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    Florence Ballard's Solo Live Performances

    Here-and-there we get a tad of information about Florence's live performances. Is there a 'database' of shows and dates, and more importantly [for me) are there set lists? I would bet this has been discussed here before but probably the information is scattered through different threads. It would also be interesting to know band members, etc.

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    In an interview with REACH OUT [one of Diana's fan club], Cholly Atkins said he helped with putting together Flo's solo act. He said the opening number was HEY, LOOK ME OVER. He also said she didn't do any Supremes material.

    In his first book, Tony Turner wrote about going to see Flo at the Wonder Garden in Atlantic City. There was a show opening for Wilson Pickett in Chicago [?] and another performance at one of Nixon's inaugural balls. I believe there might be a thread here that had more info on Flo's last performance at the JoAnn Little fundraiser. But other than that, I haven't read anything with more detail.
    Last edited by reese; 05-27-2021 at 06:08 PM.

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    That's interesting she was doing standards in her show considering she complained about them in the Supremes shows. I've seen pictures of her performing solo and she still had the Supreme glam image going: gold evening gown, feather boas, heavy make up, etc and then I saw a later shot of her performing solo while she was pregnant and she had a more natural look going with a English mod outfit and her long hair look.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    In an interview with REACH OUT [one of Diana's fan club], Cholly Atkins said he helped with putting together Flo's solo act. He said the opening number was HEY, LOOK ME OVER. But he didn't have any other details other than she didn't do any Supremes material.

    In his first book, Tony Turner wrote about going to see Flo at the Wonder Garden in Atlantic City. There was a show opening for Wilson Pickett in Chicago [?] and another performance at one of Nixon's inaugural balls. I believe there might be a thread here that had more info on Flo's last performance at the JoAnn Little fundraiser. But other than that, I haven't read anything with more detail.
    She also did shows with Bill Cosby. There's at least one television appearance, a New York show, I think. Can't remember the name.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    She also did shows with Bill Cosby. There's at least one television appearance, a New York show, I think. Can't remember the name.
    She also was on Swinging Time in 1968 and performed Going Out Of My Head.

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    Interesting. So it seems like Florence was going for more of a nightclub act than a contemporary act. I recall the oft-told story that she was not able to use the name of the Supremes in her publicity so I'd assume Florence was also forbidden from performing Supremes songs. There just seems to be so little information: do we assume there were only a small number of live performances?

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    Quote Originally Posted by floyjoy678 View Post
    She also was on Swinging Time in 1968 and performed Going Out Of My Head.
    That was at least a song-of-the-moment -

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    There was talk that Flo performed "Come See About Me" with Deadly Nightshade.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post

    In his first book, Tony Turner wrote about going to see Flo at the Wonder Garden in Atlantic City. There was a show opening for Wilson Pickett in Chicago [?] and another performance at one of Nixon's inaugural balls. I believe there might be a thread here that had more info on Flo's last performance at the JoAnn Little fundraiser. But other than that, I haven't read anything with more detail.
    Wasn't the story that the house band was drunk and Flo just had to sing whatever songs they knew? And the lighting system was a guy turning a light switch off and on?

    A far cry from the Copa.

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    Quote Originally Posted by marybrewster View Post
    Wasn't the story that the house band was drunk and Flo just had to sing whatever songs they knew? And the lighting system was a guy turning a light switch off and on?

    A far cry from the Copa.
    According to Tony Turner, it was that bad.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony View Post
    Interesting. So it seems like Florence was going for more of a nightclub act than a contemporary act. I recall the oft-told story that she was not able to use the name of the Supremes in her publicity so I'd assume Florence was also forbidden from performing Supremes songs. There just seems to be so little information: do we assume there were only a small number of live performances?
    I don't know if there was any edict that Flo couldn't perform Supremes material in person. Even when Mary couldn't use the name, she still sang the songs. As long as royalties were paid, Motown probably didn't care.

    When asked about Flo performing Supremes material, Cholly said she could have but didn't want to. They didn't want to set up any comparisons. In addition to HEY, LOOK ME OVER, he said she also performed BY MYSELF and PEOPLE.
    Last edited by reese; 05-27-2021 at 06:07 PM.

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    [QUOTE=floyjoy678;631091]She also was on Swinging Time in 1968 and performed Going Out Of My Head.[/

    and "it Dosent Matter " both at the end of the show a forum member who i think has now sadly passed went to the taping to dance in the audience..he recalled she had a black and white dress and boots - one black one in white
    Last edited by nomis; 05-27-2021 at 06:30 PM.

