Betty McGlown-Travis (June 30, 1941 – January 12, 2008) was an African American singer, a member of The Primettes, later known as The Supremes.
In 1959, McGlown started dating future Temptations member Paul Williams who was then singing with the Primes. Around the same time, the Primes' booking agent and manager Milton Jenkins was scouting the Detroit neighborhoods looking for girls to become part of the Primes' sister act. After discovering Florence Ballard, Ballard set on recruiting other girls she knew, quickly asking Mary Wilson, who asked Diana Ross to join. Due to her connection with Williams, McGlown became the last to join the Primettes.
Along with their guitarist, Marv Tarplin, the girls performed for Berry Gordy who, although impressed, told them they were too young for the business and encouraged them to finish school. On Lupine Records, McGlown sang backing vocals for Mary Wilson on "Pretty Baby" and backing vocals for Diana Ross on "Tears of Sorrow". These became the only known recordings of McGlown, although her voice does not stand out by itself in either song (and some have disputed that her voice is not even on these songs).
While all four members sang lead on stage, it is only the other three members who ever had leads on studio recordings. McGlown eventually became Mrs. Betty Travis and left the Primettes in 1960 to concentrate on her new marriage. She was replaced by Barbara Martin the same year.
Betty McGlown-Travis is deceased. She died of diabetes in January, 2008 at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan at the age of 66.
Famous quotes containing the word betty:
“He could jazz up the map-reading class by having a full-size color photograph of Betty Grable in a bathing suit, with a co- ordinate grid system laid over it. The instructor could point to different parts of her and say, “Give me the co-ordinates.”... The Major could see every unit in the Army using his idea.... Hot dog!”
—Norman Mailer (b. 1923)