Katherine Anderson

Anderson was born in Inkster, Michigan, United States, and was raised in a housing project built by Henry Ford.[1] She was one of four children born to Robert, a cement finisher, and Florence, Anderson, a nurse's aide.[2][1] While Anderson was not able to afford records growing up, she performed in gospel groups and the high school glee club.[1] Early in life she planned to become a legal secretary.[2]

Anderson co-founded the Marvelettes, originally called the Casinyets, in 1960 with four fellow students at Inkster High School to enter a competition that could lead to an audition with Motown Records.[1] Although they did not win the competition, a teacher convinced Motown to give the group an audition.[1] The audition was successful and in August 1961 they released "Please Mr Postman" on the label which was at the top of the charts six months later.[1] Throughout the 1960s, the Marvelettes recorded a number of other chart topping single including "Playboy", "Beachwood 45789", "Don’t Mess with Bill", and "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game".[1]

Following Motown's move from Detroit to Los Angeles, Anderson ceased her involvement with the record label.[1] Anderson moved to Las Vegas with her husband Joe Schaffner, who had previously managed the Temptations, who was studying lighting at the University of Nevada.[1]

Anderson later returned to Inkster and worked with troubled teens in Detroit.[1] She received her high school diploma at aged 52, something touring had prevented her from doing in her youth.[1] In 2005, Anderson wrote a musical based on her life story called Now That I Can Dance 1962.[1]

She died in September 2023 at the age of 79 of heart failure.[3][4]