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    Yeah the silly thing is she could not use the name Supremes but everyone knew she was a Supreme.

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    she sang "Iam Woman" & "Come See About Me" backed by The Deadly Nightshade Band at The Henry Edsel Ford Auditorium Detroit June 25th 1975
    Last edited by nomis; 05-27-2021 at 06:20 PM.

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    I find all this information fascinating. So it seems that largely Florence was presenting a largely standard nightclub act, which is logical as that's where she left the Supremes. I have a decades-later opinion that this may have brought in some cash but was an incorrect path for this particular talent. My feeling is that Florence may have done better by focusing on more contemporary 'hard' soul material.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I don't know if there was any edict that Flo couldn't perform Supremes material in person. Even when Mary couldn't use the name, she still sang the songs. As long as royalties were paid, Motown probably didn't care.

    When asked about Flo performing Supremes material, Cholly said she could have but didn't want to. They didn't want to set up any comparisons. In addition to HEY, LOOK ME OVER, he said she also performed BY MYSELF and PEOPLE.
    I was just guessing, Reese, and it seems to me that this would have been a major mis-step by Gordy. Yet ... it seems that Florence was focused on singing songs she liked and establishing a career beyond her Supremes work. Don't you wish we really knew the decision-making processes?

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    Quote Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony View Post
    I was just guessing, Reese, and it seems to me that this would have been a major mis-step by Gordy. Yet ... it seems that Florence was focused on singing songs she liked and establishing a career beyond her Supremes work. Don't you wish we really knew the decision-making processes?
    Flo said for a long time that she wanted nothing to do with the music from the Supremes and she couldn't even listen to it. I do wonder if she had thrown in a couple Supremes numbers in her shows if it would have made any difference. But I get it, she wanted do her own thing.

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    seems like part of the problem is that Flo didn't really seem to know what direction she wanted to go into. when people suffer from depression or other mental illnesses, making decisions like this can be daunting. I don't know that Flo was ever diagnosed with a specific mental disease but my opinion is she did suffer. if nothing else at least from the attack.

    combine that with the mental stress of the Sup situation and her exit from the group, and perhaps laying out a career strategy was something she just couldn't really get a grasp on. she had been indoctrinated with motowns MOR style and so maybe she opted for what was familiar.

    i agree that had she gone into a more "soul" or r&b direction, that might have suited her better. Although the story is that ABC signed her with the idea that they'd get a "supremes" sound of their own. but that didn't pan out

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    Diana said looking back on Flo's mood swings that she thought it was obvious it was something medical.

    I wouldn't be surprised if Flo had a mild form of bipolar disorder, known as cyclothymia.

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    I have always wondered about Florence's solo career. I did wonder what type of show she had, even for that short amount of time. Since so many people felt she was such a great singer, I wondered what types of songs she sang to show off her talents. I think some rumors where that Motown's arms were too long and that DRATS was still out there and Motown may not have wanted any competition from a former group member. I don't know if that is true. Very strange she would do standards as it was reported Florence seemed unhappy that the group took that direction. In contrast, when Mary Wilson went solo, she was on Motown but they were not behind her. By this time, Diana Ross was so well established on her own that a former group member would not have seemed as competition to Motown. Plus, by that time, Mary was known as the long time group member in the industry. Florence seemed to have a voice like Etta James, so I am surprised she did not take that path. Wilson always said she had a voice like that and was surprised the material she had was not more in the Aretha type vein. Florence certainly did not have it easy, I think her life gave her too many obstacles. She didn't have support like Ross did and Wilson seemed to have much more determination no matter what obstacles were put in her path. It is sad that her career and life did not take the path that we all wished for her but I am sure she is looking down and is comforted by all the love and admiration that so many feel for her.

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    i agree with Etta james more than Aretha. based on the limited recordings we have, i've never really caught on to the "Flo=Aretha" comment. yes both have large voices but Aretha's techniques were very informed by a deep and lengthy background in gospel. Etta was more r&b which of course takes influence from gospel but they're actually quite different. the vocal and lyrical interpretation is very different.

    i hear Flo's wonderful Good News as very Etta, not very Aretha. And we all can hear how Aretha would have approached Silent Night and O Holy Night. and again, that's not how i hear Flo tackled those two

    i have very little knowledge of Etta's career, other than the basic highlights. would love to know from any fans more of what type of songs she did live. would be very interesting to speculate on the "what ifs" of Flo's live act

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    Quote Originally Posted by floyjoy678 View Post
    Flo said for a long time that she wanted nothing to do with the music from the Supremes and she couldn't even listen to it. I do wonder if she had thrown in a couple Supremes numbers in her shows if it would have made any difference. But I get it, she wanted do her own thing.
    I had not known that; it's sad to hear.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    I don't know if there was any edict that Flo couldn't perform Supremes material in person. Even when Mary couldn't use the name, she still sang the songs. As long as royalties were paid, Motown probably didn't care.

