In January 1969, Ballard performed at one of newly elected President Richard Nixon's inaugural balls. The film version of Dreamgirls released in 2006 features more overt references to Ballard's life and the Supremes' story, including gowns and album covers that are direct copies of Supremes originals. Effie White is inspired by Supremes member Florence Ballard and soul singers Etta James and Aretha Franklin. [2] Ballard was posthumously inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes in 1988. Florence Glenda Chapman (née Ballard; June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976) was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown vocal female group the Supremes. Facing poverty and depression, Ballard became an alcoholic and shied away from the spotlight. |  [28], The group struggled in their early years with the label,[29] releasing eight singles that failed to crack the Billboard Hot 100, giving them the nickname "no-hit Supremes". On his 2006 album Hip Hop is Dead, hip-hop artist Nasmentions the Ballard/Ross rivalry in his song "Blunt Ashes": "When Flo from the Supremes died/Diana Ro… Name: Effie P White Age in 1910: 22 Birth Year: abt 1888 Birthplace: Illinois Home in 1910: New Salem, Pike, Illinois Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status: Single Father's Name: Andrew White Father's Birthplace: Illinois Mother's name: Margaret E White … View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. The 1980 song "Romeo's Tune", from Steve Forbert's album Jackrabbit Slim is "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard". From an early age, Ballard aspired to be a singer and agreed to audition for a spot on a sister group of the local Detroit attraction, the Primes, who were managed by Milton Jenkins. DREAMGIRLS is based on the 1981 Broadway show, which was (loosely) based on the story of Diana Ross and the Supremes. Ballard performed as part of the Joan Little Defense League and was backed by female rock group the Deadly Nightshade. Matthew Patay , Other Works She sang on 16 top 40 singles with the group, including ten number-one hits. During that year, they kept pursuing a Motown contract and agreed to do anything that was required, including adding handclaps and vocal backgrounds. [43], Ballard began dating Thomas Chapman, a Motown Records chauffeur, in 1967; they married in a private celebration in Hawaii on February 29, 1968, and had three daughters: Michelle Denise, Nichole Rene[44] and Lisa Sabrina (b. [13] Jesse soon worked at General Motors. One track, "Buttered Popcorn", led by Ballard,[29] was a regional hit in the Midwest, but still failed to chart. [1] Ballard's death was considered by one critic as "one of rock's greatest tragedies". [41] The central character of Effie White, like Florence Ballard, is criticized for being overweight, and is fired from the group. The movie, nominated for eight Oscars, is a thinly veiled account of Berry Gordy's empire and his banner group, the Supremes. She became an alcoholic while raising her three daughters on welfare in Detroit. Backstage at an amateur talent show at the Detroit Theatre in 1962, Cadillac salesman Curtis Taylor, Jr. (Jamie Foxx) meets a girl group known as "The Dreamettes": lead singer Effie White (Jennifer Hudson) and back-up singers Deena Jones (Beyonce) and Lorrell Robinson (Anika Noni Rose) . Ballard filed a lawsuit against Motown in 1971 for additional royalty payments she believed she was due to receive, but the case was dismissed and separated from her husband. In early 1975, Ballard received an insurance settlement from her former attorney's insurance company. Carmel Mercy Hospital, complaining of numbness in her extremities. The character of Effie White goes through the same experience. [9][10] Her mother was a resident of Rosetta, Mississippi. [19] Ballard eventually dropped out of high school though her groupmates graduated. Webber, who portrays Effie White, enjoyed getting to work with her daughters, Torre and Tonne. Auditioning for Effie White? Ballard reportedly had several domestic disputes with her husband and filed for divorce in 1973, but they reconciled in late 1975, prior to her death. https://thebutterfliespassion.blogspot.com/2006/12/meet-real-effie-white.html Ballard met future singing partner Mary Wilson during a middle-school talent show and they became friends while attending Northeastern High. In the original Broadway production, he was portrayed by Ben Harney. Taurus – Effie White in Dreamgirls “And I Am Telling You” gives off super Taurus vibes, as it highlights Effie’s unyielding loyalty, determination, and passion. He says the character of Lorrell Robinson in the show is based on Wilson; Deena Jones is based on Diana Ross and Effie White is based on Florence Ballard. Dreamgirls is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. In April 1967, Cindy Birdsong, member of Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles, became a stand-in for Ballard. Similarly, who are the Dreamgirls based on? In 1972, she moved into