the summer of 1961 Motown released their debut single "Dear Mr. Postman," which featured Marvin Gaye on drums. (Watch Horton perform the song at a 2005 concert below.) It eventually shot to Number One and the Marvelettes were put on the road. "We went through hell on those tours," Marvelette Wanda Young recalled in J. Randy Taraborrelli's 1986 book Motown. "It was so bad — the traveling, the food, the accommodations — that Juanita [Coward] went right into a nervous breakdown. We had to put her under medical care and she left the group in 1963." Despite the difficulties, the group's success helped transform Motown into a major record label and paved the way for The Ronettes, The Supremes and all girl groups that followed.

Horton sang lead on many of the group's other early 1960s hits, including "Beechwood 4-5789," "Playboy" and "Too Many Fish In The Sea." By the mid-1960s Motown turned their attention towards The Supremes and Martha & The Vandellas, and the Marvelettes' winning streak slowed down. In 1965 Wanda Young began singing lead on many songs (including "Don't Mess With Bill") and in 1967 Horton left the group — in part to care for her handicapped son.

When Horton returned to the stage in later years she had to tour as "Gladys Horton of the Marvelettes" because she didn't own the name rights, a very common situation for artists of that era. She continued to regularly perform until she suffered a stroke last year.


"Please Mr. Postman" has been covered frequently, including a version by The Beatles on their With the Beatles album. Sung by John Lennon, their version reverses the genders. Later, a second hit version was recorded by The Carpenters, whose version took the song again to number one on the Hot 100 in early 1975. The Pat Boone Family released their version of the song at approximately the same time, resulting in both versions appearing simultaneously on the South African Hit Parade. The Carpenters' cover version was also sampled by rapper Juelz Santana for his single "Oh Yes". It is used by the Rob, Arnie and Dawn Show to introduce their Listener Mail segment, and was sung by the presenters of British Saturday morning show SMTV Live to introduce the mailbag section.

  Andy Greene