David Ruffin's Firing From The Temptations - Why Does No One Care?

[Motown Eddie]

Remember that Flo AGREED to not use the name Supremes in exchange for monetary considerations, like signing away her royalties, it was a poor decision, so ill-informed that I can’t even think of words equal to the thought.

I had forgotten that Flo signed away her rights to use The Supremes name in exchange for money. Like hiring her husband to be her manager, it was a big mistake that stopped her planned solo career in it's tracks.

[TheMotownManiac]

I had forgotten that Flo signed away her rights to use The Supremes name in exchange for money. Like hiring her husband to be her manager, it was a big mistake that stopped her planned solo career in it's tracks.

For me, Flo was irreplaceable. Period. She knew she was well loved - and the tragedy to me is that her depression led to making the worst possible career and business decisions. Maybe she would’ve made those same decisions even if she wasn’t depressed, there’s no way to know. But I cannot blame Motown or Berry Gordy for Flos separation agreement because that was negotiated on her behalf by her own chosen legal representative. The man was a crook who would soon be disbarred and, I believe, did some jail time. He traded away all of Flos rights for money that he knew he was going to steal. He wasn’t going to make any money on her royalties, so he traded them for a lump sum he could Rob. An Honest lawyer, working on Flos’s behalf, would have demanded an accounting. The fact that diana and Mary had some idea of Flos shockingly low settlement, should’ve been an eye-opener to them.

Many vilify Gordy for Flo’s plight, But I don’t think very many people give credence to the fact that Gordy was running Motown by the seat of his pants for years as he had no real business experience prior to that except for his record store that didn’t do well. And for a small record company they were doing well and he was growing and adapting - they’re having one big hit record every year or so - maybe two... Then all the sudden, he had almost the hottest act in the world…… There was no way he could’ve been prepared for not only the Supremes mammoth success, but also the four tops Temptations becoming huge a year later. I do blame him for his insensitivity to The Supremes workload - He knew Flo was not handling things well and diana was passing out on stage…… None of that had an impact on how he dealt with the group.

[thanxal]

For me, Flo was irreplaceable. Period. She knew she was well loved - and the tragedy to me is that her depression led to making the worst possible career and business decisions. Maybe she would’ve made those same decisions even if she wasn’t depressed, there’s no way to know. But I cannot blame Motown or Berry Gordy for Flos separation agreement because that was negotiated on her behalf by her own chosen legal representative. The man was a crook who would soon be disbarred and, I believe, did some jail time. He traded away all of Flos rights for money that he knew he was going to steal. He wasn’t going to make any money on her royalties, so he traded them for a lump sum he could Rob. An Honest lawyer, working on Flos’s behalf, would have demanded and accounting. The fact that diana and Mary had some idea of Flos shockingly low settlement, should’ve been an eye-opener to them.

Many vilify Gordy for Flo’s plight, But I don’t think very many people give credence to the fact that Gordy was running Motown by the seat of his pants years as he had no real business experience prior to that except for his record store that didn’t do well. And for a small record company they were doing well and he was growing and adapting they’re having one big hit record every year or so - maybe two... Then all the sudden, he had almost the hottest act in the world…… There was no way he could’ve been prepared for not only the Supremes mammoth success, but also the four tops Temptations becoming huge a year later. I do blame him for his insensitivity to The Supremes workload - He knew Flo was not handling things well and diana was passing out on stage…… None of that had an impact on how he dealt with the group.

Thank you. This is a very thoughtful and balanced view. I share it, except that I can't help give a little more emphasis on the fact that Flo [[and her family) was from a desperately under-priviledged background, which the privileged take advantage of.

[TheMotownManiac]

Thank you. This is a very thoughtful and balanced view. I share it, except that I can't help give a little more emphasis on the fact that Flo [[and her family) was from a desperately under-priviledged background, which the privileged take advantage of.

You are, unhappily, spot on. I’m certain that once Leonard Braun met Flo and Tommy, he knew he could rob them blind, and then did do. I don’t know much about Tommy, but Flo was under-educated and very down to earth. I’m guessing her experience with lawyers was minimal at best and thought they were inherently trustworthy - it’s heartbreaking that after Gordy robbed her while in the group, her legal representative robbed her after leaving the group.

i understand that their record deal was standard industry BS favoring the company by a huge margin, but, in the case of The Supremes and the mega bucks they generated for live shows, they should have been set for life I know I’m repeating myself, but I’ll bet you they never saw 10% of the live performance fees they generated.