Originally Posted by
RanRan79
It would be a disservice to the memory of Motown to fail to point out that the atmosphere was very much so unique than at most- or maybe any other- record label. While they are obviously not a traditional family, that was the atmosphere there. It was a small label, everyone knew everyone else, they all pitched in, not only in making music, but in other areas of the label's growth. Because so many at the time were very young, I liken what was happening as some sort of college experience. Motown was the fraternity and sorority experience and connection that most of them would not have, because while their friends were having the college experience, these kids were at Hitsville and out on the road.
Sure there was rivalries, some fights, some name calling, some plain ole "I don't like him/her". There was also contract stipulated forfeitures of royalties, inability to capitalize on work experience billing, financial theft, underutilization, credit theft, firings, and other shenanigans that served to fill someone else's pocket[[s) at the expense of the artists. But all you have to do is see what happens when all of these people, or even just a few or a couple of them, gather together and you will see the affection and respect they have for each other. How many times did Mary Wilson get embroiled in a court battle with Motown over one thing or another? How many times has Gordy called Mary's, as well as others', books garbage? And yet when he encounters these people, it's all love. Mary had "recently" written not one but two books that painted Gordy as a sometimes funky character, and yet when her son passed away, he was right by her side.
I've seen the Supremes themselves attempted to be cast as three women who were nothing more than co-workers. Seen posts that respond to post-Supremes issues as "Do you keep in touch with co-workers from 40 years ago", etc. They always give me a chuckle, even as I roll my eyes, because my response is always how many "co-workers" lend down payments for houses or set up trust funds for kids when you haven't worked with someone for so long? I think sometimes there's a lack of understanding about the dynamics of a relationship between two people, especially when they're bonded through an extraordinary experience.
So I would never use any lack of the number of Motown family present at Flo's funeral to suggest that she wasn't loved and dearly missed by those who remember the youthful and idyllic and career driven young lady that she once was, no more than I would suggest Diana didn't love and have affection for her brother when he died and she didn't attend the funeral, or Mary didn't love and have affection for her mother when she died and she didn't attend the funeral. Florence's own mother did not attend her funeral. I think we should stop looking at who shows up to funerals and pay a bit more attention to who shows up in life. That's not Motown related advice, btw, it's personal advice from me to you.
One last thing: Flo's funeral was moved up a day when the city realized that crowd control would be a huge problem. This prevented a lot of stars who were intending to come from actually coming because they had made plans to attend on one date and were now faced with attending on another. To people with already busy schedules, making new plans was probably impossible.
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