The Supremes: From the No-Hit Supremes to Florence Ballard's Vegas Firing

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!

In 1958 Florence Ballard of Detroit's Brewster-Douglass projects formed the Primettes as a sister act to the Primes, recruiting Mary Wilson, Diana Ross and Betty McGlown and using guitarist Marv Tarplin to play live. Smokey Robinson got them a Motown audition, then hired Tarplin for the Miracles, while Berry Gordy told the girls to finish high school. They kept hanging around Hitsville USA doing handclaps and backing vocals until Gordy signed them in January 1961, and Ballard picked the name the Supremes.

Six straight singles missed the Top 40, earning them the nickname the No-Hit Supremes, until Gordy made Ross the sole lead and Holland-Dozier-Holland gave them Where Did Our Love Go, a song rejected by the Marvelettes. It hit No. 1 in August 1964 and began a run of five straight No. 1 hits. By 1967 the act was billed as Diana Ross and the Supremes, and that summer at the Flamingo in Las Vegas Ballard found costumes made for Cindy Birdsong, performed drunk, and was fired the same night.

By January 1965 each member received a $100,000 check, and they bought family homes on the same Detroit street.
Maxine Powell trained them in posture and poise, Cholly Atkins handled choreography, and they made 17 Ed Sullivan Show appearances.
Ballard lost her lawsuit against Motown, fell into poverty and died of cardiac arrest in 1976 at 32.
Their last No. 1 with Ross, Someday We'll Be Together, featured session singers instead of Wilson and Birdsong.
For the 2000 Return to Love tour, Ross was offered $15 million and Wilson $4 million; Wilson refused and the tour was canceled midway.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(16184)

The Art of Adult Friendship: Why Quality Matters More Than Quantity

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore how our understanding of friendship changes as we grow old...

9 Nov 18min

Summer Explained: The Science, History, and Traditions of the Warmest Season

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore summer, the season most closely associated with sunshine, ...

7 Nov 18min

Sir Patrick Stewart: From Shakespeare to Star Trek, the Life and Legacy of a Legend

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the extraordinary life of Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaim...

7 Nov 49min

Larry David: The Genius of Social Awkwardness, Seinfeld, and Curb Your Enthusiasm

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life and career of Larry David, the comedian, writer, ...

6 Nov 38min

Why Australian Shepherds Aren't From Australia

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the history of the Australian Shepherd, an intelligent, en...

5 Nov 45min

Labrador Retriever: From Newfoundland Fishing Dogs to Modern-Day Heroes

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore the remarkable history of the Labrador Retriever, one of t...

4 Nov 53min

Discovering Ireland: A Journey Through History, Culture, and the Wild Atlantic Way

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!In this episode of pplpod, we explore Ireland through the philosophy of slow travel: go slower, ...

3 Nov 48min

Willie Hutch: An Overnight I'll Be There Lyric and The Mack's Soundtrack

Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode!William McKinley Hutchins was born in Los Angeles in December 1944 and raised in Dallas, where h...

2 Nov 21min