Since the late 70s Kaaren Ragland has been performing the song of The Supremes, firstly with Supremes Mary Wilson, and since 1989 without her and she is still doing so with The Sound of the Supremes.
Wilson left in 1989 but Kaaren continued. Kareen tells noise11.com, “I came over (to Australia) with (Mary Wilson) in the middle of 89 on the Legends of Rock tour for MTV with Chuck Berry and the Everly Brothers. That was her last real tour doing these hits. She is out there still doing her solo career”.
Initially Mary Wilson fought Kaaren’s right to perform her Supremes show. “She felt a little intimated because we had become so successful,” Kaaren said. “We all went to court and the Judge said ‘You can call yourself this, you can call yourself that’. She tried to suspend all the former Supremes which is kind of silly looking back at it. We prevailed because Motown and Universal liked the fact that we were still performing so they promoted our shows. They liked that we were still performing the material and doing a good job of it, so here we are”.
Kaaren’s incarnation of The Supremes almost didn’t happen. “I never knew Diana (Ross) because she left in 1970 to pursue a movie career and they moved Motown around that time to LA from Detroit. I came into play in the late 70s. So many people wanted to hear the material when they wanted to suspend it. A promoter in England decided to tour us and it was a wonderful experience,” she said.
40 years on, and another Australian tour is on the way. “I would be bored to tears if I stopped,” Kaaren said. “I love what I do. It is such a privilege to perform and to travel to different countries. It is wonderful”.
The Sounds of The Supremes is presented by Abstract Entertainment.
THE SOUNDS OF THE SUPREMES TOUR DATES
Friday 15th March, 2019 – CASTLE HILL RSL CLUB – Bookings: (02) 8858 4800
Saturday 16th March, 2019 – NORTHS LEAGUES CLUB, NORTH SYDNEY – Bookings: (02) 9245 3000
Wednesday 20th March, 2019 – THE GOV, ADELAIDE – Bookings: 1300 762 545 or www.oztix.com.au
Friday 22nd March, 2019 – DEE WHY RSL CLUB – Bookings: (02) 9454 4000
Saturday 23rd March, 2019 – THE PALMS AT CROWN, MELBOURNE – Bookings: 136 100 Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.com.au
Sunday 24th March, 2019 – SOUTHS JUNIORS CLUB – Bookings: (02) 9349 7555
Thursday 28th March, 2019 – THE ART HOUSE, WYONG – Bookings: (02) 4335 1485
Friday 29th March, 2019 – TWIN TOWNS SERVICES CLUB, TWEED HEADS – Bookings: 1800 014 014
Saturday 30th March, 2019 – WENTY LEAGUES CLUB, WENTWORTHVILLE – Bookings: (02) 8869 9200
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