her sister Maxine's house. [10] Jesse Ballard left his adoptive parents at 13, and soon engaged in an affair with Ballard's mother, who was only 14, in Rosetta. Storyline. [18] Berry Gordy, head of Motown, advised the group to graduate from high school before auditioning again. Later that year Ballard's plight started to be reported in newspapers as word got around that the singer had applied for welfare. Thanks x 10; May 27, 2017 #22. Cindy Birdsong went on to perform with the Supremes the same night Florence Ballard was fired, just as Michelle Morris goes on to perform with the Dreams the same night Effie White is fired. Aiming to achieve success for black singers with … [23], Later in 1960, the Primettes signed a contract with Lu Pine Records, issuing two songs that failed to perform well. Curtis presents himself as the Dreamettes' new manager and arranges for the Dreamettes to become backup singers for local R&B star Jimmy "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy). Ballard's first concert performance in more than five years took place at the Henry and Edsel Ford Auditorium in Detroit on June 25, 1975. On June 25, 1975, she performed in Detroit as a part of the Joan Little Defense League at the Henry and Edsel Ford Auditorium, backed by the female rock group 'The Deadly Nightshade', to a highly receptive crowd. Diana Ross feared they would be mistaken for a male vocal group. Effie White was based on former Supreme Florence Ballard. The agency had been led by Leonard Baun, Ballard's attorney who had helped to settle Ballard's matters with Motown. 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. [17] Betty McGlown completed the original lineup and Jenkins named them as "The Primettes". Dreamgirls, a 1981 Broadway musical, chronicles a fictional group called "The Dreams," and a number of plot components parallel events in the Supremes' career. Florence Glenda Ballard was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 30, 1943 to Lurlee (née Wilson) and Jesse Ballard, as the eighth[3][4] of thirteen children or ninth of fifteen children. Her attorney in the matter received a one-time payment of $139,804.94 in royalties and earnings from Motown. Florence Ballard's story has been referenced in a number of works by other artists. Based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and others, the musical follows the story of a young female singing trio from Chicago, Illinois called "The Dreams", who become music superstars. Based on the lives and careers of Diana Ross and the Supremes, James Brown, The Shirelles, and other R&B groups, "Dreamgirls" tells the story of a Chicago girl group who become musical superstars. Florence Ballard's story has been referenced in a number of works by other artists. Inspired by the financial success, Ballard decided to return to singing and also reconciled with Chapman. Ballard struggled with alcoholism, depression, and poverty for three years. Ballard, Ross and Wilson remained a trio. Official Sites, Elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as a member of, Ranked #16 on VH1's Greatest Women of Rock N Roll, At the time of her death Ballard was actually on the verge of a very successful comeback. She died at 10:05 ET the next morning from cardiac arrest[39] caused by a coronary thrombosis (a blood clot in one of her coronary arteries),[40] at the age of 32. She sang, The Effie White character from the Broadway play (and film) "Dreamgirls" is loosely based on Ballard. Adapted from the 1981 Broadway musical, Dreamgirls is loosely based on the career of real-life Sixties girl group The Supremes and follows fictional band The Dreamettes as they embark on a life of fame amid dealing with the realities of a life in show-business. She would also claim that their schedule had forced the group members to drift apart. THIS FEATURE IS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR PRO MEMBERS. With the help of R&B singer James "Thunder" Early (Eddie Murphy), the Dreamgirls face personal and professional highs and lows as their careers take off. I Want To Be THE Queen. To start, her role as Effie White in the 2006 film adaptation of Dreamgirls earned her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Angered, Gordy ordered her to return to Detroit, and Birdsong officially replaced her, abruptly ending her tenure with the Supremes. After many rehearsals with Cholly Atkins and Maurice King, the Supremes' live shows improved dramatically as well. A month later, Ballard returned to the group from what she thought was a temporary leave of absence. On February 21, 1976, Ballard entered Mt. |  I … In her Golden Globe acceptance speech, Hudson dedicated her win to Florence Ballard. Courtesy of Brandon Patterson The crew didn't expect celebrity presence in their rooms but were happy to … Publicity Listings Effie White is the lead singer of the Dreamette's but while she has the voice of the group, she does not have the look that is needed to make the group a hit. In June, Gordy changed the group's name to "The Supremes