My name is Karen Spencer, a sultry female voice cooed into the phone of my Providence, Rhode Island, motel room. She sang as a teenager, entering the same 1958 talent show as her future groupmate Mary. Ballard's string of bad luck began to turn in 1975 when her former attorney's office settled an insurance dispute with her. Harris purchased a six-month option on The Lost Supreme for $100, but agreed to pay much larger amounts when and if the book was produced as a film or television project. You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Reading the screenplay was like stepping into a world suffused with magic. When Martin also quit the group, Ballard, Wilson and Ross decided it would remain a trio.). Prosecutor Investigator, while she was lying to me,she was also lying to someone in Cobb County, Georgia, by posing as a concert promoter. 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. Deborah Jones who the character Deena Jones in Dream Girls was written about and played by Beyonce Knowles. Year should not be greater than current year. But according to Florence Ballard's late sister Maxine Jenkins published novel Florence Ballard Rags to Riches and Riches Back to Rags the photograph of Variety Chenevert at the age of 10 in a group family photo she took at her home she is indeed her sister Florence Ballard daughter known as Nichole Rene Ballard. Nichole Ballard aka Variety Chenevert became the original creator of the blockbuster films Set It Off and Booty Call which were her class assignments at UCLA Extension in 1994. Soon afterwards, in another astounding demonstration that Spencer, now officially on board as the films executive producer, was serious about her responsibilities, she and Evans traveled to Detroit, Ballards hometown, to generate publicity and do research for the upcoming movie effort. So to go snooping and looking for what was hers was illegal but she dies know that Diana Ross did set up a trust fund for $30,000 she is very aware of that but happened to that separate trust fund she has no idea accept for again her Aunt Helen was the guardian of that trust fund as well but she is now deceased and died 2016 in Detroit, MI at her home from pancreatic cancer. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Astrological Sign: Cancer, Death Year: 1976, Death date: February 22, 1976, Death State: Michigan, Death City: Detroit, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Florence Ballard Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/florence-ballard, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: May 7, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. The Chronicle also published a picture of Michelle and Nicole Chapman, two of Ballards daughters, posing with my book. [41] The central character of Effie White, like Florence Ballard, is criticized for being overweight, and is fired from the group. For all time, at the moment, 2023 year, Florence Ballard earned $57 Million. Her family is her twin Michelle Denise Ballard Chapman and Lisa Ballard Chapman. Her attorney in the matter received a one-time payment of $139,804.94 in royalties and earnings from Motown. Very soon, I had an inkling that that might be true. I figured Id never hear from her again, but within a few months she had sent me a much longer, better screenplay that she said she had co-written with a Hollywood professional named Roy Fegan, who had appeared on television series such as The Shield and Will & Grace. What did I know about how movie producers raise money? Florence passed away on February 22 1976, . She sang, The Effie White character from the Broadway play (and film) "Dreamgirls" is loosely based on Ballard. My sister was a victim of domestic . Variety Chenevert aka Nichole Rosalyn Elaine (Rene) Ballard said growing up around all these successful legends that are "My People" made me want to be somebody and proud to acknowledge these are bloodline relatives. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. [24][25] By the end of the year, Berry Gordy agreed to have the group record songs in the studio. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. . Oops, we were unable to send the email. Publicity Listings Flo Ballard and her firstborn daughter Nichole Ballard-Jones. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Embed Save During this period, Ballard also stood in for Wanda Young of the Marvelettes, who was out on maternity leave. But I should probably be more ashamed than I am to say that I disregarded the whole incident. 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. BEVERLY HILLS, CA - SEPTEMBER 28: Lisa Chapman (L), daughter of Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Barry Gordy and Brian Holland accept the Pacesetter award on behalf of The Supremes at the 14th Annual HAL Scholarship Presentation and Awards Dinner Saluting Heroes and Legends at the Beverly Hills Hotel September 28, 2003 in Beverly Hills, California. After all, my first book, Investigative Reporting, which I hadwritten with David Anderson, had become the standard college textbook in the field. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Then I found out why. Among the daughters of Florence were Michelle and Nicole Chapman. It was amazing that McCoy/Spencer, who had obviously changed her name to avoid instant detection, made the stupid mistake of allowing her photograph to be taken, printed and broadcast in the course of publicizing her movie project. I immediately dropped my objections. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. A system error has occurred. During a 1962 Motortown Revue tour, Ballard briefly replaced the Marvelettes' Wanda Young while she was on maternity leave. Her parents Florence Ballard and her father Lawrence Jones didn't keep money in the bank that's why their were piggy banks full of money and money always in the home. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60409557/thomas-l-chapman. 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. English This included Diana Ross. 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. 1971). Someone Nicole Renee Ballard Chapman claims she doesn't know. Ballard had been one of the original Supremes until she was forced out of the three-woman group by Motown founder Berry Gordy and Supreme diva Diana Ross. In late 2010, the casting began andFaith Evans was selected to play Ballard. Other Works Florence Ballard holding newborn twins Nichole Rene and Michelle Denise. Michelle and Nicole. To use this feature, use a newer browser. In October 1968, Ballard gave birth to twin girls Michelle and Nicole Chapman. Ballard struggled with alcoholism, depression, and poverty for three years. On February 21, 1976, Ballard entered Mt. cemeteries found in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Spencer said that Adrien Brody had been hired to play me. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. Learn more about managing a memorial . 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. Having outdone herself at the audition, Ballard was commissioned by Jenkins to find other members to form The Primes' new sister group, The Primettes. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. I assured her that in my unbiased opinion, with her in the directors chair, the movie would be a high-quality monster hit. Although Spencer and the others had promised that the money would be returned with interest, they had not done so. [12][13] Jesse worked at General Motors. 0 cemeteries found in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, USA. 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. Ballard reportedly had several domestic disputes with her husband and . Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. I had not appeared as a major character in my own book, but in this new screenplay, which told Ballards story in flashbacks, I was portrayed as her friend and hand-holder rather than the neutral interviewer I actually was. This short article about a person from the United States can be made longer. Florence Glenda Ballard was born in Detroit, Michigan on June 30, 1943 to Lurlee (ne Wilson) and Jesse Ballard, as the eighth[3][4] of thirteen children or ninth of fifteen children. My enthusiasm rocketed upward: Coolidge had directed the HBO film Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, starring Halle Berry, which had won five Emmys. "I believe my sister was murdered. Finally, Ballard told her group mates what happened to her. The call that Id been waiting for all my life came, naturally, while I was away from my Manhattan home in the summer of 2010. During an interview, Lisa said she is clueless about who she needs to blame since their whole life, they have been cheated. I called Coolidge to congratulate her, reaching her just after she had returned from a horseback ride with her husband around their Los Angeles estate. I was upset when the woman told me she was a single mother of two with a third on the way. The Supremes, Nirvana, Nile Rodgers Named 2023 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients The money helped her buy a house on Shaftsbury Avenue. Wilson believes that the incident heavily contributed to the self-destructive aspects of Ballard's adult personality, like cynicism, pessimism, and fear and distrust of others,[22] but the rape was never mentioned again. Ballard's husband and manager, Tommy Chapman, drove to radio stations and record stores with boxes of Ballard's records, leaving copies along the way, to little avail. Siblings Maxine Ballard, Gilbert . Federal marshals had arrested Spencer,whose real name was Jami McCoy and whose hometown was Humble, Texas, for jumping bail in Texas in 2009. [19] Ballard eventually dropped out of high school though her groupmates graduated. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time 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. Found more than one record for entered Email, You need to confirm this account before you can sign in. In January 1969, Ballard performed at one of newly elected President Richard Nixon's inaugural balls. I know what youre thinking. For the next several weeks, Ballard secluded herself from public, even hiding from her bewildered band mates who knew nothing of the horrible event that had transpired. Jennifer Hudson really succeeded with her performance in Dreamgirls. However, they claimed that something went wrong because when they were in the right age, all the fund was no longer in sight. When I asked this woman to call me, she told me that she and her friends had loaned Spencer and her associates $3,000 for 14 days, after which the lenders were to receive $6,000 in return. The sisters were thrilled when they saw a clip of their mother performing. Please try again later. Related Among the daughters of Florence were Michelle and Nicole Chapman. Gordy sometimes replaced Ballard on stage with the Andantes' Marlene Barrow. Our Aunt Dee Dee Jenkins-Brown is the widow of the late Father of Soul James Brown. [33] Struggling to cope with the label's demands and her own depression, Ballard turned to alcohol for comfort, leading to arguments with Ross and Wilson. . 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. Mix - Florence Ballard's Daughter's (Interview): Marlene Scott, Nichole Rosalyn Elaine (Rene) Ballard's Guardian and first cousin and her mother Florence Ballard first cousin and who also use to be in the group The Primettes with Florence Ballard, Diana Ross and Barbara Patterson. I called the next day and left another message. Failed to delete memorial. During that year, they kept pursuing a Motown contract and agreed to do anything that was required, including adding handclaps and vocal backgrounds. Granddaughter of Lurlee Wilson, and Jesse Ballard Sr., and Niece of Maxine Ballard, Bertie Ballard, Jesse Ballard Jr., Gilbert Ballard, Barbara Ballard, Calvin Ballard, Pat Ballard, Linda Ballard, and Roy Ballard. 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. 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 and it became a trio. The three of us merely agreed to split all the money we received, but we received nothing before the contract expired. So when Spencer offered not only to arrange for the filming of the book, but to raise the money to finance the project and to pay $15,000 to my publisher and me on the first day of movie production and another $15,000 a year later, plus other sums on further down the line, neither my publisher nor I saw any reason to say no. To my relief, the project continued. 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.[46], Last edited on 18 February 2023, at 15:00, "Florence Ballard | Music Videos, News, Photos, Tour Dates | MTV", "Oscar-nominated film renews interest in Florence Ballard, the real 'Dreamgirl', "The Great Migration: Journey That Reshaped America", "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", "BWW Review: DREAMGIRL DEFERRED Dares to Dream at Vincent Victoria Presents", "The Supremes Receive the Lifetime Achievement Award At The 2023 GRAMMYs", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Florence_Ballard&oldid=1140119176, 1968: "It Doesn't Matter How I Say It (It's What I Say That Matters)" b/w ", This page was last edited on 18 February 2023, at 15:00. 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