what did florence ballard of the supremes died of

She was posthumously inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes in 1988. Follow the official Supremes Best Of playlist. The founding member of the Supremes, who sang on ten No. June 28, 2010 It was 1976 and ousted Supremes member Florence Ballard had tragically died after years of poverty and despair. Florence Ballard, the girl who had founded The Supremes, was left with a settlement of just $160,000. Ballard’s unreliability was in stark contravention of the strict professionalism with which they had risen to the top, and her departure from the group became inevitable. THE SUPREMES First TOTP studio appearance : "Where Did Our Love Go? She had a net worth equal … The first line-up of American vocal group, The Supremes, circa 1961. By the time Gordy renamed the act Diana Ross and The Supremes in 1967, Ballard had begun to retaliate by skipping scheduled public appearances and studio sessions. When Florence Ballard died on Feb. 22, 1976 at 32 of coronary artery thrombosis, eight years to the day she was released from her MoTown contract, she left behind three daughters and an impeccable legacy in music. She sang on 16 top 40 singles with the group, including ten number-one why did Florence Ballard leave the Supremes? Florence Ballard was born in Detroit, Michigan, on June 30, 1943. Florence Ballard, Mary , Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, made up the original group. Shop with confidence. Florence Ballard left The Supremes and later died. Mystery: Florence Ballard (right), who founded The Supremes, was forced out of the group. Ballard released the singles "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" and "Love Ain't Love" on ABC Records, but the singles failed to chart. The Supremes were an American female singing group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. 40 years ago today, Florence Glenda Chapman, formerly Florence Ballard of The Supremes, died suddenly of Coronary Thrombosis in Detroit. Although the girls were sympathetic, they remained confused about Ballard's new behavior; she had always been a headstrong, unflappable character, but now there was an apparent change in her persona. Early Life One of the founding members of the female-singing group, ‘The Supremes’, Florence Ballard was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 30, 1943, to Lurlee (née Wilson) and Jesse Ballard, as the ninth of fifteen children. Ballard sang on 16 top 40 singles with the group, including ten number-one hits. The singer was born into a large family on the 30th of June 1943. Instead of being driven home, Ballard was taken north of Detroit to an empty parking lot where the man raped her at knife point. During this period, Ballard also stood in for Wanda Young of the Marvelettes, who was out on maternity leave. It was 44 years ago Saturday (February 22nd, 1976) that Supremes' co-founder Florence Ballard died at the age of 32. She was terrific. “ Flo, she don't know because the boy she loves is a Romeo.” Florence originally formed The Supremes when they were living in the Detroit projects. Florence Ballard (born Florence Glenda Ballard on June 30, 1943 in Detroit, Michigan) was one of the founding members of the Supremes. Florence Ballard died in 1976; her official cause of death, following years of alcoholism and other ills, was coronary thrombosis. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Clockwise, from top: Diana Ross, Florence Ballard (1943 – 1976), Mary Wilson and Barbara Martin (1943 – 2020). Her last performance with the legendary trio came in Las Vegas in June 1967, with Gordy bringing in vocalist Cindy Birdsong as a replacement. During Motown's heyday, it boasted the best musical acts ever assembled. The singer’s financial situation grew ever more perilous and she began to fear for her own health, and her inability to provide for her own family. The first line-up of American vocal group, The Supremes, circa 1961. A founding member of the Supremes, Florence Ballard sang on ten No. Having outdone herself at the audition, Ballard was commissioned by Jenkins to find other members to form The Primes' new sister group, The Primettes. Carmel Mercy Hospital, complaining of numbness in her extremities. Supremes legend Mary Wilson is on a crusade that she hopes will end with the U.S. ‘Birth Of The Cool’: How Miles Davis Started A Jazz Revolution, Fania Records: How A New York Label Took Salsa To The World, Pride Of The Opry: Charley Pride Makes Musical And Cultural History, The life of Florence Ballard was a tale of both triumph and tragedy, of a life filled all too briefly with adulation before it was cut short so sadly. The following morning, she died at 10:05 a.m. from cardiac arrest which caused by a coronary thrombosis (which means there was a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries). As a member of the group, she sang on sixteen top-40 singles (including ten number-one hit songs). 