"People"-Florence Ballard

[NativeNuYorker]

Florence had begun to feel her role diminish. In February 1963, when the group had been recording a country and western album on which Florence had been given the lead on one of the tunes, according to Flo, Diana broke off the recording, walked into the control room, and told the producers that she was the lead singer for all the songs. “Mary and I heard it through the earphones, and neither one of us could believe it,” Flo said.


But Diane wanted to be the lead singer on every song.” And Gordy agreed that she should be. According to Nelson George, author of Where Did Our Love Go?, Berry dismissed Flo’s aspirations as a lead performer at a rehearsal at a Detroit nightclub, the Roostertail, in front of most of the Motown brass. Flo was allegedly only four bars into “People” when Gordy told her to stop. “Let Diana do the song,” Gordy said.


Flo flinched visibly and began crying, according to George. According to Mary Wilson’s account, however, the Copa was the site of a less dramatic scene. Wilson wrote that Harvey Fuqua, a Motown employee in charge of the company’s Artist Development Department, merely “announced” that Flo would no longer perform “People.” Many wondered about the announcement, since Flo had performed the tune on opening night at the Copa and, even though she had just recovered from the flu, sounded terrific. “A couple of nights later, however, Diane was singing it,” Wilson wrote. According to Wilson, “We all suspected that Berry had taken the song from Flo, but Flo was thoroughly convinced of it, and she was crushed. How much more of the spotlight did Diane need? From that moment on, Flo regarded what was in fact the highest achievement of our career as a disaster. She was sad and moody, and I could see the three of us being torn apart.”


Benjaminson, Peter. The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard [[p. 77). Chicago Review Press. Kindle Edition.

[marv2]

[FONT="]Florence had begun to feel her role diminish. In February 1963, when the group had been recording a country and western album on which Florence had been given the lead on one of the tunes, according to Flo, Diana broke off the recording, walked into the control room, and told the producers that she was the lead singer for all the songs. “Mary and I heard it through the earphones, and neither one of us could believe it,” Flo said.[/FONT]
[FONT="]
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[FONT="]But Diane wanted to be the lead singer on every song.” And Gordy agreed that she should be. According to Nelson George, author of Where Did Our Love Go?, Berry dismissed Flo’s aspirations as a lead performer at a rehearsal at a Detroit nightclub, the Roostertail, in front of most of the Motown brass. Flo was allegedly only four bars into “People” when Gordy told her to stop. “Let Diana do the song,” Gordy said.[/FONT]
[FONT="]
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[FONT="]Flo flinched visibly and began crying, according to George. According to Mary Wilson’s account, however, the Copa was the site of a less dramatic scene. Wilson wrote that Harvey Fuqua, a Motown employee in charge of the company’s Artist Development Department, merely “announced” that Flo would no longer perform “People.” Many wondered about the announcement, since Flo had performed the tune on opening night at the Copa and, even though she had just recovered from the flu, sounded terrific. “A couple of nights later, however, Diane was singing it,” Wilson wrote. According to Wilson, “We all suspected that Berry had taken the song from Flo, but Flo was thoroughly convinced of it, and she was crushed. How much more of the spotlight did Diane need? From that moment on, Flo regarded what was in fact the highest achievement of our career as a disaster. She was sad and moody, and I could see the three of us being torn apart.”[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
Benjaminson, Peter. The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard [[p. 77). Chicago Review Press. Kindle Edition.

That is what I read too! Thank you NativeNuYorker. Diana Ross was not a pig....she was a HOG for the spotlight!

[NativeNuYorker]

Unfortunately, with all the proof from those that were victims and witnesses many still can't handle the truth.

[marv2]

Unfortunately, with all the proof from those that were victims and witnesses many still can't handle the truth.

I know what you mean. Thank you NativeNuYorker for sharing this story and the truth!