Mable John, the famous blues singer, died on August 25. The news was announced by her nephew Kevin John who said she was adored and a lovely person. She was 91 years old. The cause of Mable’s death was not revealed at the time, but she may have died as a result of age-related health problems. Her funeral has not yet been made public.
Mable John A career in the music industry
Mable John, who was born on November 3, 1930, moved to Arkansas with her family after her father got a job at a paper mill in Cullendale. In 1941, the family moved to Detroit, where John attended Cleveland International School and Pershing High School. After graduation, she began working as an insurance salesperson at Friendship Mutual Insurance Agency, which was owned by Berry Gordy’s mother, Bertha. After that, she quit her job and entered Lewis Business College. Mrs. Gordy approached her again, telling her that her son was creating songs and looking for artists to record them.
John studied with Gordy until 1959, and she appeared at the Flame Show bar on John R Street. She then began recording for Gordy, and although she was signed to United Artists, she did not release anything on their label. Her debut song, Who Wouldn’t Love a Man Like That?, was released in 1960 by Gordy’s Tamla label. No love and actions speak louder than the words followed. Mable was the first solo female artist signed by Motown Records founder Berry Gordy. Mable, however, was unable to become a major music artist at the time as Motown was well known for acts such as the Miracles and the Marvelettes. She worked as a backing vocalist until her contract was terminated in 1962.
In 1966, she joined Stax Records, and her single, Your Good Thing (Is About to End), was released the following year. It reached #95 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #6 on the R&B chart. Six additional singles followed, none of which were as successful as the first. She left Stax Records in 1968 and spent several years with the Raelettes.
Mable John then began leading Christian gospel groups before returning to the studio as a performer. In 1986, she founded the non-profit organization Joy Community Outreach in Los Angeles, and in 1991 she recorded a song called Time Stops for Motorcity Records. The Crenshaw Christian Center in South Los Angeles awarded John a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1993. In 2006, Mable and David Ritz collaborated on a book called Sanctified Blues. She played Bertha Mae in the 2007 musical drama Honeydripper and the 2013 documentary 20 Feet From the Stars.
Twitter users pay tribute to Mable John
Despite being mostly inactive in the music business after the 1990s, Mable John has remained an iconic figure for her popular songs over the years. When news of her death spread, Twitter was flooded with tributes:
RIP Mable John, 91. A wonderful person and a wonderful singer, soulful from head to toe.
– Richard Williams (@rwilliams1947) August 28, 2022
Get in touch with Dr. Mable John, the point person when it comes to Motown
— pat313 (@Pat313_) August 26, 2022
Categories: Entertaintment
Source: HIS Education