1 singles with the unmatched Motown trio, died at the age of just 32 in her home town of Detroit on February 22, 1976. ', Actress and singer Lena Horne was one of the most popular performers of her time, known for films such as 'Cabin in the Sky' and 'The Wiz' as well as her trademark song, "Stormy Weather.". When Florence was 15, her biggest fan and mentor died of cancer, but Flo, as her family called her, continued to train and dream of being a singer. We are sad to report that today on the Supremes’ Facebook page it was announced that Barbara Martin (pictured at left), one of the original four members when the group became The Supremes, has died at age 76. She managed to get an audition at Motown through her friend Smokey Robinson . Fueled by a resurgence of energy, she began performing again with the female rock group The Deadly Nightshade. Answer Save. The ninth in a household of many children, Ballard and her large family moved around frequently among different public housing projects before finally settling down in the Brewster-Douglass Projects in 1958. The singer died of coronary thrombosis -- a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries. From 1963 until 1967, Ballard sang on 16 Top 40 hit Supremes' singles, ten of which hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 . Florence Glenda Chapman (née Ballard; June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976) was an American singer. Ballard had left The Supremes in 1967, lost an $8 million lawsuit against Motown records and was living on welfare when she died. And there the story would have ended that night of February 22, 1976, but for one thing: the woman who died was Florence Ballard, once the star of The Supremes, one of the most successful groups of all time. That promise was soon kept, when Ballard was invited to join the Primettes, a sister group to local Detroit attractions the Primes. "), Although Ballard had a huge and soulful voice, she never sang lead again on another released 45 single for the group. There was a bond between us. In October 1968, Ballard gave birth to twin girls Michelle and Nicole Chapman. Ballard also faced financial troubles after hiring an alleged embezzler as her business attorney; she later sued him for money owed after discovering he had been skimming off the top of her earnings. She promptly invited Wilson to join, and she in turn brought Ross into the fold, with Betty McGlown completing the original quartet. Ballard was a founding member of the popular Motown vocal female group the Supremes. Betty McGlown soon completed the quartet. It was 44 years ago Saturday (February 22nd, 1976) that Supremes' co-founder Florence Ballard died at the age of 32. When Florence Ballard died on Feb. 22, 1976 at 32 of coronary artery thrombosis, eight years to the day she was released from her MoTown contract, she left behind three daughters and an impeccable legacy in music. The moment Florence Ballard died because of heart attack in the year 1976, there were many people who were seen in the funeral. Florence Ballard is a figure who continues to haunt the history of the Supremes-- the founder and the lost child all at once; it's impossible not to feel a terrible sadness for the fate she endured. These vintage pics captured portrait of Florence Ballard in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1963, Motown leader Berry Gordy named Ross lead singer of The Supremes. Singer Florence Ballard became famous in the 1960s as a member of The Supremes, a group which she started with childhood friends Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. The Supremes‘ Barbara Martin has died at the age of 76. She sang as a teenager, entering the same 1958 talent show as her future groupmate Mary Wilson, around the time that a girl called Diane, later Diana, Ross moved into their neighborhood. The first line-up of American vocal group, The Supremes, circa 1961. who attained stardom as one of the original members of the Supremes singing trio but spent the last few years living on welfare, died … 2 Answers. Postal Service commemorating her late bandmate and close friend Florence Ballard on a Forever Stamp. She died the next day of a blood clot on one of her coronary arteries according to examiners. She was only 32 years old. We strive for accuracy and fairness. In the summer of 1960, a 17-year-old Ballard endured a tragic incident that would permanently shape her personality and shift her previously happy outlook on life to a mistrust and fear of strangers. With Ross chosen by Gordy as the group’s featured vocalist and frontwoman, the transformation of the Supremes into one of the most successful groups in pop history was spectacular. Postman. However, since her children got really older, they were stuck in the hard time and this could not be denied at all. Cultural Ambassador. In reality, Gordy had booted her from the group. The first line-up of American vocal group, The Supremes, circa 1961. During Motown's heyday, it boasted the best musical acts ever assembled.In the 1960s, music didn't get more elite than the Supremes. The fact that the act had now been renamed Diana Ross and the Supremes only served to illustrate an unhappy situation. RIP Flo you Ballard also reconciled with her estranged husband. Ballard's death was considered by one critic as "one of rock's greatest tragedies". “I get so emotional when I speak about Flo,” said Wilson, who recently received a 2020 NNPA Lifetime Achievement Award during the Black Press of America’s virtual convention. was it because Barry Gordy couldn't push Diana to the forefront with Florence around or did Florence truly decide to leave the group to pursue a solo career? The moment Florence Ballard died because of heart attack in the year 1976, there were many people who were seen in the funeral. She still holds the world records in the 100- and 200-meter events. On February 21, 1976, Florence entered Mt. “She was a good mother, she was talented, she had a lot of class, she carried herself very well,” she said, “but there was something inside of her that was just pulling, that she wasn’t able to handle.”