Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman, nicknamed "Flo" or "Blondie", (June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976) was one of the original members of The Supremes. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Pop music as a genre features a noticeable rhythmic element catchy melodies and hooks, a mainstream style and conventional structure The soul, according to many religious and philosophical beliefs is the self-awareness, or Consciousness, unique to a particular living A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, which is often contrasted with Speech. In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music ABC Records started in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records the record label of Am-Par Record Corporation (a subsidiary of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres The Supremes were an American female singing group that first formed as a quartet called The Primettes Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Supremes were an American female singing group that first formed as a quartet called The Primettes

By mid 1967, Ballard's and her band mate Mary Wilson's importance lessened as Supremes as Diana Ross was spotlighted. Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944) is an American Singer best known as a member of the Motown soul and pop Diana Ross (born March 261944 is an American twelve-time Grammy and Oscar -nominated singer Record producer and actress whose musical repertoire Ballard suffered from chronic depression and alcoholism, leading to her dismissal from the Supremes in July 1967 and replacement by Cindy Birdsong. Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression Cynthia Ann Birdsong (December 15 1939 better known by her stage name Cindy Birdsong is an Grammy -nominated American R&B / soul After an unsuccessful attempt at a solo career in the late 1960s, Ballard spent much of the last five years of her life in relative poverty before dying in 1976 at the age of thirty-two. Ballard has been referred to by music journalist Richie Unterberger as "one of rock's greatest tragedies". ^[1]

Biography

Early life

Ballard was born in Detroit, Michigan, of mixed African-American, Native American and European American heritage to parents from Mississippi. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States A European American (Euro-American is a person who resides in the United States and is either from Europe or is the descendant of European immigrants Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States The Ballard family had moved to Detroit in hopes of a better life and to take place in the booming job market. Ballard, nicknamed " Blondie" because of her auburn hair and light complexion, was a founding member of The Primettes, an all-girl singing group spinoff from The Primes (later known as The Temptations), in 1959. Hair color is the pigmentation of hair follicles due to the two types of melanin Eumelanin and Phaeomelanin. The Temptations (sometimes abbreviated as The Temps or The Tempts) are a Grammy -winning vocal group that achieved fame as one of the most successful Events 1959 (date unknown Jimi Hendrix buys first Electric guitar: a White Single pickup Supro Ozark 1560 S. Ballard's groupmates included her classmate Mary Wilson, Wilson's friend Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, girlfriend of the Primes' Paul Williams. Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944) is an American Singer best known as a member of the Motown soul and pop Diana Ross (born March 261944 is an American twelve-time Grammy and Oscar -nominated singer Record producer and actress whose musical repertoire Betty McGlown-Travis (born 1943 in Detroit Michigan) is an African American Singer, one of the founding members of The Primettes later known as The Paul Williams ( July 2, 1939 – August 17, 1973) was an American second Tenor / Baritone Singer McGlown was later replaced by Barbara Martin. Barbara Diane Martin (born 1944 in Detroit Michigan is an African-American Singer; a short-lived member of The Primettes, later known as

Revealed in Peter Benjaminson's The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard, Ballard was raped by basketball player Reggie Harding, in 1960. Reginald Harding ( May 4, 1942 &ndash September 2, 1972) was an American professional Basketball player Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[2] At the time, Harding was a friend of one of Ballard's brothers, and Ballard accepted Harding's offer of a ride home after she attended a local sock hop at Detroit's Graystone Ballroom. Instead, he drove her north to an empty parking lot off of Woodward Avenue in Detroit and raped her at knife point. Her rape was never again mentioned, either in clinical therapy nor social conversation. ^[3]

The Supremes

Main article: The Supremes

Ballard, Ross, and Wilson shared leads on the Primettes' songs, and performed in local venues around the Detroit area. The Supremes were an American female singing group that first formed as a quartet called The Primettes The Primettes would eventually sign to the Motown label as The Supremes, a name chosen by Ballard, on January 15, 1961. The Supremes were an American female singing group that first formed as a quartet called The Primettes Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1961 ( MCMLXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

