Martha and the Vandellas were an American Motown group of the 1960s. Martha Reeves, Annette Beard , Gloria Williamson and Rosalind Ashford founded a group called The Del-Phis in 1960, later recording an unsuccessful single as The Vels. Reeves, then a secretary at Motown, was pulled in to record in 1962 after Mary Wells didn't show up for a recording session. "I'll Have to Let Him Go" became the first Martha & the Vandellas single.

The next single, "Come and Get These Memories", was a breakthrough success, which was followed by "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave" and "Quicksand", also major hits. "Dancing in the Street" (1964) then became the band's biggest hit. 1963 also saw Beard departing the group to start a family; she was replaced by Betty Kelly , a former member of another girl group, the Velvelettes . In 1967, Kelly was fired from the group and was replaced by Sandra "Lois" Reeves, Martha's younger sister. Also in 1967, the group recorded "Honey Chile," their last original Top 40 hit, and subsequently, the hits began to dry up. In the begining of 1969, Ashford was also fired from the group and was replaced by Sandra Tilley , another former member of the Velvelettes . The Vandellas left Motown, finally breaking up in 1972. Martha Reeves continued to work as a solo artist, but neither the band nor any member managed to regain widespread success. Lois went to work with Al Green shortly after the Vandellas' disbanding. Tilley died of a brain aneurysm in 1981.

In the nineties, Martha began performing live with the Vandellas again. She has two units of Vandellas who take turns touring with her — the original members (Ashford and Beard), and her two sisters Lois and Delphine.

Discography

Standard albums

• 1963: Come and Get These Memories
• 1963: Heat Wave (US #125)
• 1965: Dance Party (US #139)
• 1966: Watchout! (US #116)
• 1967: Martha & the Vandellas Live! (US #140)
• 1968: Ridin' High (US #167)
• 1969: Sugar 'n' Spice
• 1970: Natural Resources
• 1972: Black Magic (US #146)

Compilations

• 1966: Greatest Hits (US #50)

Singles

• 1963: "Come and Get These Memories" (US #29)
• 1963: "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave" (US #4)
• 1963: "Quicksand" (US #8)
• 1964: "Live Wire" (US #42)
• 1964: "In My Lonely Room" (US #44)
• 1964: "Dancing in the Street" (US #2)
• 1965: "Wild One" (US #34)
• 1965: "Nowhere to Run" (US #8)
• 1965: "You've Been in Love Too Long" (US #36)
• 1966: "Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things)" (US #70)
• 1966: "My Baby Loves Me" (US #22)
• 1966: "What Am I Going to Do Without Your Love" (US #71)
• 1966: "I'm Ready for Love" (US #9)
• 1967: "Jimmy Mack" (US #10)
• 1967: "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone" (US #25)
• 1967: "Honey Chile" (US #11)
• 1968: "I Promise to Wait My Love" (US #62)
• 1968: "Forget Me Not" (US #93)
• 1968: "I Can't Dance to That Music You're Playin'" (US #42)
• 1968: "Sweet Darlin'" (US #80)
• 1969: "(We've Got) Honey Love" (US #56)
• 1970: "I Gotta Let You Go" (US #93)
• 1971: "Bless You" (US #53)
• 1972: "In and Out of My Life"
• 1972: "Tear It On Down"