Jean Terrell
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Jean Terrell (born November 26, 1944 in Belzoni, Mississippi) is an African-American singer, best known for having replaced Diana Ross in the Supremes in 1970.
Terrell is the sister of former WBA heavyweight boxing champion Ernie Terrell. During the 1960s, she sang with her brother in his group, "Ernie Terrell & the Knockouts."
With Jean Terrell as the lead singer, The Supremes enjoyed several top 20 hits, including "Up the Ladder to the Roof" and "Stoned Love" (both 1970), "Nathan Jones" (1971), and "Floy Joy" (1972). Terrell was a member of the group until 1973, when she left for a solo career. In 1978, she landed a solo deal with A&M Records, and released the LP I Had to Fall in Love. Her association with A&M was brief; A&M's plans for Jean conflicted with her devout Jehovah's Witness religion, and she left the label.
She eventually resurfaced in 1987 as a member of the FLOS (Former Ladies of the Supremes), with Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne. They recorded a series of singles and albums, and toured overseas as The Supremes. Terrell left FLOS in 1992 to pursue business interests and was replaced by Sundray Tucker (Lynda Laurence's sister); Tucker would be replaced by Freddi Poole in 1996.