Rosalind Ashford, founding member of Martha and the Vandellas, dies at 83

Rosalind Ashford, a founding member of the Motown group Martha and the Vandellas, has died at the age of 83. A native of Detroit, Ashford passed away on Tuesday from natural causes in Redford Township.

As a soprano for the group, Ashford contributed to numerous Top 40 R&B hits, including classics such as ‘Dancing in the Street’, ‘(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave’, ‘Jimmy Mack’, and ‘Nowhere to Run’. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, marking them as the second all-female group to receive the honor.

Fellow singer Martha Reeves expressed deep sadness over the loss, stating that Ashford played a vital role in the group’s early days and that her voice would remain through their recordings. Ashford began her musical journey in Detroit singing with local groups before signing with Motown in 1962.