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Post by timmy84 on Feb 24, 2006 1:21:52 GMT -5
As we reached the 30th anniversary of the passing of one Florence Glenda "Blondie" Ballard, a/k/a Flo, more questions than answers come up about the legendary Supremes founding member and original lead singer's last days. Florence Ballard spent his life in music with a dream and a quest to reach the top of the world and with the advice of members of the Primes and their manager formed the sister group of the Primes with the name Primettes with Mary Wilson, Diane Ross and Betty McGlown (later Betty Travis) in 1959. Five years later, the group became the Supremes and a trio and starting from 1964, the group escalated to the top of the music world in more ways than one breaking down many doors for black entertainers and other entertainers of color to break through. In the process, however, Motown and its omnipresent dictator, Berry Gordy, Jr., held puppet strings over many of the acts who made lots of money for him and the label. Ballard was considered an independent thinker and didn't go by Gordy's whims in the same way, say, that Diane and Mary did. She also was the sassiest and most down-to-earth member of the group. It's said that spunk and sassiness is what got Ballard in trouble with her band mates, Diane Ross in particular, and with Berry Gordy and his plans for the group. By 1967, the group was looked by Gordy as Diana Ross' ladder to success as a solo artist more than anything else. To confirm matters, Ross and Gordy started personally dating and this angered an already visibily irritated Ballard, who couldn't believe how her best friend could just blindly...or calculatingly (believe whatever you want, lol) "fell in love" with the boss of the label. This move and the move to rename the group Diana Ross & the Supremes that year put Ballard on the brink of madness and Berry Gordy decided to do what he hadn't done with previous group members and their troubles - he unceremoniously fired the one who had founded the group and had gave the group its legendary name. Not able to help with her alcoholism, Motown's PR machine said Ballard was "simply tired" but Mary Wilson, other Motown artists and Ballard's relatives said that Ballard was depressed from having been forced into the background by the powers-that-be at Motown. And from many aspects after leaving the group she had scored 10 #1 hit singles with in just three years, Ballard felt cheated by Motown and her two band mates who were supposed to be her best friends. Which leads to this: why did it happen? And do you guys think Berry Gordy had a lot to do with this more than that's being led on and was Diane Ross really a part of the reason for Ballard's demise or did the "Queen Diva" made a dumb move just to ish on her friend? Why did Diane act the way she did at Flo's funeral and why Diane seemed to not wanna help in her friend's situation and how you feel that it has impacted her to wanna be an alcoholic herself? And is she falling into the Florence Ballard curse because of the many shots she's taken in the last 30 years? Please debate. :enjoytheshow:
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Post by timmy84 on Feb 24, 2006 1:24:38 GMT -5
And what I mean by the Flo curse is has she gotten to that point where it seemed things couldn't get right that all she wants to do is drink herself to death? I mean, she didn't fall on hard times like Flo did, but you know what I mean? I hope it ain't to shake at Flo's grave, I think what's happened to Diane since Flo's death has been a result of what happens to people when they get kicked on the ground. Diane didn't know she could get knocked down to the ground and stepped on as if she was nobody. And that was what Motown did to Florence, I believe.
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Post by fantagurl on Feb 24, 2006 11:50:57 GMT -5
Timmy,in my opinion I think Berry and Motown had a lot to do with Flo`s diminish. First of all the Supremes was Flo`s group(she was the founder), she was suppose to be the lead vocalist, and not only was she pushed in the background but the group and name was taken from her. For Florence to see Diana being pushed further in the front and have her name in front of the Supremes,I`m surprised Flo didn`t zap out on them.
As for Ross she was just a selfish(you know what) who was only thinking of herself(just to show you how much of a friend she was) and not Flo and Mary. The reason why she probably acted like a fool at Florence`s funeral was out of guilt and to put on a show. She had the nerve and ordasity to sit up in the front with Flo`s family.
With Ross`s situation today,all I can say is that both her and Berry are reaping what they sowed. I don`t feel sorry for neither one of them. :no:
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Post by timmy84 on Feb 24, 2006 14:27:47 GMT -5
Oh I got the picture after watching her E! True Hollywood Story that all Diane did was care about herself. I wonder how the Ballard family felt about Diane sitting close to them. I'm sure Flo's sisters and brothers wanted to pummel her right there in the funeral but they had to respect the church because you can't do that. Anyway, Diane got BOOED when she got to the funeral. I think you can find out about it on Find a Death.com
I mean, for someone who put her blood, sweat and tears into creating the greatest girl group of all time and the little respect she got in return just dumbfounds me. It also has me thinking... if the Supremes had gone to Atlantic instead of Motown, maybe, JUST maybe, Florence would be the one people will be calling THE ORIGINAL DIVA rather than that bug-eyed, weave-wearing, Gordy a$$-kisser and (well you know what) trick that was either the third or fourth member to register as a Primette. And yeah, Diane & Berry are reaping what they sow, they finally got exposed and they can't take it. HA HA! Whateva!
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Post by motowner on Feb 24, 2006 15:01:38 GMT -5
I believe berry had a lot to do with flo leaving because back in those days, he was known as a crook , and he was also part of the reason H-D-H leaving
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Post by timmy84 on Feb 24, 2006 17:59:03 GMT -5
Berry was the main reason why most of the original Motown roster either left the label altogether, sought independence or just took Berry out of the picture completely. Only Smokey remained "loyal" to him, sh*t, even Diane left Berry after a while because of reasons unknown, lol.
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Post by Emerald City on Feb 25, 2006 20:18:23 GMT -5
This is one of the most touchiest topics to talk about ((T84)) you gon' have folks going lol But I believe Diana had her plans from the start anyway. She used to rat on everybody since the early days at the company and even once stated that she would get Gordy, but they both used each other. She used him to achieve her goals and he used her to get extra $$$ into his pockets. When it came to the group it's quite obvious he pitted them against each other and from my understanding Florence could see for a long time that Gordy was luring Diana away and tried to talk her out of going along with him, but in truth if Diana wasn't greedy for solo success then just maybe their breakup wouldn't have been at that time and in those circumstances. As for Florences funeral, Diana's actions speak for themselves...if my best friend/sister had just died then out of respect why on earth would I roll up with 4 bodyguards and then sit in the section resereved for immediate family But ya'll know what they say about Karma don't you...I think at some point Gordy, Diana and Mary have each had things happen personally to give them a view from the bottom. Florence herself was not perfect because nobody is but the three of them knew exactly what they were doing to her and the negativity they recieve from people were brought on by nobody but themselves.
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Post by Emerald City on Feb 25, 2006 20:25:58 GMT -5
Oh I got the picture after watching her E! True Hollywood Story that all Diane did was care about herself. I wonder how the Ballard family felt about Diane sitting close to them. I'm sure Flo's sisters and brothers wanted to pummel her right there in the funeral but they had to respect the church because you can't do that. Anyway, Diane got BOOED when she got to the funeral. I think you can find out about it on Find a Death.com I mean, for someone who put her blood, sweat and tears into creating the greatest girl group of all time and the little respect she got in return just dumbfounds me. It also has me thinking... if the Supremes had gone to Atlantic instead of Motown, maybe, JUST maybe, Florence would be the one people will be calling THE ORIGINAL DIVA rather than that bug-eyed, weave-wearing, Gordy a$$-kisser and (well you know what) trick that was either the third or fourth member to register as a Primette. And yeah, Diane & Berry are reaping what they sow, they finally got exposed and they can't take it. HA HA! Whateva! I find that to be strange too...the last one to join becomes the star and the founder becomes forgotten and left behind And a move to Atlantic is perhaps something to think about. Prior to Motown Flo didn't lead on any of the singles they recorded however I do think at another company there would be have been a fair share of leads
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Post by timmy84 on Feb 25, 2006 20:36:09 GMT -5
Yeah, I really don't feel sorry for Mary's butt either because she could've stuck beside her "friend" and in the end she chose to follow Berry & Diane and I guess Flo thought "now I ain't got nobody". I remember someone said Flo said she rather deal with Diane than Mary. And I found that statement jarring like "if Diane was going for herself than what was the problem with Mary?" This has opened another can of worms, hmmm... and yeah, I know, it's a complete mess but hey, I wanted people to really think about it, you know?
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Post by timmy84 on Feb 25, 2006 20:40:27 GMT -5
And the funniest thing is the Supreme originals dealt with each other after the initial breakup in some ways. I bet all three fought with each other in more than one occasion and then make up. Diane & Mary have fought and made up more times than I can count. Though they publicly don't acknowledge, well Diane don't, each other, secretly, they're probably talking and something. But the way they're going back and forth, I think Flo won't rest until these two fools either get along or just decide not to publicly diss each other, well Mary only but you know?
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Kay
Star
*~*Floever A Star*~*
Posts: 1,326
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Post by Kay on Feb 26, 2006 16:43:44 GMT -5
((timmy84)) Flo is at rest because she doesn't have to deal with any of them!
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Kay
Star
*~*Floever A Star*~*
Posts: 1,326
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Post by Kay on Feb 26, 2006 16:56:31 GMT -5
I mean, for someone who put her blood, sweat and tears into creating the greatest girl group of all time and the little respect she got in return just dumbfounds me. And that is what annoys me! You have people so caught up in Diane they refuse to give Flo her props :bonk: If it wasn't for Flo and HER talent then there would be no Supremes. This Diane had a 'star quality' stuff is nothing but crap, because had she audtioned alone we would be saying Diana Who
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Kay
Star
*~*Floever A Star*~*
Posts: 1,326
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Post by Kay on Feb 26, 2006 17:01:51 GMT -5
And what I mean by the Flo curse is has she gotten to that point where it seemed things couldn't get right that all she wants to do is drink herself to death? I mean, she didn't fall on hard times like Flo did, but you know what I mean? I hope it ain't to shake at Flo's grave, I think what's happened to Diane since Flo's death has been a result of what happens to people when they get kicked on the ground. Diane didn't know she could get knocked down to the ground and stepped on as if she was nobody. And that was what Motown did to Florence, I believe. Can I get a AMEN! I wouldn't be surprised at all if she fell off her high horse again
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Post by timmy84 on Feb 26, 2006 17:57:46 GMT -5
Yeah, Kay, you're right about that, and I'm happy about that. Flo probably was like "the both of you kiss my black a$$!" :lol:
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Post by timmy84 on Feb 26, 2006 18:03:05 GMT -5
I mean, for someone who put her blood, sweat and tears into creating the greatest girl group of all time and the little respect she got in return just dumbfounds me. And that is what annoys me! You have people so caught up in Diane they refuse to give Flo her props If it wasn't for Flo and HER talent then there would be no Supremes. This Diane had a 'star quality' stuff is nothing but crap, because had she audtioned alone we would be saying Diana Who It IS sickening, what's also sickening is not just how she got shafted but how she is remembered. As a tragic figure in rock & roll and there is NOTHING tragic about Flo, she was born in hard times, discovered music, chase her dream and goals and accomplish them and did all she could to make sure her group would be a success, then she got kicked to the ground by opportunists and before she died was all amped up for a big comeback, I believe. Flo should be respected for what and who she is and what she had done. Like y'all said, there wouldn't be a Supremes without Florence Ballard.
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