1969 Backup singers seem to be consigned to anonymity. That wasn鈥檛 the case with The Supremes in their heyday. Anyone even remotely interested in pop music knew the women providing harmonic support for lead singer Diana Ross: Mary Wilson and Flo Ballard, who is pictured here circa 1969 with husband Tommy Chapman in front of their home on Buena Vista in Detroit. Ballard founded the group in 1959 as The Primettes, a quartet.
Their name was changed to The Supremes when they signed with Motown in 1961, and the next year they became a trio. After a few false starts trying to chart, the group struck gold in 1964 with 鈥淲here Did Our Love Go,鈥 and a string of hits followed. Ross was undeniably the lead singer, but Ballard, born in Detroit in 1943, took the reins on a few numbers, including 鈥淏uttered Popcorn鈥 and 鈥淎in鈥檛 That Good News.鈥 Fans heard a strong, dusky, gospel-inflected voice. Marvin Gaye called Ballard 鈥渁 hell of a singer.鈥
Ballard pushed for more leads, which didn鈥檛 sit well with Ross and Motown founder Berry Gordy, who were romantically involved. Ballard was also outspoken. In the summer of 鈥67, she was sacked, setting the stage for a tragic downward spiral. She released a solo album on ABC that gained little traction. She lost a lawsuit against Motown 鈥 along with her house, her car, and her enthusiasm. Her lawyer also fleeced her.
By the 鈥70s she was on welfare, battling depression, alcoholism, and the lingering emotional scars of a 1960 rape at knifepoint. When she died in Detroit in 1976, she was just 32. Her death certificate cited 鈥渃oronary thrombosis鈥 as the cause of death, but 鈥渁 broken spirit鈥 could easily have been substituted.
|
| 听 |
|