. Your email address will not be published. Clockwise, from top: Diana Ross, Florence Ballard (1943 - 1976), Mary Wilson and Barbara Martin (1943 - 2020). Ballard participated in the church choir from an early age. She began to drink heavily, and during her drunken binges, would walk the streets of Detroit , feverishly asking herself what had gone wrong for her. Florence is buried in Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery located in Warren, Michigan. For her part, Florence’s powerful and authoritative vocal prowess would be heard on such LP cuts as “Buttered Popcorn,” from their debut album Meet The Supremes, and a spirited take on “(Ain’t That) Good News,” from the 1965 tribute album We Remember Sam Cooke. ... Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson. To add insult to injury, there were stipulations in Ballard's new contract with ABC that forbade Ballard from mentioning her earlier membership in The Supremes for promotional use or marketing any of her albums. ", 8/10/64 ("Baby Love" is listed for 7/10/64 but there was no show on that date!) “It was so obvious that the public loved her,” wrote Wilson. Finally, Ballard told her group mates what happened to her. Clockwise, from top: Diana Ross, Florence Ballard (1943 – 1976), Mary Wilson and Barbara Martin (1943 – … 1 singles with the unmatched Motown trio, died at the age of just 32 in her home town of Detroit on February 22, 1976. Lovingly referred to as "Blondie" because of her auburn hair and mixed racial heritage, Ballard would befriend a neighborhood girl named Mary Wilson after competing against her in several local talent shows. She mounted something of a comeback in 1975, with her first live show in five years at a Detroit benefit. (Gladys Horton, lead singer of The Marvelettes, sought Ballard's advice before she famously recorded "Please Mr. On February 21, 1976, she was checked into Detroit's Mt. Originally formed in 1959 as the Primettes, according to Classic Motown, the teen quartet of Florence Ballard, Betty McGlown, Mary Wilson, and Diana Ross started as the female counterpart to the Primes but eventually entered their … We could not have known that it would last a lifetime.”. Ballard is buried … Carmel Mercy Hospital. Florence Glenda Ballard was born in Rosetta, MS, June 30, 1943, the ninth of 15 siblings. She died on February 22, 1976 in Detroit, Michigan at only 32 years old. © 2021 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. are dearly missed. The founding member of the Supremes, who sang on ten No. Ballard struggled with alcoholism, depression, and poverty for three years. Over the next several years, the relationship between Ballard and Gordy became more and more strained, as the all-powerful Motown boss sought to make Ross the star of The Supremes. Queen of the Supremes before Diana Ross, she died at 32 So was Florence Ballard murdered By Wendy Leigh for MailOnline -- Jason Phillips Watching Dreamgirls, I feel obligated to pay homage to the great Florence Ballard. The first line-up of American vocal group, The Supremes, circa 1961. Required fields are marked *. However, Ballard did sing lead parts throughout her Supremes career on several album tracks. Feb 21, 2015 - Find great deals on eBay for florence ballard. Nonetheless, Florence Ballard’s legacy is renewed every hour of every day as the Supremes’ golden hits continue to play around the world. Even during the worldwide adulation for the group, Ballard’s dissatisfaction with their intense workload, and her increasing dependence on alcohol, led to tensions, especially with Ross. Ballard's financial woes worsened because she refused to return to the stage. Ballard's album for ABC was shelved, sending her musical career into a downward spiral. Wilson wrote in her Dreamgirl autobiography about how impressed she was with Ballard’s voice in that contest. She sang on 16 different Top 40 hits but left the group in 1967 after a dispute with Motown Records. Founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and are, to date, America's most successful vocal group[1] with 12 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. With three young girls at home and no income, she eventually had to file for welfare. Florence Ballard Chapman was one of the founding members of the female-singing group, ‘The Supremes’. They were The Supremes and they reigned over Detroit and later the world. Ballard immediately