The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard Summary and Reviews

The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard
by Peter Benjaminson

The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard
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Book Summary Information

Author: Peter Benjaminson
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2008-04-01
ISBN: 1556527055
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books

Book Reviews of The Lost Supreme: The Life of Dreamgirl Florence Ballard

Book Review: "Blondie's" Story
Summary: 4 Stars

What you will like about this book is hearing "Flo" tell of some interesting experiences like when performing for a crowd of 100,000 on a Barbados Pier that went amok,The Supremes and Berry Gordy had to jump to safety on fishing boats. And also the significance of her performance of Silent Night. As a journalist Peter Benjaminson has done a fine job in researching the Ballard family tree; naming Flo's rapist and how deeply that effected her for the rest of her life, the litigations after leaving Motown and her final days. What the book does lack is a level of objectivity because rather than dig into to the myths surrounding her life Benjaminson accepts them. For example as the Primettes the groups only single features lead vocals by Diana Ross on the A Side and Mary Wilson the B Side. So if Flo was always the lead singer before recording for Motown why not on that recording? Furthermore the choice of the book's sub-title and constant reference to Diana by her given name Diane, seem to indicate he is following Mary Wilson's writing style. That is also supported by the fact he does not question Mary's loyality to Flo as she was aware of the impending firing and rehearsing with Cindy Birdsong. Nor does he tell of how Diana offered to pay Flo's mortgage off and also set up trust funds for her daughters after Flo's death. The 20 pages of legal excrepts are incomplete and essentially filler. The discography is a bit confusing as it includes the Supremes singles after Flo's departure and does not list any of the recently unreleased albums she is on. However, every Supremes fan should purchase this book because now we know Flo's story, her way.

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