R.I.P. - Katherine Anderson (The Marvelettes) (16 Jan 1944 - 20 Sep 2023)

The last remaining active member of The Marvelletes, Wanda Young, died in Dec '21. One of the founding members Katherine 'Kat' Anderson died last week aged 79.

The group was founded by five Inkster school friends in late 1960. By the time they were signed by Motown in 1961 (after auditions) Georgia Dobbins (who died in 2020) was replaced by Wanda Young. They were originally called The Casinyets (a joke play on 'can't sing yet') and then The Marvels but Berry Gordy insisted they change their name and that they come up with their own song when he signed them and hence they became The Marvelletes. Dobbins contacted William Garrett who had an unfinished song which she worked on and "Please Mr. Postman" was created which was their first single and went to #1 making them the first act to have a #1 hit for Motown. The song was later covered by The Beatles.

Sadly, the group were soon overshadowed, first by Martha & The Vandellas and then The Supremes as regards promotion. They never matched the success of their first hit and the group gradually dissolved into, first a quartet and then, a trio and their final album was intended as a solo album by Wanda Young that Motown marketed as "The Return of The Marvelettes" to the disdain of Anderson who refused to be photographed for the cover. The group disbanded after this in 1970.

Anderson worked as a staff writer temporarily until Motown relocated to L.A. in 1972; She left the business and returned to Inkser and raised her family and also got involved in community work helping teenagers at risk.

It's almost inconceivable to learn that The Marvelettes had only one chart entry in the UK. "When You're Young And In Love" peaked at #16 in it's sixth week of ten on the chart in July 1967.

Many of their records were favourites on the Northern Soul scene, songs like "Too Many Fish In The Sea", "I'll Keep Holding On", "Danger! Heartbreak Dead Ahead", "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game", "My Baby Must Be a Magician", "Destination: Anywhere" and "Reaching For Something I Can't Have" etc.

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