This was originally posted on August 29, 2010

Now you know I had to do a special edition in honor of Michael on the anniversary of his birth. Please enjoy the selections and please feel free to post your thoughts about these gems.

Cover Information-Original Artists

1 Bill Withers
2 The Beatles
3 Stephanie Mills, Hinton Battle, Tiger Haynes & Ted Ross
4 Wings
5 Carole Bayer Sager
6 Jackie Wilson
7 The Supremes
8 The Temptations
9 Johnny Mathis
10 The Stylistics
11 Bobby Day
12 Charlie Chaplin
13 The Miracles
14 Carole King

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From superstardom to heart-wrenching set backs, here are brand new clips of family and friends remembering the legendary Supremes singer Florence Ballard. Watch the entire “Unsung” special this June 28 at 8PM ET on TV ONE (www.tvoneonline.com).

Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman (June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976), nicknamed “Flo” and “Blondie“, was an American singer, the founder of the Hall of Fame Motown group The Supremes.
During their early years, members of The Supremes (originally called The Primettes) enjoyed a generally democratic distribution of leads on songs.

However, by 1966, Ballard and Mary Wilson had begun to feel ignored in the group as Motown President Berry Gordy, Jr. spotlighted Diana Ross’s individual career. Consequent discontent led Ballard to chronic depression and alcoholism, factors that weighed heavily in Gordy’s decision to permanently dismiss Ballard from The Supremes in July 1967. Her replacement was former Bluebelle Cindy Birdsong.
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