Soul, R&B, and gospel singer Mable John was born in Bastrop, Louisiana on November 3, 1930. She is best known as the first female artist singed to Tamla Records, Berry Gordy’s first label before he founded the legendary Motown Records. The older sister of blues icon Little Willie John, Mable John spent several years growing up in Arkansas before her family moved to Detroit, Michigan. After graduating from high school, she got a job where she worked with Berry Gordy’s mother, Bertha. Several years later, they bumped into each other, and Bertha told Mable John that Berry was writing songs and looking for vocalists to sing them. In 1960, she became the first female artist signed to Tamla Records and released the singles “You Are My Only Love” (1960), “Who Wouldn’t Love a Man Like That” (1960), “(I Guess There’s) No Love” (1960), and “Actions Speak Louder Than Words” (1961). Unfortunately, she didn’t achieve any chart success and was dropped from the label in 1962. Several years later, Mable John signed with Stax Records and released her first and only chart hit, “Your Good Thing (Is About to End)”, which reached Number 95 in 1966. Between 1968 and 1973, she was a member of Ray Charles’ backing vocalists, the Raelettes. She eventually devoted her career to gospel music and released several records in the 1990s. Mable John received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994 and her musical career was compiled on several releases including Stay Out of the Kitchen (1992) and My Name Is Mable: The Complete Collection (2004). After collaborating on the semi-autobiographical book Sanctified Blues (2007), she portrayed a blues singer in John Sayles' film, Honeydripper. She was also featured in the 2014 Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom. Mable John died on August 25, 2022, at the age of 91.