with Diana Ross", which was how they were billed on the marquee of Las Vegas' Flamingo Hotel. [20], In 1960, Ballard was allegedly raped at knifepoint by local high-school basketball player Reggie Harding after leaving a sock hop at Detroit's Graystone Ballroom (she had attended with her brother, but they accidentally lost track of each other). Members of her extended family, who live in Atlanta and … As part of the settlement, Ballard was advised to not promote her solo work as a former member of the Supremes. Ballard entered Henry Ford Hospital for rehab treatment and slowly started to recover. The show will stream online for a limited time - all day, Jan. 23, Jan. 30 and Feb. 6. [16] Wilson, in turn, enlisted another neighbor, Diana Ross, then going by "Diane". On June 25, 2019, The New York Times Magazine listed Florence Ballard among hundreds of artists whose material was reportedly destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire. But many Motown stars say the film doesn't reflect the real story. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Has three daughters Michelle, Nicole, and Lisa. [5][6][7][8] Her siblings were Bertie, Cornell, Jesse, Jr., Gilbert, Geraldine, Barbara, Maxine, Billy, Calvin, Pat, Linda and Roy. She married her boyfriend Thomas Chapman and attempted a solo career with ABC Records. As much as Deena Jones, Beyoncé Knowles' character in "Dreamgirls," was modeled on Diana Ross, the film's main character, Effie White, was based on Etta James, according to composer Henry Krieger. They began singing and recording as The Primettes in 1959, but when they signed with Motown Records a year later, Florence selected The Supremes as their new name. Dreamgirls had its beginnings as a project for Nell Carter. Feb 21, 2014 Ratings: +71,205 / 1,615 / -893. During live shows, Ballard often performed the Barbra Streisand standard, "People". Eventually Ross became the lead singer and Ballard grew dissatisfied with the group's management, she began drinking and was fired in 1967 for missing recording sessions and performances. [33] Struggling to cope with the label's demands and her own bout with depression, Ballard turned to alcohol for comfort, leading to arguments with her group members. The Supremes became “Diana Ross & the Supremes” in 1967 while in Las Vegas. By the time she turned 15, her family moved to the Brewster-Douglas housing project, and Florence attended Northeastern High School, where she met and became friends with Mary Wilson. Upgrade to PRO Sign Up for PRO to view suggested audition pieces! Already a member? Deena Jones is one with look. 13,097 885. Financial difficulties forced the Ballard family to move to different Detroit neighborhoods; by the time Florence turned 15 they had settled at Detroit's Brewster-Douglass housing projects, and the next year Jesse Lambert Ballard died of cancer. Curtis couldn't control Effie. [33] Ballard's alcoholism led to her missing performances and recording sessions. 1971). And he did have a long-standing affair with Ross. [35] In August 1967, the Detroit Free Press reported that Ballard had taken a temporary leave of absence from the group due to "exhaustion". [11] The Ballards moved to Detroit in 1929 as part of the Great Migration[12]. Weeks later, Ballard told Wilson and Ross what had happened. The real story of the 1960s girl … After winning a settlement from a slip-and-fall incident in which she had broken her leg, Ballard took the money and used it to put herself through a successful rehab and got herself back into shape. After the hit success of 1963's "When the Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes", Diana Ross became the group's lead singer.[30]. Ballard expressed dissatisfaction with the group's direction throughout its successful period. Effie complained that she needed to … Besides her three daughters, Ballard's family included her cousin, rhythm and blues singer and songwriter Hank Ballard, and his grandnephew, NFL player Christian Ballard; she was also an aunt of the Detroit electronic musician Omar-S.[45], "Florence Ballard | Music Videos, News, Photos, Tour Dates | MTV", "Oscar-nominated film renews interest in Florence Ballard, the real 'Dreamgirl, https://www.npr.org/transcripts/130291351, "Supremes' Flo Ballard: It's Said She's Leaving", "Florence Ballard: Ex-Supreme Fights to Get Off Welfare", "Florence Ballard dead at 32; Original Member of Supremes", "Supreme Ever After: The Legacy of Florence Ballard", "Here Are Hundreds More Artists Whose Tapes Were Destroyed in the UMG Fire", The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb, Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop, Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl", When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes, Love, I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good, Reflections: The Definitive Performances (1964–1969), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Florence_Ballard&oldid=1006235835, Wikipedia articles with MusicBrainz