The First Hits

The success of the international Motortown Revue tour led Gordy to pursue other performance opportunities for the Supremes. Early 1965 brought more number-one hits for the group, including “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “Back in My Arms.” By early summer, Gordy had made arrangements for the Supremes to appear at the Copa, a famous nightclub in New York City.

In the meantime, the Supremes had a full schedule. In May, the group recorded two commercials for Coca-Cola, singing to the tunes of “Baby Love” and “When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes.” They taped television appearances on Hullabaloo! and an ABC special at the Hollywood Palace. The Supremes appeared on the covers of Time and Ebony magazines.

Gordy wanted to be sure that everything was perfect for the Copa appearance. To prepare for the show, he booked the Supremes at a much smaller club in New Jersey called the Rip-Tide. At the Rip-Tide, the Supremes rehearsed new routines each day and then performed them for audiences at night. They were able to find what audiences liked and what they didn't like and changed the show daily. By the time the Supremes opened at the Copa on July 29, 1965, they were ready for superstardom!