invited her good friend Mary Wilson, who in turn recruited another neighborhood pal, Diane Earle, later known as Diana Ross. Ballard and Wilson’s supporting roles were intrinsic to the trio’s vocal and visual impact, but neither was given the prolonged spotlight their talents deserve. “Florence Ballard … The Lost Supreme is concise, crisply written and covers much of the Motown hinterland to Florence Ballard’s story. Born 1943 in Detroit, Michigan, American singer Florence Ballard was a founding member of the popular Motown vocal female group the Supremes. Following her return to the world of music, Ballard was booked for several television and magazine interviews and began exploring ways to revive her career. Barbara Martin, an original member of the 1960s Motown girl group The Supremes, died this week, as fellow Supremes member Mary Wilson confirmed. This included Diana Ross. Number of studio appearances : 7 (including 1 with the Clockwise, from top: Diana Ross, Florence Ballard (1943 - 1976), Mary Wilson and Barbara Martin (1943 - 2020). They would officially go from being billed as The Supremes to Diana Ross & The Supremes and on July 1, 1967, after lashing out on stage Florence Ballard received her walking papers from Gordy and was promptly replaced by Cindy … Carmel Mercy Hospital, complaining of numbness in her extremities. Ballard recorded one unsuccessful album for ABC Records before fading into obscurity and, sadly, drug abuse and poverty. Relevance. She has been cited by many friends and peers from the early Motown era as being the strongest singer of the three original Supremes, which included Diana Ross and Mary Wilson. “We promised each other that if either of us were ever asked to join a singing group, she would call the other. For five years, Florence struggled with alcoholism, … Ballard's string of bad luck began to turn in 1975 when her former attorney's office settled an insurance dispute with her. Ballard signed a solo deal with ABC in 1968, the year that she married. Enlarge Mystery: Florence Ballard (right), who founded The Supremes, was forced out of the group Her voice was so powerful on the track that studio engineers requested that she stand 17 feet away from the microphone while she sang. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Ballard sang lead vocals on the hit "Buttered Popcorn" when she was just 17 years old. Florence Ballard, the girl who had founded The Supremes, was left with a settlement of just $160,000. Feb 22, 2019 - Explore Ian Sam's board "Florence Ballard From The Supremes" on Pinterest. She began to drink heavily, and during her drunken binges, would walk the streets of Detroit, feverishly asking herself what had gone wrong for her. By 1967, The Supremes were the biggest musical act stateside after The Beatles, but that year the group underwent major changes. 'My mother was very proud of Florence,' Patricia Ballard said. After a couple years performing at sock hops and jubilees, the group signed with Motown Records as The Supremes, a name chosen by Ballard, on January 15, 1961. Florence Ballard died on 22 February 1976, due to a blood clot, this was the result of alcohol (due to depression) and drugs to help her with weight … When Martin also quit the group, Ballard, Wilson and Ross decided it would remain a trio.). Robert Hayden was an African American poet and professor who is best known as the author of poems, including “Those Winter Sundays” and “The Middle Passage.”. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The life of this founding member of the Supremes was filled all too briefly with adulation before it was sadly cut short. Martin died March 4 at the age of 76. Mary Wilson (born March 6, 1944) is an American vocalist, concert performer, music rights activist, motivational speaker, author and former U.S. She was replaced by Barbara Martin in 1960, the year of the group’s first audition for Motown, when Berry Gordy told them to come back when they had finished high school. After being removed from the Supremes in 1967, Ballard tried an unsuccessful solo career with ABC Records before she was dropped from the label at the end of the decade. Ballard sang on 16 different Top 40 hits; she, Ross and Wilson dazzled the world with their talent and style, becoming role models to millions of people. The settlement allowed her to purchase a small home for herself and her three children. The singer was born into a large family on the 30th of June 1943. Florence Ballard died due to her drinking problems andmedicine to make her lose wait and depression from being fired from the supreme. Ballard's short life witnessed more than its share of disappointment and sadness. Ballard married a Motown chauffeur named Thomas Chapman in February 1968 and quickly hired him as her new manager after her departure from the label. When Florence was 15, her biggest fan and mentor died of cancer, but Flo, as her family called her, continued to train and dream of being a singer. Wilson would later attribute Ballard's personality as an adult and subsequent self-destructive behavior to the assault Ballard experienced when she was a teen. On welfare and on the beers, Florence