The Primettes

In the summer of 1960, a radio station in Windsor, Canada, held a contest for performers from both Canada and the United States. The Primettes were convinced they had a good chance to win. With great excitement, they asked their parents for permission to attend the contest. Unfortunately, Diane's father wasn't enthusiastic about the contest. Fred Ross was concerned that Diane spent more and more of her time singing. He was worried that she was neglecting her education and might be compromising her future. Despite Diane's arguments and tears, her father refused to let her attend the contest in July. The other Primettes, however, found a way to save the day. They spoke with Diane's parents and explained how important the contest was to all of them. Finally, Fred Ross agreed to let Diane go.

On July 16, 1960, the Primettes took the stage in Windsor, Canada. They felt upbeat and excited about their performance that day, and the audience responded by dancing and singing along. There were thousands of people in attendance at the contest, which featured many other talented acts. The time came to announce the contest winners and, sure enough, the Primettes took the grand prize! The girls were thrilled. They spent the rest of their visit at an amusement park and accepted congratulations from people who had seen them perform. Their guitarist, Marvin Tarplin, suggested that the Primettes should audition for Motown Records when they got back to Detroit.