singing the melody/lead lines of a song is very different from being the leader of a group. I think F definitely could lead the melody of a song although i don't think she's the magnificent and untapped potential star that people claim she was. her phrasing and intonation is far less dependable than Diana's was. perhaps if Flo had had the amount of studio time to train, practice, experiment and polish she could have been stronger. People say Flo was an Aretha Franklin that just never got her due - baloney. Florence Ballad is just not as accomplished of a musician an Aretha. Could she have done more than what she did? sure. Was Flo a strong entertainer? sure too.

Mary is miscast in the role of a Pop/Top 40 singer. that's not the genre she sounds best in. i'd love to have heard her work and train into a blues or jazz cabaret singer. that might have been her calling

Cindy i think it an extremely talented group singer. She, like mary, seem to have a great ear for harmonies and for blending. Those are not easy things to do and it's a credit to Cindy. imagine a group made up of Diana, Susaye and maybe Lynda or Scherrie - each woman has a VERY unique voice. there's nasality to their tones and they sort of "pierce" through orchestration. That's great when you're singing lead but to sing together as a group would be similar to a cat shrieking as it's having it's temperature taken.