The Lost Supreme

January 14, 2008
Journalist and author Benjaminson (The Story of Motown
) attempts valiantly, painstakingly to resurrect the reputation of founding Supreme member Florence Ballard, who left the group early on and descended into litigiousness and alcoholism. Then a reporter with the Detroit Free Press
, Benjaminson interviewed Ballard a year before her death in 1976 and elicited a sad story of a starry-eyed, single-minded high school dropout whose dream, and fortune, was co-opted by Berry Gordy's Motown empire. Growing up together in Detroit's black working-class Brewster Projects, gospel-singing Ballard and Mary Wilson first formed the Primettes, joined by Diane (as she was then known) Ross and Betty McGlown, who eventually dropped out. In 1961, the teenagers auditioned for Berry Gordy, who kept them doing backup as they matured, touring with the Motortown Review across country by bus until the newly configured Supremes (Ballard chose the name) had their first hit in 1964 with “Where Did Our Love Go?” The boom-boom beat coupled with the nasaly sound of Ross's voice prompted Gordy to promote Ross rather than Ballard as lead. Over the Supremes' several heady years in the spotlight, Benjaminson explains in this engaging biography, gobs of money vanished through flimsy contracts and the fingers of unscrupulous managers, costly clothes and glamorous acquaintances, and Ballard's resentment of Ross's ambition and Gordy's manipulation got her fired.

March 1, 2008
Motown Records launched the careers of many black recording artists. One of the most beloved groups was the Supremes, with Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, and Florence Ballard. Contrary to popular belief, Ballard was the founder of the group; however, at the time of her death, she was unemployed, broke, and on welfare, never able to recover her career after being fired from the group. Her constant battles with Motown owner Berry Gordy, Ross, and her lawyers caused financial and emotional ruin. Although there are many available books on the Supremes, this one concentrates on Ballard's life before, during, and after her rise to fame; former reporter Benjaminson ("The Story of Motown") gathered information from Ballard herself shortly before she died. His style is concise, coherent, and engaging. Readers who are familiar with the group and even those who are not will definitely enjoy this well-written biography. [The character of Effie White, played by Jennifer Hudson in the popular film adaptation of "Dreamgirls", is based on Florence Ballard.Ed.]Rosalind Dayen, South Regional Lib., Broward Cty., FL

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