Florence Ballard Research Paper

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Florence Ballard Born in Mississippi, Florence Ballard's family relocated to Detroit during her childhood so that her father could find work in the city's then still-thriving auto industry. It was he, an amateur musician, that first instigated his daughter's interest in performing, teaching her various songs while providing accompaniment on the guitar. Florence continued developing her vocal skills through the choir and music classes provided by her school, and by her early teens her abilities had become well-established throughout the neighborhood of the Brewster Housing Project where her family resided. It was two of these neighbors, Eddie Kendricks and Paul Williams of a male vocal group called The Primes (which would later…show more content…
Through Ross' friend Smokey Robinson they were able to arrange an audition with Motown head Berry Gordy, but Gordy refused to sign them until they were out of high school; undaunted, the four young women constantly loitered about the Motown offices, taking whatever minor session work Gordy would allow. In 1961 - renamed The Supremes (at Ballard's suggestion) - they finally received a contract and their recording career was underway, Motown releasing eight singles by the group over the next two years. It wasn't until 1964's Where Did Our Love Go that the record-buying public began to take notice, but after this first hit The Supremes (now a trio, Martin having left in 1962 to get married) were rarely out of the number one position, songs such as Baby Love, Come See About Me, Stop! In The Name Of Love and Back In My Arms Again establishing them as one of the top acts in the…show more content…
In the early years of their existence, Ballard had been the group's central figure, although all three singers were given turns at the lead position. Convinced that it was Ross' higher register that would be accepted by the larger white audiences, Gordy reconstructed the group as a vehicle for her alone, reducing Ballard and Wilson to little more than backing singers. Ballard resisted this change, only to find herself a constant victim of criticism and abuse from both Gordy and Ross. Unable to cope with the situation, she gradually retreated into alcoholism - her resulting weight gain and unreliability providing Gordy with an easy excuse to expell her from her own group in 1967. They were subsequently re-named Diana Ross and The Supremes, with vocalist Cindy Birdsong taking Ballard's

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