What if Florence exposed the Andantes right before getting fired?

**IMissFlo93** · 11-09-2019, 11:47 AM

What if, while drunk, Florence randomly exposed the Andantes replacing vocals for some of the Supremes' songs the night she was fired?

Do you think people would listen?

**Jimi LaLumia** · 11-09-2019, 12:12 PM

that would only have hurt Flo and Mary, they would have been branded then as the first Milli Vanilli and as phonies, and proven that Ross was The Supremes, it would not have hurt 'Diane' [[lol) one little bit

**marv2** · 11-09-2019, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by IMissFlo93

What if, while drunk, Florence randomly exposed the Andantes replacing vocals for some of the Supremes' songs the night she was fired?

Do you think people would listen?

The only way that would have made any difference is if she told a reputable lawyer. It was in the Supremes contract that they could not be replaced on recordings or on stage if the individual[[s) were available. Breach of contract. Mary Wilson used that in her 1978 lawsuit.

**jobeterob** · 11-09-2019, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Jimi LaLumia

that would only have hurt Flo and Mary, they would have been branded then as the first Milli Vanilli and as phonies, and proven that Ross was The Supremes, it would not have hurt 'Diane' [[lol) one little bit

Maybe

But maybe no one would have cared

When did we first find out about Loce Child and Someday?

And when did we find out they were on a lot of earlier records?

**PeaceNHarmony** · 11-09-2019, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Jimi LaLumia

that would only have hurt Flo and Mary, they would have been branded then as the first Milli Vanilli and as phonies, and proven that Ross was The Supremes, it would not have hurt 'Diane' [[lol) one little bit

Yup. Unfortunate but true.

**CoolKatz** · 11-09-2019, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by IMissFlo93

What if, while drunk, Florence randomly exposed the Andantes replacing vocals for some of the Supremes' songs the night she was fired?

Do you think people would listen?

I think a few would have listened but Diana would have been blamed for it. Also it would have been damaging to the Berry and the mystique of Motown especially at the end of 60's. It might have worked in the Andantes favor because maybe then people would have been interested in what they could do on stage.

**copley** · 11-09-2019, 04:09 PM

'What If Florence Exposed The Andantes Right Before Getting Fired?' You make it sound that the Andantes did something wrong that they needed taking to task for when of course they did nothing wrong. It was BG/Motown who needed exposing but if Florence had said anything it was only she & Mary who would have been hurt. The fans would have been disappointed of course but I doubt that it would have affected sales.

**jobeterob** · 11-09-2019, 04:13 PM

And the same thing was being done at every other record company

**lucky2012** · 11-09-2019, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by copley

'What If Florence Exposed The Andantes Right Before Getting Fired?' You make it sound that the Andantes did something wrong that they needed taking to task for when of course they did nothing wrong. It was BG/Motown who needed exposing but if Florence had said anything it was only she & Mary who would have been hurt. The fans would have been disappointed of course but I doubt that it would have affected sales.

And the same thing was being done at every other record company

I agree with all of this!

**marv2** · 11-09-2019, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by copley

'What If Florence Exposed The Andantes Right Before Getting Fired?' You make it sound that the Andantes did something wrong that they needed taking to task for when of course they did nothing wrong. It was BG/Motown who needed exposing but if Florence had said anything it was only she & Mary who would have been hurt. The fans would have been disappointed of course but I doubt that it would have affected sales.

The Andantes weren't even on that many records with the Supremes. They recorded more once the group became "Diana Ross and the Supremes" and then they were only on a hand full of singles from 1968-69. Not a big deal at all.

**floyjoy678** · 11-09-2019, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

The Andantes weren't even on that many records with the Supremes. They recorded more once the group became "Diana Ross and the Supremes" and then they were only on a hand full of singles from 1968-69. Not a big deal at all.

This. And what would she be exposing, that possibly there was an Andante in her place on "You Can't Hurry Love " and the Christmas album? The rest was mostly with Mary and Flo with or without the Andantes. LOL

**midnightman** · 11-09-2019, 08:16 PM

**khansperac** · 11-09-2019, 09:26 PM

^^^It took me a minute to figure out what I was looking at. Lol.

**detmotownguy** · 11-09-2019, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

The only way that would have made any difference is if she told a reputable lawyer. It was in the Supremes contract that they could not be replaced on recordings or on stage if the individual[[s) were available. Breach of contract. Mary Wilson used that in her 1978 lawsuit.

Hello Marv. Do you know if the replacement issue helped Mary’s lawsuit? Thank. In the end, even when a replacement was used, M,F or C were the ones who delivered the product live on stage to the market.

**marv2** · 11-09-2019, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by detmotownguy

Hello Marv. Do you know if the replacement issue helped Mary’s lawsuit? Thank. In the end, even when a replacement was used, M,F or C were the ones who delivered the product live on stage to the market.