identifiers, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1968: "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" b/w ", This page was last edited on 11 February 2021, at 19:55. As much as Deena Jones, Beyoncé Knowles ' character in "Dreamgirls," was modeled on Diana Ross, the film's main character, Effie White, was based on Etta James, according to … Based on his/her attributes, we recommend you consider these audition pieces! The 1980 song "Romeo's Tune", from Steve Forbert's album Jackrabbit Slim is "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard". [40] Ballard is buried in Detroit Memorial Park Cemetery in Warren, Michigan. [42] The music video for the Diana Ross song "Missing You" pays tribute to Marvin Gaye, Ballard, and Paul Williams, all former Motown artists who had died. Following six weeks of treatment, Ballard slowly started to recover. Around that time, Ballard entered Henry Ford Hospital for rehab treatment. When the Dreamettes are ready to make the move, Deena is moved to the front (Family). Before the release of their 1962 debut album, Meet the Supremes, Barbara Martin, who had replaced Betty McGlown a year before they signed to Motown, left the group. Although loosely based on The Supremes, the movie is a work of fiction. A week earlier, on February 22, Ballard and Motown negotiated to have Ballard released from the label. In 1974 Mary Wilson invited Ballard to rejoin the Supremes, which now included Cindy Birdsong and Scherrie Payne (Ross had left for her successful solo career in 1970). On July 1, the day after her 24th birthday, Ballard showed up inebriated during the group's third performance at the Flamingo and stuck her stomach out from her suit. [21] The rape occurred in an empty parking lot off Woodward Avenue. When. In the spring of 1964, the group released "Where Did Our Love Go", which became their first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, paving the way for ten number-one hits recorded by Ross, Ballard and Wilson between 1964 and 1967. Auditioning for Effie White? The group performed at talent showcases and at school parties before auditioning for Motown Records in 1960. Ballard was dropped by ABC in 1970. When Jennifer Hudson won the Golden Globe for her performance as Effie in the film version (Dreamgirls (2006)), she dedicated the award to Ballard, describing her as "a lady who never got a fair chance". Amazon.com: Watch Dreamgirls | Prime Video Based on the 1981 Broadway musical comes Dreamgirls, a story of greed, tough hate, and romance. Log in. Eventually Gordy agreed to sign them under that name on January 15, 1961. [37] Shortly afterwards, Ballard and her husband separated following several domestic disputes and Ballard's home was foreclosed. [9][14][9][11] Jesse, an amateur musician, helped inspire Florence's interest in singing; he taught her various songs and accompanied her on guitar. She performed several times in 1975, but on February 22, 1976 she died from cardiac arrest caused by a coronary thrombosis, at the age of 32. In March 1968, Ballard signed with ABC Records and released two unsuccessful singles. Click to see full answer. In his short story "You Know They Got a Hell of a Band", Stephen King, through the late disc jockey Alan Freed, includes Ballard as one of the deceased artists who performs in a town called "Rock and Roll Heaven". Hudson, born in 1981 in Chicago, Illinois played Effie White in "Dreamgirls". "[32] All in all, Ballard contributed vocals to ten number-one pop hits and 16 top forty hit singles between 1963 and 1967. Florence Glenda Wilson Ballard was born and grew up in Detroit. Our Schools Effie White 2020-07-27T18:17:38+00:00. Ballard had always wanted to be a singer and auditioned for the creation of a sister group of The Primes (later known as The Temptations). 2. Effie White is a doppelgänger for Florence Ballard, original lead singer of the Supremes; the character's vocal stylings and personality are based upon soul singer Etta James. In July 1971, Ballard sued Motown for additional royalty payments she believed she was due to receive; she was defeated in court by Motown. [10] Her father was born Jesse Lambert in Bessemer, Alabama; [10] after his grandmother was shot and killed, he was adopted by the Ballard family. [36] Ballard eventually married her boyfriend, Thomas Chapman, on February 29, 1968. After an album for the label was shelved, her settlement money was depleted from the Chapmans' management agency, Talent Management, Inc. [34] It had been decided as early as May that Birdsong would be Ballard's official replacement once Birdsong's contract with the Bluebelles was bought out. As much as Deena Jones, Beyoncé Knowles' character in "Dreamgirls," was modeled on Diana Ross, the film's main character, Effie White, was based on Etta James, according to composer Henry Krieger. Management Team Founding Volunteer (FV): Jeffrey "J" Prothero Founding Volunteer (FV): Jeffrey "J" Prothero Born and raised outside of Pittsburgh, I was blessed to have a dad who required of my having a hard