Susaye Greene Makes Stunning Debut with Scherrie, Joyce, The FLOs

[BayouMotownMan]

Last night I received a phone video from a fan that warmed my heart.
Last Sunday Miss Susaye Greene made her official debut as the newest Former Ladies of Supremes trio along with Scherrie Payne and Joyce Vincent at a small private gathering in Sherman Oaks, CA. All three ladies are stunning.
Appropriately introduced by J. Randy Taraborrelli who briefly reflected on his years working with Scherrie and Susaye, the ladies took stage in stunning crimson gowns trimmed in black sustaining the image of class and glamour that every grouping of Supremes are known for. All three ladies are slim and svelte and in incredible voice.
Opening with You Keep Me Hanging On and sharing the leads the ladies got the audience in a party mood.
Then Miss Susaye took full lead on Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart and she nailed it! Singing in Diana Ross’s key she delivered a funky if restrained vocal until the very end when she hit the high notes that gave the exclamation point that she had indeed been bitten by that love bug. So good was this interpretation that the ladies might consider opening their set with this exciting classic. Susaye had the crowd jumping. It reminded me of her tenure with the Supremes when she would bring the house down with He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.
The highlight of the abbreviated set came with Joyce Vincent sang the opening verse of How Do You Keep The Music Playing in a clear, warm voice that was followed by Susaye and then Scherrie. At the end of the song I had chills as all three ladies harmonized with Susaye hitting those upper register notes that she is known for to incredible effect. I literally had chills. The crowd of mostly young people rose to their feet giving Scherrie, Susaye and Joyce a well-deserved standing ovation. This was the best interpretation ever given this song by any grouping of ladies over the years.
Scherrie closed the show with You Can’t Hurry Love. Like Susaye she stayed loyal to the original recording. I had a thought during this song at how disappointed most fans were in the 1970s when the ladies sang these classics in fast-paced medleys. Hearing them in their entirety is so exciting. Miss Payne sounds exactly as she did in those years and in her 7^th decade is slim and sexy. She could probably fit into those old gowns. She remains a crowd pleaser and, of course is still, the little lady with the big voice.
As Scherrie told the crowd, this would have been the grouping of Supremes after Mary Wilson left for a solo career in 1978. One can imagine the incredible body of work we would have gotten had Motown not woefully decided to retire the name. That new dimension of Supremes as planned is finally available.
A special shout-out is appropo here to their manager Eric Iversen. Eric runs his own business in LA but spends an enormous amount of time managing and directing the Former Ladies of Supremes. When his group takes stage he makes it his personal business to insure that his ladies are Supreme. They look great and sound great. He is to Scherrie, Susaye and Joyce what Berry Gordy was to Diana, Mary and Florence. His contribution to the legacy is immeasurable.
This grouping of FLOs is quite dynamic. I have enjoyed all groupings of Supremes through the years. Sometimes I would enjoy the later groupings but still yearned for their predecessors. When Cindy joined I loved her, but missed Flo. When Diana left, I loved Jean Terrell but sometimes wished Diana was still there. Same when Jean left. Watching Scherrie, Susaye and Joyce yesterday I must say I experienced full enjoyment and missed no one.

Rick Bueche

[Roberta75]

Last night I received a phone video from a fan that warmed my heart.
Last Sunday Miss Susaye Greene made her official debut as the newest Former Ladies of Supremes trio along with Scherrie Payne and Joyce Vincent at a small private gathering in Sherman Oaks, CA. All three ladies are stunning.
Appropriately introduced by J. Randy Taraborrelli who briefly reflected on his years working with Scherrie and Susaye, the ladies took stage in stunning crimson gowns trimmed in black sustaining the image of class and glamour that every grouping of Supremes are known for. All three ladies are slim and svelte and in incredible voice.
Opening with You Keep Me Hanging On and sharing the leads the ladies got the audience in a party mood.
Then Miss Susaye took full lead on Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart and she nailed it! Singing in Diana Ross’s key she delivered a funky if restrained vocal until the very end when she hit the high notes that gave the exclamation point that she had indeed been bitten by that love bug. So good was this interpretation that the ladies might consider opening their set with this exciting classic. Susaye had the crowd jumping. It reminded me of her tenure with the Supremes when she would bring the house down with He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.
The highlight of the abbreviated set came with Joyce Vincent sang the opening verse of How Do You Keep The Music Playing in a clear, warm voice that was followed by Susaye and then Scherrie. At the end of the song I had chills as all three ladies harmonized with Susaye hitting those upper register notes that she is known for to incredible effect. I literally had chills. The crowd of mostly young people rose to their feet giving Scherrie, Susaye and Joyce a well-deserved standing ovation. This was the best interpretation ever given this song by any grouping of ladies over the years.
Scherrie closed the show with You Can’t Hurry Love. Like Susaye she stayed loyal to the original recording. I had a thought during this song at how disappointed most fans were in the 1970s when the ladies sang these classics in fast-paced medleys. Hearing them in their entirety is so exciting. Miss Payne sounds exactly as she did in those years and in her 7^th decade is slim and sexy. She could probably fit into those old gowns. She remains a crowd pleaser and, of course is still, the little lady with the big voice.
As Scherrie told the crowd, this would have been the grouping of Supremes after Mary Wilson left for a solo career in 1978. One can imagine the incredible body of work we would have gotten had Motown not woefully decided to retire the name. That new dimension of Supremes as planned is finally available.
A special shout-out is appropo here to their manager Eric Iversen. Eric runs his own business in LA but spends an enormous amount of time managing and directing the Former Ladies of Supremes. When his group takes stage he makes it his personal business to insure that his ladies are Supreme. They look great and sound great. He is to Scherrie, Susaye and Joyce what Berry Gordy was to Diana, Mary and Florence. His contribution to the legacy is immeasurable.
This grouping of FLOs is quite dynamic. I have enjoyed all groupings of Supremes through the years. Sometimes I would enjoy the later groupings but still yearned for their predecessors. When Cindy joined I loved her, but missed Flo. When Diana left, I loved Jean Terrell but sometimes wished Diana was still there. Same when Jean left. Watching Scherrie, Susaye and Joyce yesterday I must say I experienced full enjoyment and missed no one.

Rick Bueche

This review just warms my heart now these ladies need to tour tour tour. Thank you for sharing. Im in Panorama City which is only about 7 miles from Sherman Oaks. Wish I could have been at that party but your review made me feel real close to the party.

Thank you.

Fondly,

Roberta

[TomatoTom123]

So great to hear. Thanks for sharing Bayou

[thanxal]

I was literally going to write the same thing as BayouMotown and Roberta... This warms my heart. I am so profoundly happy to see these ladies performing and doing what they love these many years on. I hope they come to the east coast!

[Thornton]

Another heart warmed. This is a wonderful lineup. It seems like most of their shows are now L.A. based, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll come to Chicago at some point. Thanks for sharing!

[Guy]

They look fabulous together. I can't wait to see them. For those in the know, please keep us abreast if they will be performing in the L.A. area again.

[Guy]

Thank you BayouMotownMan for providing this review. It is a tantalizing glimpse of what is to come for FLOS.

[longtimefan]

Does anyone actually know why this configuration of the ladies as well as previous configurations perform so seldomly? Obviously they are very talented and have a famous “name recognition;” a huge repertoire; and a classic songbook. However, over the years, they seem to be rarely booked. This is not a complaint on my part, sad though it may be. I am simply perplexed. Is it a matter of an agent who does not have the right connections; a matter of finances; “blacklisting” of some nature; travel issues; or, whatever? I am simply curious and puzzled.

