Gladys Horton

Early life

Born in Gainesville, Florida, she was raised in the western Detroit suburb of Inkster, Michigan by foster parents. By the time of her high school years at Inkster High School, Gladys had taken a strong interest in singing, joining the high school glee club. In 1960, Horton formed a group with her former highschool glee club members Georgeanna Tillman, Katherine Anderson and Juanita Cowart. She invited Georgia Dobbins to join the new group.

Career with the Marvelettes

Formerly calling themselves The Casinyets, the group auditioned for Motown after a talent show, and while the audition was successful, the group was requested to give a musical composition. After Dobbins created the composition "Please Mr. Postman", Dobbins left the group after her father refused to let her perform in the group. Dobbins, who was also the group's original lead singer, gave Horton the spotlight to be the lead vocalist, a spot Horton was not comfortable with in the beginning. The group changed their name to the Marvelettes shortly after Motown signed the act, and Dobbins was replaced by Wanda Young. In 1961, the group released "Please Mr. Postman" in 1961. The single would top the charts, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Motown's first No. 1 Pop hit. Horton would later sing lead on singles such as "Playboy", "Beechwood 4-5789" and "Too Many Fish in the Sea". Horton's position as lead vocalist ended in 1965 with Wanda Young, who had replaced Dobbins, taking over from then on as lead vocalist. Horton left the group in 1967 to get married and was replaced by Ann Bogan, shortly after giving birth to her son, Sammie, who was born with cerebral palsy.

Horton and Young reunited to collaborate on the 1990 Marvelettes album for Ian Levine's Motorcity Records label titled The Marvelettes...Now!, though Young didn't take part in the group's performances. The Marvelettes released the single "Holding On With Both Hands" in 1990, which was sung on record by Young but performed by Horton in public due to Young's severe personal problems. Horton would continue to perform Marvelettes songs with various members, and this would also continue with other Marvelettes ensembles following the years.

Personal life and death

In 1967, after leaving the Marvelettes, Horton relocated to Los Angeles and married trumpeter Sammie Coleman. She was mother to three children: Samuel, Vaughn Thornton, and Alphonso, who died in 1991. She briefly lived in Philadelphia and Inkster before settling back in Los Angeles in 1984.

Horton died on January 26, 2011, in a nursing home in Sherman Oaks, following several strokes and years of declining health. Her body was cremated at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles.