Juanita Cowart
Juanita Cowart | |
|---|---|
 Cowart's Inkster High School yearbook photo | |
| Background information | |
| Born | January 8, 1944 |
| Origin | Inkster, Michigan, US |
| Occupation | singer |
| Formerly of | The Marvelettes |
Juanita Cowart-Motley (sometimes referred to as Wyanetta)[1] is a retired American singer, famous for being a member of the Motown Records quintet, The Marvelettes.[2]
Biography
[edit]Cowart was born January 8, 1944, in Rockport, Mississippi; she and her family later relocated to Inkster, Michigan.[3] As the eldest daughter in her family, she was influenced by singers such as Mahalia Jackson, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan.[3] While attending Inkster High School, she helped form the girl group The Casinyets, which later became The Marvels, and then, The Marvelettes.[4]
Cowart can be heard on The Marvelettes "Please Mr. Postman", which became a Number One Hit on the Billboard Charts and notably Motown's first number one hit.[5] Due to stress of touring and after an embarrassing statement she made on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, Cowart left the group in 1963.[3][6][7]
After leaving the Marvelettes, Cowart earned her high school diploma after dropping out of high school to tour, married Larry Motley, and became active in church activities and in her Inkster community.[3] As of 2026, Cowart-Motley is the sole living original member of The Marvelettes.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ "Wyanetta Cowart". Britannica. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
- ^ "The Marvelettes". History of Rock. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
- ^ a b c d https://archive.org/details/originalmarvelet00tayl/page/10/mode/2up?q=wyanetta
- ^ "The Marvelettes". Soul Music Archive. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
- ^ Norris, Kyle (2011-12-11). "Motown's first #1 single happened 50 years ago, this week". Michigan Public. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
- ^ "The Marvelettes". Top40weekly. 2022-05-02. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
- ^ Betts, Graham (2014). Motown Encyclopedia. p. 367. ISBN 1311441549.
- ^ "'60s Girl Group Survivors". Brian Ferrari's Blog. 2023-11-08. Retrieved 2026-03-27.
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