In the early days of The Supremes, all three girls took turns singing lead vocals. Florence sang lead on the second Supremes single, "Buttered Popcorn. " According to fellow Supreme Mary Wilson, Ballard's voice was so loud that she was made to stand up to seventeen feet away from her microphone during recording sessions, while the other two Supremes stood directly in front of their microphones. Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944) is an American Singer best known as a member of the Motown soul and pop ^[4] During this period, Ballard also briefly toured with The Marvelettes as a replacement for Wanda Young, who was out on maternity leave. The Marvelettes were an American singing Girl group on the Motown label

Diane Ross was made lead singer of the Supremes in late 1963, as Motown CEO Berry Gordy believed that Ross' voice, with its high, nasal quality, would help the group cross over to white audiences. Assigned to work with songwriting/production team Holland-Dozier-Holland, Ross, Ballard, and Mary Wilson subsequently released ten number-one US pop hits between 1964 and 1967, all of which featured Ross as lead. Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944) is an American Singer best known as a member of the Motown soul and pop

Ballard never again sang lead on another released 45 or on any released album for Motown. Wilson, however, was given the lead on "Come and Get These Memories", on the A'Go Go album and a partial lead with Ross on "Falling in Love with Love" on the Supremes Sing Rogers and Hart album, while Ballard and Ross traded leads on "Manhattan" on the same album. Initially Ballard continued to sing a spotlight solo number, "People" from the Broadway musical Funny Girl, for the Supremes' stage show. " People " is a well-known song written by Jule Styne (composer and Bob Merrill (lyricist for the Broadway musical Funny Girl Funny Girl is a musical with a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. In 1966, just prior to opening at the Copacabana supper club in New York City, Ballard complained of a sore throat and asked that she not rehearse "People" to save her voice for the performance. Copacabana (often referred to as The Copa) was a famous New York City Nightclub. A supper club is an American dining establishment generally found in the Upper Midwestern states of Wisconsin Minnesota and Michigan Gordy assigned "People" to Ross. Thus began a marked decline between Gordy and Ballard.

Over the next two years, Ballard and Gordy argued frequently, particularly as Ross became the group's centerpiece.

In early 1967, it was announced that Gordy would be changing the groups name to "Diana Ross & the Supremes". As the year progressed, Ballard frequently missed public appearances; and sometimes missed recording sessions as well. Gordy hired Cindy Birdsong, a singer with Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles, as a stand-in for Ballard in April 1967. Cynthia Ann Birdsong (December 15 1939 better known by her stage name Cindy Birdsong is an Grammy -nominated American R&B / soul Labelle is an American R&B / Soul group who melded Disco with Funk and Glam rock. By May, it was agreed that Birdsong would become Ballard's permanent replacement. Ballard's final performance with the group was their first appearance at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The Flamingo Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the famed Las Vegas Strip in Paradise Nevada and is owned and operated by Harrah's Entertainment. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally She was sent home following the first show, after having stuck out her stomach from between the jacket and pants of her outfit. This behavior outraged Gordy who ordered her not to go onstage for the next show. She was ordered to take the next plane home to Detroit.

Solo career

Ballard married Thomas Chapman, a former chauffeur for Motown, on February 29, 1968, and signed with ABC Records in March 1968, two weeks after having negotiated her release from Motown on February 22, 1968. A chauffeur is an individual who operates any self-propelled vehicle ( Automobile) for a profession. Leap years Although the modern calendar counts a year as 365 days a complete revolution around the sun takes approximately 365 days and 6 hours Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events January 4 - Guitarist Jimi Hendrix is jailed by Stockholm police after trashing a hotel room during a drunken fist fight with Events 1495 - King Charles VIII of France enters Naples to claim the city's throne Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ballard received a one-time payment of $139,804. 94 in royalties and earnings from Motown for her six-year tenure with the label. ^[5]

Billed as "Florence 'Flo' Ballard" and with her husband serving as her manager, Ballard released the singles "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" and "Love Ain't Love" on ABC Records. ManaGeR ( MGR) is a graphical Window system. The MGR server provides a builtin Window manager and windowed graphics Terminal emulation on color ABC Records started in 1955 as ABC-Paramount Records the record label of Am-Par Record Corporation (a subsidiary of American Broadcasting-Paramount Theatres The singles failed to chart, and Ballard's album for ABC was shelved. Her musical career thus went into a rapid decline, and the $139,000 was systematically depleted by the Chapmans' management agency. Stipulations in her contract with Motown prohibited Ballard from mentioning, in any promotional materials or noting on the back of her album liner, that she had ever been in the Supremes or recorded for Motown.