work ethic and the know-how to do things right. After she was accepted, Ballard recruited Mary Wilson to join Jenkins' group. She was making an attempt at a musical comeback when she died of a heart attack in February 1976 at the age of 32. Based on the 1935 opera by George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, and Ira Gershwin, ... (Anika Noni Rose), and Effie White (Jennifer Hudson in an Oscar-winning role). Detroit-based The Dreamettes, a black girl singing group, is comprised of lead Effie White, and her backup singers Deena Jones and Lorrell Robinson. The movie isn’t short on adversity, although it does stop short of being a tragedy—especially given the fate ultimately met by Effie’s real-life counterpart, Florence Ballard. She continued to perform as a solo artist, opening for Bill Cosby that September at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. Jennifer Hudson won a Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for her portrayal of Effie White in the Dreamgirls film. Our Schools. Gordy sometimes replaced Ballard on stage with the Andantes' Marlene Barrow. Patterson told Insider that there's also has a secret special guest who will perform as Effie White during the final show. According to Mary Wilson, Ballard's vocals were so loud she was made to stand 17 feet away from her microphone during recording sessions. MargaeryTyrell I Don't Want To Be A Queen. [33] Ballard blamed Motown Records for destroying the group dynamic by making Diana Ross the star. Janie Bradford approached Ballard with a list of names to choose from before Ballard chose "Supremes". During this time, Ballard sang lead on several songs on Supremes' albums, including a cover of Sam Cooke's "(Ain't That) Good News". Though Ballard played tambourine, she didn't sing and told Wilson she had no ambition to sing any more. Following news that Baun was facing multiple embezzlement charges, Ballard fired him. [15], Named "Blondie" and "Flo" by family and friends, Ballard attended Northeastern High School and was coached vocally by Abraham Silver. When she was approved, she recruited Mary, who in turn enlisted a Brewster neighbor, Diana Ross. So weird. Both Wilson and Jesse Green, an early boyfriend of Florence's, had described her as a "generally happy if somewhat mischievous and sassy teenager." In early 1975, Florence received a monetary settlement from her former attorney's insurance company, reconciled with Chapman and decided to return to singing. When her Motown settlement money was depleted by her lawyer, ABC also canceled her contract in 1970, after two unsuccessful singles and shelving an album, which was posthumously released in 2001. Loosely based on the internecine rivalries within Diana Ross & The Supremes, Dreamgirls explores the attempts of a black girl group from Chicago to navigate a white-dominated music industry and find commercial success. The settlement money helped her buy a house on Shaftsbury Avenue. The movie, based on the 1981 Broadway play, tells the story of a small black record label and its star singers whose success crosses over to the pop charts. Ross and Wilson were sympathetic. The Effie White character from the Broadway play (and film) "Dreamgirls" is loosely based on Ballard. Effie was a member of the girl band called The Dreamettes and she was first seen at a club where she and the other Dreamettes were scheduled to perform. Gemini – Ti Moune in Once On This Island She in 2016 played Effie White for Dreamgirls in London. Afterwards, she started receiving offers for interviews; Jet magazine was one of the first to report on Ballard and her recovery.[38]. They are struggling to make a name for themselves despite their talent. [31] Marvin Gaye, for whom Ballard sang backing vocals on occasion, described her as "a hell of a singer, probably the strongest of the three girls. Around 1974 Mary Wilson helped her to make a comeback. In 1988, Ballard was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Supremes alongside Diana Ross and Mary Wilson. Jimmy has gone years without a hit. During a 1962 Motortown Revue tour, Ballard briefly replaced the Marvelettes' Wanda Young while she was on maternity leave. Wilson believes that the incident heavily contributed to the more self-destructive aspects of Ballard's adult personality, like cynicism, pessimism, and fear or distrust of others,[22] but the rape was never mentioned again. The Billy Bragg song "King James Version" on his William Bloke album contains the line "Remember the sadness in Florence Ballard's eyes". [24][25] By the end of the year, Berry Gordy agreed to have the group record songs in the studio. 3. Ballard responded by secluding herself in her house refusing to come outside, which worried her groupmates. [26] In January 1961, Gordy agreed to sign them on the condition they change their name. [27] When the other members heard of the new name, they were not pleased. She is strong-willed, stubborn, and dedicated – Taurus energy all the way.
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