[BayouMotownMan]

Does anyone actually know why this configuration of the ladies as well as previous configurations perform so seldomly? Obviously they are very talented and have a famous “name recognition;” a huge repertoire; and a classic songbook. However, over the years, they seem to be rarely booked. This is not a complaint on my part, sad though it may be. I am simply perplexed. Is it a matter of an agent who does not have the right connections; a matter of finances; “blacklisting” of some nature; travel issues; or, whatever? I am simply curious and puzzled.

There are a couple reasons for that. First of all, and mainly, is that as the years go on and the Supremes fade farther and farther from the public mind, this leaves fewer venues interested in an act that goes that far back. Oldies venues are now booking 80s and 90s acts. All of the entertainers from the 60s and 70s are having a tough time right now. Thelma Houston and Mary Wilson have fewer bookings. Martha Reeves mostly performs in the UK.

Secondly, Scherrie and Susaye are aware that they must compete with Mary for bookings, so in the US they defer to her as much as they can. The FLOs mostly perform overseas and as the years go on this is getting harder for them to do, it's very exhausting.

I feel hopeful that the gay crowds that supported the Supremes as they struggled through the 70s will begin to book this newest incarnation of FLOs

[longtimefan]

Good explanation, BayouMotownMan. I would also guess that the economic factors [[for the three ladies PLUS a couple of band membersb/musical director) of traveling, food and lodging, hiring local musicians, etc., is probably becoming cost prohibitive compared to the payments for the performance.

[REDHOT]

Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene Former Ladies Of The Supremes with Joyce Vincent,were incredible sunday night,it was Susaye's debut with the ladies,let me tell you, Susaye is a was on point,they sound great,and looked beautiful,in those new gown's,they are The Best,it was a night to remember.

[thanxal]

Then Miss Susaye took full lead on Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart and she nailed it! Singing in Diana Ross’s key she delivered a funky if restrained vocal until the very end when she hit the high notes that gave the exclamation point that she had indeed been bitten by that love bug. So good was this interpretation that the ladies might consider opening their set with this exciting classic.

Did anyone get a video of this? I would love to hear Susaye sing Itchin'.

[luke]

With no original members in the group and one person who was never in the group , I’m sure that also presents a challenge. The Three Degrees with two originals have good success in Europe and Asia.

[marv2]

With no original members in the group and one person who was never in the group , I’m sure that also presents a challenge. The Three Degrees with two originals have good success in Europe and Asia.

Lynda told me some time ago that they did not play NYC because their name "The Flos" was not big enough. She and Scherrie eventually played MSG as a part of RTL.

[BigAl]

With no original members in the group and one person who was never in the group , I’m sure that also presents a challenge. The Three Degrees with two originals have good success in Europe and Asia.

Actually [[and I'm splitting hairs here) none of the present Three Degrees are technically original members. Helen came aboard as a replacement early on, before they found widespread success, but then left, and Valerie signed on at around that time, leaving only one original member [[Fayette Pinkney) by the time they hit it big. Then Faye either left or was dismissed [[opinions vary on this) and Helen was brought back [[similarly to the way Cindy returned to The Supremes after an absence), and at least a dozen others have come and gone. Still, the group has managed to consistently draw audiences, and I think it's because there have been so very many members that the group is regarded more as an adaptable institution and no one member really far outshone any of the others, especially with name recognition, unlike DRATS. During their peak years, Valerie and Sheila would both do leads, so even after Shiela left Valerie remained as a familiar face and voice. The Supremes were so visible and recognizable as individuals during their heyday, and the FLOS don't comprise names, faces or voices with which the general public might be familiar.

[luke]

They are in the Guinness book of records as longest running female group. Valerie has been in the group for over 50 straight years and Helen for over thirty and they maintain their original group name

[Bluebrock]

They are in the Guinness book of records as longest running female group. Valerie has been in the group for over 50 straight years and Helen for over thirty and they maintain their original group name

And they remain wonderful. They are currently on tour in Japan. I saw them in the UK recently and they put on a great show as they have always done. Long may they continue.