Ballard continued her efforts at a solo career. In September of 1968, she performed alongside Bill Cosby at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. William Henry Cosby Jr (born July 12 1937 is an American Comedian, Actor, Author, Television producer and Activist. That same year, Ballard rode on a float in that city's Bud Billiken Parade with comedian Godfrey Cambridge. The Bud Billiken Parade and Picnic is an annual Parade in Chicago, Illinois, and the largest African American parade in the United States Godfrey MacArthur Cambridge ( February 26, 1933 - November 29, 1976) was an African American Comedian and Actor On October 20, 1968, she was the featured personality of Detroit's magazine, Detroit and that same month, she gave birth to twin girls, Michelle Chapman and Nicole Chapman, the first two of her three children. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony She began the new year by performing at one of Richard Nixon's inaugural balls in Washington, DC on January 20, 1969. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Events 250 - Emperor Decius begins a widespread persecution of Christians in Rome. Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In 1971, Ballard unsuccessfully sued Motown for additional royalty payments she believed were due to her.

Decline

In 1973, Ballard gave birth to her third child, Lisa Chapman. Soon after, Thomas Chapman left Ballard and her house was seized by foreclosure, effectively ending her career. Foreclosure is the legal proceeding in which a mortgagee, or other Lienholder, usually a lender obtains a court ordered termination of a mortgagor Diana Ross heard of Ballard's struggle to save her house from foreclosure and offered financial help, but legal issues surrounding the matter prevented this from going through.

Over the next few years, Ballard laid low from all publicity. In 1974, Mary Wilson, who had maintained a rapport with Ballard over the years, invited Ballard to fly out to California to visit. Events January - The Ramones form January - Joni Mitchell releases her monumental album Court and Spark, supported The Supremes, with lead singer Scherrie Payne, were performing at Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Wilson invited Ballard onstage to sing with the group. Scherrie Payne (born November 4 1944 in Detroit Michigan } is an African-American Singer. Six Flags Magic Mountain is an Amusement park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. Ballard joined them on stage, but did not sing: instead, she played the tambourine. Although her onstage appearance brought loud cheers from the crowd, Ballard told Wilson that she had no interest to continue a career in music.

Upon her return to Detroit, Ballard's financial situation declined further. Uninterested in returning to showbusiness, and with three children to support, she applied for welfare. Welfare is financial assistance paid to people by governments This news and the story of her downward spiral hit the national newspapers.

Comeback and sudden death

The cover of the UK release The Supreme Florence Ballard. Despite most of the songs on the album originally being recorded for ABC Records in 1968, the cover photo is actually a Motown publicity photo from 1965.

In 1975, Ballard received a settlement from a slip-and-fall incident in which she had broken her leg after slipping on a patch of ice in Detroit. With the accident settlement money, Ballard purchased a small house on Shaftsbury Avenue in Detroit for herself and her children and made a decision to return to singing. Around this same time, Ballard also reconciled with her estranged husband.

Backed by the female rock group "The Deadly Nightshade," Ballard performed as a part of the Joan Little Defense League at a concert held at Detroit's Henry and Edsel Ford Auditorium on June 25, 1975. Joan Little (pronounced "Jo Ann" (born 1953 was an African American woman whose trial for the 1974 Homicide of a white Prison guard Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Following the success of this performance, Ballard received requests for newspaper and television interviews, including an appearance on the local Detroit talk show The David Diles Show.

On February 21, 1976, Ballard entered Mt. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Carmel Mercy Hospital, complaining of numbness in her extremities. A limb (from the Old English lim) is a jointed or Prehensile (as Octopus tentacles or new world Monkey tails Appendage of the The next day, she died at 10:05 a. m. of coronary thrombosis, a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries. Coronary thrombosis is a form of Thrombosis affecting the Coronary circulation. She was thirty-two years old.

