Nah. While undoubtedly many readers would have understood the point I was going to make between Diana and the comparison I'm refraining from making, I realized that for some- perhaps just a few- it might have been much too inflammatory and my point could be misconstrued in a way that would surely derail this thread and offend some people, which is not my intention at all. So sometimes it is best to catch these things before it even gets started.
What! This is the proof you needed? Not the way she ripped through "Good News"?
One of the things I appreciate about the original trio is how easily all three seemed capable of singing lead on a variety of things. Sure, each one had her lane where she may have been stronger than the other two, but they were all good at crossing boundaries. Flo's range was particularly strong. Compare what she's doing here, what she did with "People" and "Oh Holy Night", to what she did with "Good News", to what she did with her verse in "Makes No Difference Now". Her approach was different, but suited to the differences in songs and genre, and yet still somehow always "Flo".
I think it was Sup who posed the question of what if Flo and Mary were the same kind of person as Diana- willing to do any and everything to get to the top- would he have been more likely to invest in them as stars as much as he did Diana. I opine that he very well might have. The three of them had different skill sets, but together they were quite the combo. Gordy understood that pretty early on, but it was Diana who was willing to kill in order to go all the way, a mentality Gordy himself had, so he focused on her, sometimes at the expense of allowing Flo and Mary to not get the opportunity to advance vocally the way that Diana clearly did over the years. It sucks because Flo and Mary had all the star qualities too. But it can't be underrated that Diana's pliability as a pop singer seemed easy money compared to Flo and Mary too, so there is that.
Okay, here goes...We know the name Diana Ross because she slept with the boss. Anywhere else she would have never gotten her foot in the door. Florence was the real talent in that group. She blows Diana out of the water with every note.
Now let's see if that brings the Drama-ettes out of the woodwork for a little action.
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