The third of 11 children, Martha Reeves was born in Alabama but raised in
Detroit, Michigan where she was heavily influenced by the church where her
grandfather was minister. She took vocal coaching and formed her singing group
the Del-Phis with Annette Beard and Rosalind Ashford while still at school in
1957. Other groups the Sabre-Ettes and The Fascinations followed and they came
to the attention of Motown when singing jazz and blues in Detroit night clubs.
Reeves hooked up again with the Del-Phis, who then became the Vels and sang
back-up vocals on early Marvin Gaye singles un...