The Marvelettes

The 17-year-old girls who came together as The Marvelettes were introduced to Motown Records founder Berry Gordy in 1961 after winning a high school talent contest in Detroit.  Their first recording, Please Mr Postman, was a big US hit that same year (and the song became popular again when recorded by The Beatles).

Led by the raspy-voiced Gladys Horton they followed their initial hit with 20 more, including Beechwood 4-5789, Too Many Fish In The Sea, The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game and My Baby Must Be A Magician - the last two written by the ubiquitous Smokey Robinson - but when Horton was replaced in 1968 it was just a matter of time before they ran out of magic.