    When asked about Flo performing Supremes material, Cholly said she could have but didn't want to. They didn't want to set up any comparisons. In addition to HEY, LOOK ME OVER, he said she also performed BY MYSELF and PEOPLE.
    Reese, is "By Myself" a Judy Garland song? I'm not familiar with a song of that name and so I Googled it and that's what came up. If it's the same song, reading the lyrics, wow, it would've been interesting to hear Flo do it as it seems so relevant to her experience at that point. If there were ever to be a Flo movie, I could see her performance of this song as a key scene.

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    Quote Originally Posted by nomis View Post
    she sang "Iam Woman" & "Come See About Me" backed by The Deadly Nightshade Band at The Henry Edsel Ford Auditorium Detroit June 25th 1975
    I remember for the longest time, I thought the "I Am Woman" she sang was the showtune she had performed with the Supremes. I thought it was such a weird choice of song for a benefit concert for a rape victim. It was years- and I mean YEARS- before I realized that it was Helen Reddy's song. Duh. Anyway, the fact that Flo got a standing O after singing it, I bet she did a great job.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    seems like part of the problem is that Flo didn't really seem to know what direction she wanted to go into. when people suffer from depression or other mental illnesses, making decisions like this can be daunting. I don't know that Flo was ever diagnosed with a specific mental disease but my opinion is she did suffer. if nothing else at least from the attack.

    combine that with the mental stress of the Sup situation and her exit from the group, and perhaps laying out a career strategy was something she just couldn't really get a grasp on. she had been indoctrinated with motowns MOR style and so maybe she opted for what was familiar.

    i agree that had she gone into a more "soul" or r&b direction, that might have suited her better. Although the story is that ABC signed her with the idea that they'd get a "supremes" sound of their own. but that didn't pan out
    I think the big problem was that it had been a gazillion years since Flo had any real creative control regarding her singing career. Motown had been making all the decisions for the Supremes. That's not to say the ladies didn't contribute in various ways. But at ABC there was no Berry Gordy mapping out her itinerary. She lucked up on some of the Motown guard, like Cholly, Al Abrams and Robert Bateman, but specifically with Cholly, who would have had more to do with her prep for a stage act than the other two, he was still employed by Motown [[wasn't he?) so there was probably only so much he time he could've devoted to Florence at that point.

    Also important to point out that Flo didn't get a part 2 at the solo thing. She had less than a year of solo work. Had she gone somewhere else after ABC was over, she may have found more of a voice and direction.

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    Quote Originally Posted by floyjoy678 View Post
    Diana said looking back on Flo's mood swings that she thought it was obvious it was something medical.

    I wouldn't be surprised if Flo had a mild form of bipolar disorder, known as cyclothymia.
    Flo was on diet pills at various times during the group's heyday. A common side effect was mood swings.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jim aka jtigre99 View Post
    I have always wondered about Florence's solo career. I did wonder what type of show she had, even for that short amount of time. Since so many people felt she was such a great singer, I wondered what types of songs she sang to show off her talents. I think some rumors where that Motown's arms were too long and that DRATS was still out there and Motown may not have wanted any competition from a former group member. I don't know if that is true. Very strange she would do standards as it was reported Florence seemed unhappy that the group took that direction. In contrast, when Mary Wilson went solo, she was on Motown but they were not behind her. By this time, Diana Ross was so well established on her own that a former group member would not have seemed as competition to Motown. Plus, by that time, Mary was known as the long time group member in the industry. Florence seemed to have a voice like Etta James, so I am surprised she did not take that path. Wilson always said she had a voice like that and was surprised the material she had was not more in the Aretha type vein. Florence certainly did not have it easy, I think her life gave her too many obstacles. She didn't have support like Ross did and Wilson seemed to have much more determination no matter what obstacles were put in her path. It is sad that her career and life did not take the path that we all wished for her but I am sure she is looking down and is comforted by all the love and admiration that so many feel for her.
    I don't think Flo had a problem with the showtunes. She didn't care for some of the phony imagery, like top hats and canes. Flo was the reason "I Am Woman" and "People" were initially included in the act. She said she thought Diana was perfect for "Woman" and herself for "People". If she hated showtunes so much, she could've easily picked any number of songs off the radio to do.

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    Quote Originally Posted by sup_fan View Post
    i agree with Etta james more than Aretha. based on the limited recordings we have, i've never really caught on to the "Flo=Aretha" comment. yes both have large voices but Aretha's techniques were very informed by a deep and lengthy background in gospel. Etta was more r&b which of course takes influence from gospel but they're actually quite different. the vocal and lyrical interpretation is very different.

    i hear Flo's wonderful Good News as very Etta, not very Aretha. And we all can hear how Aretha would have approached Silent Night and O Holy Night. and again, that's not how i hear Flo tackled those two

    i have very little knowledge of Etta's career, other than the basic highlights. would love to know from any fans more of what type of songs she did live. would be very interesting to speculate on the "what ifs" of Flo's live act
    I've said before that people blew the whole Aretha thing out of proportion. It all stems from Mary's first book and in it she says Flo's style was Aretha like, not her sound. She also pointed out that Flo would attack a number and make it her own, and we all know Aretha made half a career out of that. Aretha, Flo, Etta, and millions of other young Black women at the time had grown up in the gospel tradition of singing. They all had these elements in common. Etta has written that people always wanted her and Aretha to go up against each other. It wasn't that people thought either woman sounded alike, but that the gospel/blues/r&b tradition was solidly a part of each woman's thing. I've never thought Flo sounded like Aretha. I do think she has a similar sound to Etta, and Etta did write that Flo told her that she was an inspiration.

    As for Etta's career, she did a lot of bluesy numbers. Her live album from the 60s is a must have. She growls and squalls her way through some of that stuff and it's fantastic.

    Aretha had more range than the other two, Etta had more grit, and Flo had more of a sweetness and probably able to hit higher notes than the other two, at least to my ears. All three rate very highly with me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Reese, is "By Myself" a Judy Garland song? I'm not familiar with a song of that name and so I Googled it and that's what came up. If it's the same song, reading the lyrics, wow, it would've been interesting to hear Flo do it as it seems so relevant to her experience at that point. If there were ever to be a Flo movie, I could see her performance of this song as a key scene.
    I have versions of the song by Nancy Wilson, Barbra Streisand, and even Ann-Margret and I can see this kind of song being something good for a live show--especially with the lyrics and Flo starting a solo career. While Judy's version is slow build up to the typical Garland bombastic crescendo, I think I could've heard Flo doing something on stage closer [though maybe not exactly] like Nancy Wilson's version from her June 1968 album, "The Sound Of": silky, while still bouncy and jazzy. No, Flo is no Nancy Wilson, but just that general feel probably could've worked for Flo with this song during a live performance.



    Part of me can understand why Florence might want to avoid singing Supremes songs or creating a comparison to Diana/The Supremes, but... I think she should have done a medley during a live show. Even if it were just the Come See/Stop!/Hangin' On/I Hear A Symphony medley. She wouldn't have to say, "I was a Supreme when I sang these," as she could've said something like, "here are a few songs I'm awfully familiar with..." Let the audience [who probably might've known her connection anyway] figure it out. ["Oh, oh, oh--that's how I know her!"] Then Flo could've continued with her show. In my mind, I think Flo could've mentioned her time in The Supremes during a live show. I just don't think Motown had anyone "watching over" Flo to make sure she didn't. Print media? Sure--that's gonna get easily caught. But who would know or honestly care whether over a year later she was trading on the idea of, "yes, I was a part of those ladies and now I'm doing my own thing!"? I think Florence, for all of her bravado about leaving, was probably scared about that possibility. I wish she had pushed the envelope and said, "f*ck Berry and f*ck Motown, just let him stop me from telling everyone I was a Supreme!" I mean, how much energy would Berry have really expended? I love Flo, but by the fall of 1968, she wasn't going to hit the top right out of the gate and she wasn't competition for Diana Ross. Given time, she might have been able to carve out a career, but for all the hard work she might have put in, she didn't have a large machine [Motown] behind her.

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    there was no way motown could ever go after flo for saying something in an interview about having been a supreme. if the interviewer asked her "Florence - what was it like when WDOLG hit #1?" she could have certainly answered and motown wouldn't have been able to do anything. they might have sent a snarly letter at most. but that's it

    i believe it was more about having official publicity material issued by ABC. so the official press release, radio announcements, tv spots. They could not publicize her stage show with something like "and here she is!!! the one and only!!! the former supreme!! Florence Ballard!!"

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    Reese, is "By Myself" a Judy Garland song? I'm not familiar with a song of that name and so I Googled it and that's what came up. If it's the same song, reading the lyrics, wow, it would've been interesting to hear Flo do it as it seems so relevant to her experience at that point. If there were ever to be a Flo movie, I could see her performance of this song as a key scene.
    It could be, I don't know for sure. Aretha recorded a song [BLUE] BY MYSELF for her Columbia debut but it has different lyrics. For a nightclub act, Judy's seems more likely.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I remember for the longest time, I thought the "I Am Woman" she sang was the showtune she had performed with the Supremes. I thought it was such a weird choice of song for a benefit concert for a rape victim. It was years- and I mean YEARS- before I realized that it was Helen Reddy's song. Duh. Anyway, the fact that Flo got a standing O after singing it, I bet she did a great job.
    I thought this as well, because in J. Randy's first Diana book, he said I AM WOMAN was "one of the songs she [Flo] was taught for the Supremes' Copa debut ten years earlier."
    Last edited by reese; 05-28-2021 at 08:25 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by danman869 View Post
    ...In my mind, I think Flo could've mentioned her time in The Supremes during a live show. I just don't think Motown had anyone "watching over" Flo to make sure she didn't. Print media? Sure--that's gonna get easily caught. But who would know or honestly care whether over a year later she was trading on the idea of, "yes, I was a part of those ladies and now I'm doing my own thing!"? I think Florence, for all of her bravado about leaving, was probably scared about that possibility. I wish she had pushed the envelope and said, "f*ck Berry and f*ck Motown, just let him stop me from telling everyone I was a Supreme!" I mean, how much energy would Berry have really expended? I love Flo, but by the fall of 1968, she wasn't going to hit the top right out of the gate and she wasn't competition for Diana Ross. Given time, she might have been able to carve out a career, but for all the hard work she might have put in, she didn't have a large machine [Motown] behind her.
    I could swear that there was a thread on this forum where Al Abrams said that the idea of Flo not being able to use the Supremes name as promo was overblown. I think he actually said that for the most post, as her press agent, he ignored it. I've looked for that thread but haven't able to find it.

    As with Mary at times, Motown most likely didn't want Flo to bill her shows as "Florence Ballard of the Supremes."
    Last edited by reese; 05-28-2021 at 05:01 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by RanRan79 View Post
    I've said before that people blew the whole Aretha thing out of proportion. It all stems from Mary's first book and in it she says Flo's style was Aretha like, not her sound. She also pointed out that Flo would attack a number and make it her own, and we all know Aretha made half a career out of that. Aretha, Flo, Etta, and millions of other young Black women at the time had grown up in the gospel tradition of singing. They all had these elements in common. Etta has written that people always wanted her and Aretha to go up against each other. It wasn't that people thought either woman sounded alike, but that the gospel/blues/r&b tradition was solidly a part of each woman's thing. I've never thought Flo sounded like Aretha. I do think she has a similar sound to Etta, and Etta did write that Flo told her that she was an inspiration.

    As for Etta's career, she did a lot of bluesy numbers. Her live album from the 60s is a must have. She growls and squalls her way through some of that stuff and it's fantastic.

    Aretha had more range than the other two, Etta had more grit, and Flo had more of a sweetness and probably able to hit higher notes than the other two, at least to my ears. All three rate very highly with me.

    Mary also compared Flo's singing to Jennifer Hollliday's, in at least one article or book saying "Flo sings [sang] like that." I think it can be confusing to the general public to hear such comparisons but who never heard Flo on lead. It added to the image of this back-up singer who was wronged by having her superior voice subjugated to the background.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reese View Post
    Mary also compared Flo's singing to Jennifer Hollliday's, in at least one article or book saying "Flo sings [sang] like that." I think it can be confusing to the general public to hear such comparisons but who never heard Flo on lead. It added to the image of this back-up singer who was wronged by having her superior voice subjugated to the background.
    I certainly understand Mary [[and others) wanting to preserve the memory of Florence. Yet ... I have seen JHol live, including the original run of 'Dreamgirl', and I simply hear no comparison to the Florence on the existant recordings. Sorry. Just not there.

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    Name:  FB 1975.jpg
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    From the Joann Little benefit concert booklet

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    Peggy Lee did a slow, quiet, somewhat introspective version of By Myself on her superb Ole a la Lee album in 1960, accompanied by a bass/percussion background and in company with a jazz-oriented flute melody that had little to do with the tune itself. It's unusual but effective.

    Maxine Sullivan recorded the song in her usual light swing fashion in 1981, in a highly enjoyable version, also with a small but more predictable combo backing.

    The song is from 1937 and was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, Broadway and Hollywood writers.

    Flo may have chosen to do show tunes in part because they were well-known by the nightclub crowds, but also, partly because of economics. The standards are versatile, and they can be performed effectively and excitingly both by big orchestras [[in the theater) and by tiny jazz pick-up bands [[in cabaret settings).

    Pop/rock songs, on the other hand, often require more backing musicians and back-up singers than Flo could afford. Unlike Aretha, Roberta Flack or Carole King, Flo could not play the piano, which might have helped her keep costs in control whether she chose to perform a wide mix of material or whether she opted for standards, blues songs or rock 'n roll as her main medium.

    For the record, Cher recorded the song, too, in the peculiar welding of electronic and old-manner styles she developed for torch song presentations during her early-1970s television period. Some of those worked because of her Bob Mackie outfits more than because of her deadpan, half-shouted interpretation of belting.

  38. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by benross View Post
    Peggy Lee did a slow, quiet, somewhat introspective version of By Myself on her superb Ole a la Lee album in 1960, accompanied by a bass/percussion background and in company with a jazz-oriented flute melody that had little to do with the tune itself. It's unusual but effective.

    Maxine Sullivan recorded the song in her usual light swing fashion in 1981, in a highly enjoyable version, also with a small but more predictable combo backing.

    The song is from 1937 and was written by Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz, Broadway and Hollywood writers.

    Flo may have chosen to do show tunes in part because they were well-known by the nightclub crowds, but also, partly because of economics. The standards are versatile, and they can be performed effectively and excitingly both by big orchestras [[in the theater) and by tiny jazz pick-up bands [[in cabaret settings).

    Pop/rock songs, on the other hand, often require more backing musicians and back-up singers than Flo could afford. Unlike Aretha, Roberta Flack or Carole King, Flo could not play the piano, which might have helped her keep costs in control whether she chose to perform a wide mix of material or whether she opted for standards, blues songs or rock 'n roll as her main medium.

    For the record, Cher recorded the song, too, in the peculiar welding of electronic and old-manner styles she developed for torch song presentations during her early-1970s television period. Some of those worked because of her Bob Mackie outfits more than because of her deadpan, half-shouted interpretation of belting.
    And an amen for mention and remembrance of the joyous music of Ms. Peggy Lee. I'm wondering ... Judy Garland performed 'By Myself' in the movie 'I Could Go On Singing' as well as on her CBS TV series. Aretha Franklin was known to be moved and inspired by Garland performances, so I wonder ... did Florence see Judy's killer performance of the song on the Garland tv show and decide it would be a good addition to her live show?

    As for Cher - the lp was 'Bittersweet White Light', produced by Sonny. It was an lp that reflected the American Songbook songs Cher would sing on the S&C tv series, but those renditions were superior to the weird electronic arrangements Sonny came up with for the lp. I LOVED that lp for years but find it a tad hard to listen to nowsadays!
    Last edited by PeaceNHarmony; 05-29-2021 at 08:29 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by PeaceNHarmony View Post
    And an amen for mention and remembrance of the joyous music of Ms. Peggy Lee. I'm wondering ... Judy Garland performed 'By Myself' in the movie 'I Could Go On Singing' as well as on her CBS TV series. Aretha Franklin was known to be moved and inspired by Garland performances, so I wonder ... did Florence see Judy's killer performance of the song on the Garland tv show and decide it would be a good addition to her live show?

    As for Cher - the lp was 'Bittersweet White Light', produced by Sonny. It was an lp that reflected the American Songbook songs Cher would sing on the S&C tv series, but those renditions were superior to the weird electronic arrangements Sonny came up with for the lp. I LOVED that lp for years but find it a tad hard to listen to nowsadays!
    Nice to see the incomparable Garland mentioned..she also performed "by myself" on Hollywood palace and Ed Sullivan [[which were repeated several times in the 60s and 70s) and of course the Supremes shared a concert date with garland at the Houston Astrodome

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    Another profoundly influential performer for the Supremes who recorded it was:


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    After her solo career didn't get off the ground, did Florence ever attempt to be a presence on the local Detroit music scene? Surely she knew musicians and could have sat in and/or performed with a band on the local live music scene? Or between depression and having babies, that wasn't an option?

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