Ballard is buried in Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery located in Warren, Michigan. Warren is a city in Macomb County in the US state of Michigan. In the years following Florence Ballard's death, Diana Ross established trust funds in the names of each of Ballard's three children.

Florence Ballard: Forever Faithful!, a biography of Ballard written by Randall Wilson, was printed in 1999. In 2002, The Supreme Florence Ballard, which included all the tracks from the album she recorded for ABC Records in 1968, was released on compact disc by Spectrum, a London-based company. A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio

Another biography was published by Ballard's sister Maxine Ballard in 2007, "The True Story of Florence Ballard. " The book comes with a CD containing Flo's last interview, in which she shares her story behind her painful split from the group. The CD also contains a tribute from her sister, Maxine "Precious" Ballard.

A new book, The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard by Peter Benjaminson about Flo was released on April 1, 2008. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

References in other media

The 1980 hit "Romeo's Tune", from fellow Mississippian Steve Forbert's album Jackrabbit Slim is "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard". Events January January 1 - The year starts off with a strong Disco backlash which causes the majority of musicians to abandon the use of real instruments Steve Forbert (born December 15, 1954, Meridian, Mississippi) is an American pop music Singer. She is also mentioned in the Billy Bragg song "King James Version" on his William Bloke album. Stephen William Bragg (born December 20, 1957 in Essex, England) better known as Billy Bragg, is an English musician who William Bloke is the fifth Album by Alternative folk artist Billy Bragg, released in 1996 On his 2006 album Hip Hop is Dead, hip-hop artist Nas mentions the Ballard/Ross rivalry in his song "Blunt Ashes": "When Flo from the Supremes died/Diana Ross cried/Many people said that she was laughing inside. Nasir Jones, nɑːˈsiər (born September 14 1973 better known by his Stage name Nas, nɑːz formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper "

Dreamgirls, a 1981 Broadway musical, was inspired by the Supremes, and the central character of Effie White, originated by Jennifer Holliday, is said to be modeled after Ballard. Dreamgirls is a Broadway musical, which opened on December 20, 1981 at the Imperial Theatre. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Jennifer-Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960, Riverside Texas) is a two-time Grammy Award -winning American Singer That character was played by Jennifer Hudson in the film version of Dreamgirls released in 2006, which featured more overt references to Ballard's life and the Supremes' story than the stage musical. Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12 1981 is an American actress, singer and model. Dreamgirls is a 2006 American Musical film, directed by Bill Condon and jointly produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures Both Holliday and Hudson's portrayals of Effie have received significant notice: Holliday won the 1982 Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance, while Hudson has been awarded a number of critics' awards, including a 2007 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) The Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Awards, recognize achievement in live American Theatre and are presented Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Golden Globe Awards are American awards for motion pictures and Television programs given out each year during a formal dinner At the conclusion of her Golden Globe Award acceptance speech, Hudson dedicated her win to Ballard. Hudson later went on to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the Academy Awards.

Discography

Album

• 2002: The Supreme Florence Ballard (originally shelved by ABC Records in 1968 under the proposed title, ". The Supreme Florence "Flo" Ballard is a 2002 release by Universal Music 's Spectrum label compiling the ABC Records solo recordings of Florence . . You Don't Have To")

Singles

• 1968: "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" b/w "Goin' Out Of My Head" (ABC Records #45-11074A/B)
• 1968: "Love Ain't Love" b/w "Forever Faithful" (ABC Records #45-11144A/B)

References

Sources

• Wilson, Mary and Romanowski, Patricia (1986, 1990, 2000). Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944) is an American Singer best known as a member of the Motown soul and pop Dreamgirl & Supreme Faith: My Life as a Supreme. Dreamgirl My Life as a Supreme is the name of a 1986 Autobiography that features the Memoirs of Mary Wilson, one of the founding members New York: Cooper Square Publishers. ISBN 0-8154-1000-X.
• Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2007) Diana: A Biography

External links

• Maxine Ballard: Home. John Randall Taraborrelli (b February 29, 1956) is an American Journalist and Biographer. - Sister and author of Florence Ballard's official biography.
• Florence Ballard at the Internet Movie Database
• Florence Ballard at TV.com
• Florence Ballard at Find A Grave
• Reflections Of The Supremes