Oh yes it helped her case. Motown thought that they had gotten around it by paying her , Flo and perhaps Cindy for the recordings anyway. They all had to promote the few singles that they were not on to make them hits. The only two I can think of are "Livin' In Shame" and "Love Child". "Someday We'll Be Together" does not have the Andantes on it and was originally recorded and intended for Jr. Walker.

**marv2** · 11-09-2019, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by floyjoy678

This. And what would she be exposing, that possibly there was an Andante in her place on "You Can't Hurry Love " and the Christmas album? The rest was mostly with Mary and Flo with or without the Andantes. LOL

Exactly! This is kind of a dumb question and thread. No offense anyone......

**jobeterob** · 11-09-2019, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by midnightman

That sack smashing it’s head on the table is Marv?!

**midnightman** · 11-09-2019, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by jobeterob

That sack smashing it’s head on the table is Marv?!

This is in response to this entire thread. LOL

And that's a little anime girl haha

But honestly, the Andantes sung on less Supremes records than people think and the Andantes sometimes keep pushing this, even lying about being on some records by the Supremes [[and just them).

I wonder if every Motown act and background singer was jealous of them in general. The biggest vocal group in history but everyone in the Andantes wanna claim they sung on their big hits? Lol

**jobeterob** · 11-09-2019, 11:02 PM

They do?

I thought one of them was deceased?

Of course you’d be jealous if you were the background singers and the producers felt you could be replaced or felt your sound wasn’t quite the right sound

That would be pretty hard to take for anyone

That’s especially why it isn’t so upsetting when they are behind Marvin Gaye or the Four Tops - but it’s tough when it’s the Supremes or Martha and the Vandellas

**floyjoy678** · 11-09-2019, 11:18 PM

Seems like even with the Vandellas, it wasn't until about '67 where the Andantes really started to take over. Before then it was still mostly Roz, Annette and Betty. It's a shame Annette was only in the group for a couple of years. Her and Roz had a really great sound going.

**gman** · 11-10-2019, 10:09 AM

anyone who ever heard a 4 Tops record knows there are other voices on the record. gotta hand it to the Andantes...they sure were busy

**marv2** · 11-10-2019, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by floyjoy678

Seems like even with the Vandellas, it wasn't until about '67 where the Andantes really started to take over. Before then it was still mostly Roz, Annette and Betty. It's a shame Annette was only in the group for a couple of years. Her and Roz had a really great sound going.

Just like with the Supremes, most of the Vandellas biggest hits were before producers started using Andantes to sing background on their records.

**TNSUN** · 11-10-2019, 02:16 PM

Flo should have been groomed into a solo act.
I don't know why the Motown Corporation didn't
encourage former group members to succeed.
Seems like the Motown Corporation acted like the auto companies- in with new and out with the old.

**floyjoy678** · 11-10-2019, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by TNSUN

Flo should have been groomed into a solo act.
I don't know why the Motown Corporation didn't
encourage former group members to succeed.
Seems like the Motown Corporation acted like the auto companies- in with new and out with the old.

I always thought Flo would have done well doing Broadway, that way she could have utilized both her singing and comedic abilities.

Diana did say she thought Flo could have been an Opera singer.

**captainjames** · 11-10-2019, 05:02 PM

Diana, Flo and Mary probably paid for recording time in the studio for numerous songs and I am sure received equal royalties even though Diana was the lead. The question is if the Andantes or the Blackberries had to pay for studio time as well. At any rate I am sure Flo was not going down that road because of what had been paid, and who it would hurt.

**reese** · 11-10-2019, 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by captainjames

Diana, Flo and Mary probably paid for recording time in the studio for numerous songs and I am sure received equal royalties even though Diana was the lead. The question is if the Andantes or the Blackberries had to pay for studio time as well. At any rate I am sure Flo was not going down that road because of what had been paid, and who it would hurt.

I don't think the Andantes or Blackberries had to pay for studio costs unless it was for their own release. From what I recall, session costs were initially billed to the producer of the track. Then once an artist recorded vocals, the costs transferred to them.

**marv2** · 11-10-2019, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by reese

I don't think the Andantes or Blackberries had to pay for studio costs unless it was for their own release. From what I recall, session costs were initially billed to the producer of the track. Then once an artist recorded vocals, the costs transferred to them.

That is how it went Reese. The Andantes were below the Funk Brothers, the musicians on those records in the food chain. Why would Motown hire these session musicians and singers to help on the recordings that made Motown money, then turn around and charge them money for doing the jobs they were hired for? Makes no sense whatsoever and it never happened.

**daviddh** · 11-10-2019, 07:45 PM

Berry always said if you listen n do what I say...I'll take you with me.
Not everyone went along with "do what I say" .
If u didn't....bye .ur gone

**daviddh** · 11-10-2019, 07:50 PM

I think it would have only forced Ross to go solo earlier....but Motown would have stated she missed shows n recordings and had no other choice.which was partially true. By Go Go ....Florence missed several recording dates