Ballard died of coronary artery thrombosis in February 1976, 8 years to the day since signing her life as a Supreme away. The life of Florence Ballard was a tale of both triumph and tragedy, of a life filled all too briefly with adulation before it was cut short so sadly. Florence Glenda Chapman was an American singer, a founding member of the popular Motown vocal female group the Supremes. The Supremes were an American female singing group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Ballard died in 1976 at the age of 31. During their early years, members of The Supremes (aka The Primettes) enjoyed a … She was 32. Jackie Wilson was a dynamic and powerful soul performer during the 1950s and '60s who successfully crossed over from rhythm and blues to pop music. After lingering outside my building for a while, we reluctantly said goodbye. In 1967, she was removed from the Supremes lineup and pursued a solo career which was unsuccessful. Questions have arisen about the cause of Ballard's death over the years, with her sister Maxine Ballard Jenkins alleging that there was foul play. Your email address will not be published. Singer Florence Ballard became famous in the 1960s as a member of The Supremes, a group which she started with childhood friends Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. I always hoped that Flo knew how valuable she was to the Supremes. In the 1960s, music didn't get more elite than the Supremes. She had a huge heart, and was loved around the world. True,but before Florence Ballard died … Paying tribute on Facebook, one fan wrote: “So very sorry to hear this sad news! Diana Ross went solo, and Mary Wilson carried on with other faces in the group. February 22, 1976: Florence Ballard of the Supremes dies Talented, tragic Florence Ballard never got her due. Founding member of the "Supremes'" Florence Ballard's life was cut short from the world at the young age of 32 after creating a "life" for herself despite the odds that were built against her. They were signed by Motown in 1961, when Gordy’s chief condition was that they change their name to the Supremes. The Primettes never officially designated anyone as the lead vocalist, so often the group would just sing in unison or swap roles among the trio as lead singer. Berry Gordy Jr. founded Motown Records, which propelled groups like the Supremes to success and became the largest Black-owned company in the United States in the 1960s. Barbara Martin, an original member of 1960s US pop group The Supremes, has died at the age of 76. Date Posted: Tuesday, September 15th, 2015 From the time Florence Glenda was born to amateur musician Jesse Ballard, he began teaching her to sing while he played along on his guitar. She has been cited by many friends and peers from the early Motown era as being the strongest singer of the three original Supremes, which included Diana Ross … Olympic gold medalist Florence Joyner brought style to track and field with form-fitting bodysuits, six-inch fingernails and amazing speed. https://www.biography.com/musician/florence-ballard. See more ideas about motown, soul music, diana ross. McGlown departed just before the group found fame at Motown with the name, The Supremes. She sang hits like “Pretty Baby,” “Baby Love,” and “The Ballad of Davy Crockett.” Florence Ballard Multiple Grammy winner and "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin was known for such hits as "Respect," "Freeway of Love" and "I Say a Little Prayer.". The Supremes‘ Barbara Martin has died at the age of 76. She could really sing. Florence Ballard nicknamed "Flo" or "Blondie" (June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976), was an Detroit singer, and the founder of the Hall of Fame Motown group The Supremes. The Primettes recorded briefly for Lu Pine Records, with many observers of their early shows agreed that Ballard was the strongest vocalist in the line-up. Florence, who had left the Supremes several years earlier and was living on welfare, died in … It was 1976 and ousted Supremes member Florence Ballard had tragically died after years of poverty and despair. Widely known as “Flo,” and as “Blondie” because of her relatively light hair, Florence Ballard was born on June 30, 1943 into a large family that was always beset with financial challenges. But her contribution to music, especially as a member of The Supremes, brought joy to fans around the world. Rest In Peace Song Bird. The Supremes was a singing group in the 1960's On February 21, 1976, Ballard entered Mt. She sang on 16 different Top 40 hits. As a founding member of The Supremes, Florence Ballard should have had it all. Florence Mills captivated audiences during the Jazz Age and Harlem Renaissance, performing in shows such as 'Shuffle Along,' 'Plantation Revue' and 'Blackbirds. Martin left in 1962, but that initially didn’t help improve the group’s reputation as the “no-hit” Supremes, gained from a string of unsuccessful singles. She was thirty-two years old. 14 of the 18 songs on this collection were recorded in 1968, as Ballard took the first steps to … The singer in the iconic Motown group passed away on Wednesday, with her death later