Gladys on Flo

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07-26-2018, 05:28 PM
marybrewster

Gladys on Flo

There is another thread somewhere about Flo's tenure in the Marvelettes. I dug up an old Florence Ballard Fan Club Newsletter dated August 1992, and thought this might be of intetest:

Fan Club member David Tague of Westminster, California, conducted an interview with Gladys Horton, lead singer of the Marvelettes, in July, 1991.

David Tague: why was Florence Ballard selected to be a part-time Marvelette over anyone else? Was it a group decision or Berry Gordy's idea?

Gladys Horton: Florence Ballard became a part of the Marvelettes when Wanda Young left to have her first child. It was the group's decision to pick Florence because for some reason Florence was the one that we felt friendlier toward.....not that Mary and Diane were hard to get along with.....Florence was a more warm-hearted person and I don't know, we just felt more close to Florence, and then she also sung high like Wanda did where she would be able to lead the songs that Wanda led in the group. So that is why we picked Florence.

DT: did Florence sing on any recordings made by The Marvelettes?

GH: she didn't sing on any recordings by The Marvelettes but onstage she led "So Long Baby" and "I Want a Guy" but she took Wanda's spot and by her being Katherine's height she made a perfect Marvelette I must say.
07-26-2018, 05:44 PM
RanRan79

Thanks for this Mary. I remarked in another thread some time ago that I had once read in a forum that while Flo was a Marvelette replacement she sang lead on "So Long Baby" in their live shows. But I never knew she did "I Want a Guy" too. I'm sure that short tour was probably not a priority for Motown to capture audio, but how great would that be to hear her sing those songs! And you know she tore them up too. I can really hear her doing "So Long Baby".
07-26-2018, 05:57 PM
thanxal

Quote:

Originally Posted by marybrewster

There is another thread somewhere about Flo's tenure in the Marvelettes. I dug up an old Florence Ballard Fan Club Newsletter dated August 1992, and thought this might be of intetest:

Fan Club member David Tague of Westminster, California, conducted an interview with Gladys Horton, lead singer of the Marvelettes, in July, 1991.

David Tague: why was Florence Ballard selected to be a part-time Marvelette over anyone else? Was it a group decision or Berry Gordy's idea?

Gladys Horton: Florence Ballard became a part of the Marvelettes when Wanda Young left to have her first child. It was the group's decision to pick Florence because for some reason Florence was the one that we felt friendlier toward.....not that Mary and Diane were hard to get along with.....Florence was a more warm-hearted person and I don't know, we just felt more close to Florence, and then she also sung high like Wanda did where she would be able to lead the songs that Wanda led in the group. So that is why we picked Florence.

DT: did Florence sing on any recordings made by The Marvelettes?

GH: she didn't sing on any recordings by The Marvelettes but onstage she led "So Long Baby" and "I Want a Guy" but she took Wanda's spot and by her being Katherine's height she made a perfect Marvelette I must say.

Thank you for going to the record rather than surmising and conjecturing and opinion-ating.
10-15-2018, 12:50 PM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by fartski322

i always thought Flo would be perfect for lead in Darling Forever . Dont mess with Bill would be perfect for Diana at lead

Honestly if we're talking what Marvelettes songs the Supremes could've covered, I would've given Flo "Don't Mess With Bill". The song's point is one of toughness and I think Flo could've pulled off the warning better than either Diana or Mary. I think Flo would've sang the hell out of "Bill". I would've loved to hear Diana singing "The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game" and Mary doing "When You're Young and In Love".
10-15-2018, 01:32 PM
midnightman

One Marvelettes song that would've been perfect for Diana and Flo together was Locking Up My Heart!
10-15-2018, 04:52 PM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by midnightman

One Marvelettes song that would've been perfect for Diana and Flo together was Locking Up My Heart!

Absolutely! I'm surprised HDH never recorded this one on the Supremes, as far as we know. Wouldn't that be great?
10-15-2018, 05:52 PM
midnightman

I agree. Would've been a blast really...
10-15-2018, 06:27 PM
marybrewster

Did the Supremes ever record a cover of a Marvelettes tune? I can't think of any.
10-15-2018, 07:35 PM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by midnightman

I agree. Would've been a blast really...

How would you have produced it? My first thought when you suggested it, was Diana doing Gladys' part and Flo doing Wanda's. But as I was getting ready to head out, I was humming the song in my head and I started thinking that it might've been better to have Flo doing Gladys' part and Diana doing Wanda's. Wanda is at her screechiest on "Locking" and I think Diana would do a better screech than Flo. Lol
10-15-2018, 07:36 PM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by marybrewster

Did the Supremes ever record a cover of a Marvelettes tune? I can't think of any.

I can't think of any either. Of course the Marvelettes [[and Wanda Rogers) covered the Supremes from the very beginning. Lol
10-15-2018, 07:38 PM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by marybrewster

Did the Supremes ever record a cover of a Marvelettes tune? I can't think of any.

Oops, just thought of one. The Supremes covered "Too Hurt to Cry". Of course the original was released under another name but it was the Marvelettes. I like both versions but I do prefer the Supremes'.

Another one I think it's a shame they didn't cover is "Please Mr. Postman". I think Flo would've ripped that up.
10-15-2018, 07:46 PM
reese

Quote:

Originally Posted by RanRan79

Oops, just thought of one. The Supremes covered "Too Hurt to Cry". Of course the original was released under another name but it was the Marvelettes. I like both versions but I do prefer the Supremes'.

Another one I think it's a shame they didn't cover is "Please Mr. Postman". I think Flo would've ripped that up.

Many years later, Diana did a snippet of PLEASE MR. POSTMAN on her AN EVENING WITH DIANA ROSS album.
10-15-2018, 08:58 PM
TomatoTom123

Don't know who recorded it first, but both groups did "I Want A Guy". I recall this because of that weird-ass ondioline thing which is on The Marvelettes' version.
10-16-2018, 11:06 AM
midnightman

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Don't know who recorded it first, but both groups did "I Want A Guy". I recall this because of that weird-ass ondioline thing which is on The Marvelettes' version.

The Supremes recorded theirs in December 1960 and it was their first single after they got signed in January 1961.

I Want a Guy was the b-side to the Marvelettes' Twistin' Postman in December 1961.
10-16-2018, 12:35 PM
RanRan79

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Don't know who recorded it first, but both groups did "I Want A Guy". I recall this because of that weird-ass ondioline thing which is on The Marvelettes' version.

The Supremes recorded and released it first. It was their first single. The Marvelettes weren't at the company yet.
10-16-2018, 02:46 PM
TomatoTom123

Thanks midnight & RanRan. So it was actually The Marvelettes covering The Supremes :rolleyes: