Supreme exit

**captainjames** · 07-04-2022, 07:27 PM

One of the things that I was curious after reading this book was that Nicole mentions that Flo's daughters do receive royalties. It doesn't say from Supreme recordings, Motown or exactly where but I was glad to read this. Does anyone know if Motown reversed those decisions that Flo made after leaving Motown ?

**reese** · 07-04-2022, 08:03 PM

That surprised me as well. I had never heard of Motown reinstating those royalties but good for them if they did. I doubt royalties from the ABC recordings amount to much.

**marybrewster** · 07-04-2022, 10:03 PM

My only thought would be the Expanded Editions, starting with the pink boxed set in 2000.

**sup_fan** · 07-04-2022, 11:34 PM

yeah if it's true it must be a later event. or something. Randy had hypothesized in CHMR that D and M received about $80-90K a year in royalties from the Sup era. if the girls were getting that, while they'd have to split it, that's a decent amount of money to be added to whatever their own personal income is. I'm not sure what each of the girls ever did - but i don't have the impression that they're especially well-off. so $25 - 35K/year each would be a decent amount.

**captainjames** · 07-05-2022, 05:36 PM

Nicole does not go into detail what the royalties are from but it made me smile. Also, I am proud of her for grabbing Mary's award until Flo got her props as well. It was a good read.

**marybrewster** · 07-05-2022, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by sup_fan

yeah if it's true it must be a later event. or something. Randy had hypothesized in CHMR that D and M received about $80-90K a year in royalties from the Sup era. if the girls were getting that, while they'd have to split it, that's a decent amount of money to be added to whatever their own personal income is. I'm not sure what each of the girls ever did - but i don't have the impression that they're especially well-off. so $25 - 35K/year each would be a decent amount.

That begs a good question: what do Flo's girls do for work? Certainly you can't live and raise a family off $25k a year.

**sup_fan** · 07-06-2022, 09:42 AM

Originally Posted by marybrewster

That begs a good question: what do Flo's girls do for work? Certainly you can't live and raise a family off $25k a year.

i'm not sure what they do for a living or really what they've done with their lives. i know they're moms now [[and maybe one is a grandma? not sure). my very very limited understanding is that they've lived most of their lives in the detroit area with their extended family. i'm not sure what education they have or what they're doing. i get the feeling their lives have been similar to what flo's might have been like had she not been in the supremes. a lower economic station in life, limited education, many of the typical struggles of poorer urban families.

**marybrewster** · 07-06-2022, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by sup_fan

i'm not sure what they do for a living or really what they've done with their lives. i know they're moms now [[and maybe one is a grandma? not sure). my very very limited understanding is that they've lived most of their lives in the detroit area with their extended family. i'm not sure what education they have or what they're doing. i get the feeling their lives have been similar to what flo's might have been like had she not been in the supremes. a lower economic station in life, limited education, many of the typical struggles of poorer urban families.

You've very politely and diplomatically have said what I would have guessed unfiltered.

**sup_fan** · 07-06-2022, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by marybrewster

You've very politely and diplomatically have said what I would have guessed unfiltered.

thank you. i didn't want to come across insensitive and i truly have very little insight into their lives, if they're happy, if they've struggled, etc. it could be that they're leading very contented lives with their families and all. they might not be rich in economic terms but perhaps they're rich in other ways. i didn't want to judge them versus diana's children or really any of the offspring of any of the ladies.

**mistercarter2u** · 07-08-2022, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by sup_fan

i'm not sure what they do for a living or really what they've done with their lives. i know they're moms now [[and maybe one is a grandma? not sure). my very very limited understanding is that they've lived most of their lives in the detroit area with their extended family. i'm not sure what education they have or what they're doing. i get the feeling their lives have been similar to what flo's might have been like had she not been in the supremes. a lower economic station in life, limited education, many of the typical struggles of poorer urban families.

I am not sure WHAT EXACTLY she did, but I know Flo's daughter, Michelle, works. In 2018, I attended a function in Detroit as Ms. Wilson's guest. I sat at a table with Ms. Wilson, Beverly Blanton, and Michelle Ballard. We had to wait to be seated because Michelle was a little late arriving. Ms. Wilson said "We'll wait a little longer. Michelle is coming here directly from work, and she got off a little late."

**sup_fan** · 07-08-2022, 12:49 PM

overall i've tried to only focus on the women that were the actual supremes and then only their roles as it pertains to the group. people talk about mary being promiscuous or diana being a bitch or flo's mental problems or jean's religion. by and large, unless is specifically impacts the recording sessions or something, i let it go. I don't know a single one of these women personally and am not friends or even acquaintances with any of them. they're all human and so they're all allowed to have faults. i also skip their husbands, their kids, etc unless is has a specific and meaningful impact on the career.

**captainjames** · 07-08-2022, 08:12 PM

In 2007 all three stated they were on welfare but I believe all 3 are working now.

**carlo** · 07-08-2022, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by mistercarter2u

I am not sure WHAT EXACTLY she did, but I know Flo's daughter, Michelle, works. In 2018, I attended a function in Detroit as Ms. Wilson's guest. I sat at a table with Ms. Wilson, Beverly Blanton, and Michelle Ballard. We had to wait to be seated because Michelle was a little late arriving. Ms. Wilson said "We'll wait a little longer. Michelle is coming here directly from work, and she got off a little late."

Similarly, when I saw Mary in Detroit in 2012, Nicole and Michelle were at the show and had privately told us that Lisa couldn't make it because of having to work. It seems they are indeed all working these days.