confirmed by … Wilson is best known as a founding member and longest member of the Supremes, who during the 1960s became Motown's most successful act, and are the best-charting female group in US history, as well as … Troubles in her personal life continued, however, as Thomas left Ballard later that year, causing her home to go into foreclosure. The singer died of coronary thrombosis -- a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries. The Supremes were an American female singing group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. (McGlown would leave the group in 1962 and was replaced by Barbara Martin. “As we walked home, we discussed every possible detail of our performances,” she recalled. Milton Jenkins of The Primes (a singing group which would later become The Temptations) was recruiting girls to audition for an all-female quartet when he became impressed by Ballard's singing style at a talent show. Your article is excellent, except it failed to mention that the major financial stress in the latter part of Flo’s life resulted from the fact that her attorneys stole the money Motown had given her for her years in this stellar hit-making group. Feb 21, 2015 - Find great deals on eBay for florence ballard. The founding member of. “The memories are so vivid,” Wilson said. She had a third child, Lisa, in 1971. She was also terrified of the world. The next day, she died of coronary thrombosis, a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries. 49. Ross spoke with considerable candor in the immediate aftermath of her passing to Sounds. Shop with confidence. She sang on 16 top 40 singles with the group, including ten number-one hits. ‘Daft Club’: Daft Punk Put A Spectral Sheen On Their ‘Discovery’ Album, ‘Short Stories’: Jon & Vangelis Make A Progressive Pair, Decca Debut: Buddy Holly’s Two Tone Recording Bow, Remembering Sleepy John Estes, Country Blues Pioneer, Shawn Mendes, Dolly Parton Contribute To Apple Watch’s ‘Time To Walk’, Demi Lovato Set To Star In New NBC Comedy Series, Margo Price Shares Poignant Video For ‘Hey Child’, 2021 Billboard Music Awards Scheduled For May, 3 Doors Down Announces Three Retrospective Live-Stream Concerts. She died the next time i comment she died on February 22, 2019 - Ian! 'S office settled an insurance dispute with Motown Records during the 1960s and.! A downward spiral Cemetery located in Warren, Michigan, on June 30,.! 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Lead vocals on the 30th of June 1943 was just 17 years old its! Unhappy situation in turn brought Ross into the fold, with Betty McGlown, made up the original...., lead singer of the Supremes with considerable candor in the year 1976, she was 17... And despair the ninth of 15 siblings hard time and this could not have known that would. Their name to the assault Ballard experienced when she was checked into Detroit 's Mt died the next of! Is concise, crisply written and covers much of the Supremes, circa 1961 her friend Smokey.... Unsuccessful album for ABC was shelved, sending her musical career into a large family the! To her huge heart, and the Biography logo are registered trademarks a... Was sadly cut short album for ABC was shelved, sending her musical career into a family. Service commemorating her late bandmate and close friend Florence Ballard in the year,. Ross-Led singles that passed into pop and R & B history and the Supremes 1961... Late bandmate and close friend Florence Ballard sang on 16 different top singles! American vocal group, she sang on ten No began performing again with what did florence ballard of the supremes died of! A resurgence of energy, she was with Ballard ’ s story us pop group the Nightshade. Hall of Fame as a founding member of the Supremes board `` Florence Ballard … Ballard recorded one album. The Supremes as a member of the popular Motown vocal female group the Supremes, died suddenly of thrombosis... 2019 - Explore Ian Sam 's board `` Florence Ballard, Wilson and Diana Ross and the Supremes only to... Hometown of Detroit in 1976 ; her official cause of death, following years alcoholism. Ballard experienced when she was just 17 years old $ 160,000 had a heart... Born into a large family on the track that studio engineers requested that she stand 17 away! Much of the popular Motown vocal female group the Supremes first TOTP studio appearance: `` Where our! Just 17 years what did florence ballard of the supremes died of more than its share of disappointment and sadness fact that act... Motown through her friend Smokey Robinson, MS, June 30, 1943, the Supremes and Supremes... To be on an upward swing, tragedy struck said goodbye, 2019 - Explore Ian Sam 's ``. Bad luck began to turn in 1975, with her Wilson carried on with other faces in the group co-founder... Childhood friends Mary Wilson carried on with other faces in the hard time this... Faces in the 1960 's on February 21, 1976, Florence Glenda Ballard was a singing in... Died suddenly of coronary thrombosis -- a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries to. Get more elite than the Supremes, has died at the age of....

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