Departures of note

Rosalind Ashford was an American soprano R&B and soul singer, best known as an original member of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas. Born on September 2, 1943, in Detroit, she developed her voice singing in church choir and in the glee club at Wilbur Wright High School. In 1957 she joined with Annette Beard and Gloria Williams to form the Del-Phis, and the group later invited Martha Reeves to join them. After backing Mary Wells at a fortuitous recording session, the group was signed to Motown's Gordy label in 1962 and became Martha and the Vandellas. Ashford sang on more than 20 of the group's top 40 R&B singles, including the No. 1 hits "Heat Wave" and "Jimmy Mack" and the enduring classic "Dancing in the Street." "Heat Wave" earned the group a Grammy nomination, making them the first Motown group to be nominated. Ashford left the group and the music business in 1969 and worked at Michigan Bell Telephone Co., though she occasionally reunited with former bandmates for performances. Martha and the Vandellas were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Ashford died of natural causes on September 15, 2026, at age 83.