This Motown recording artist was born in Detroit in 1943. She released her first song in 1961, and eventually went on to become one of the leading female singing stars of the early 1960's, with 10 top forty hits. She died of cancer in Los Angeles in July,

As Motown's first solo female superstar, this Detroit-born singer set the template for the label's incredible success in the 1960s. Born in 1943, she burst onto the scene in 1961 with her self-penned song "Bye Bye Baby." Her career truly took off when she partnered with legendary songwriter and producer Smokey Robinson, who crafted a series of sophisticated hits for her that defined the early Motown sound. This partnership resulted in a string of ten top forty hits that made her a household name.

Her success culminated in 1964 with "My Guy," a smash hit that reached number one on the charts and even made her a favorite of The Beatles. At the height of her fame that same year, she made the fateful decision to leave Motown Records, a move that unfortunately stalled her chart momentum. This is why her legacy is so strongly tied to that incredible run in the early part of the decade, establishing her as one of the era's leading female vocalists.

Though she continued to record and perform for decades, she never replicated her initial Motown success. Tragically, her life was cut short by laryngeal cancer, a condition that robbed her of her famous voice. She passed away in Los Angeles in July 1992, leaving behind an essential legacy as the original "Queen of Motown."