The True Story of Florence Ballard - Softcover

Maxine Ballard Jenkins

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0980057418 ISBN 13: 9780980057416

Publisher: Precious4Max Publishing, Inc., 2009

Synopsis

Florence Blondie Ballard, Diane Diana Ross and Mary Wilson met and became childhood friends during the 1950s. Under the watchful eye and skilled tutelage of Milton Jenkins, the friends later became the trio The Primettes, ultimately transformed into the greatest female singing group of all time, The Supremes. In 1967, Florence Ballard left the group, and though much has been written about her life after the Supremes, the true facts of her story have never surfaced - until now. Maxine Precious Ballard Jenkins, the sister of Florence Ballard, has written the true account of Florence Ballard's life, including her reasons behind leaving the group, the relationship she shared with childhood friends, Mary and Diane, and the dramatic turn her life took in later years. The book also helps to dispel many of the rumors surrounding Florence Ballard's death. Your view of Florence Ballard and her life will be dramatically reversed after reading this book!

About this title

About the Author:

Maxine Precious Ballard Jenkins is a retired kindergarten teacher, living in the city of her birth, and the birth of Motown - Detroit, Michigan. She holds BA and MA degrees from the University of Detroit. During the 1960s and 70s, she was a singer and entertainer, and maintained close connections with several Motown artists and executives. She and Florence Ballard were only eleven months apart in age, and she feels that by writing this story, her sister, Blondie, can be redeemed and celebrated for the artist and compassionate person that she was.

Review:

I just finished the book. I trully enjoyed it. It made me laugh at times, and it also made me so sad. I cannot imagine the pain Miss Maxine must have felt watching her beloved sister on a coffin, with black and blues on her legs, after having had a fight with Thomas Chapman just a week before her untimely death. Just terrible! The book also made me appreciate my own family more. The Ballards were a strong family, no matter how tough life became for them, they remained united. I am so glad that Miss Maxine shared her story with us. The book is worth every penny. Miss Maxine, two thumbs UP girl! --Reader and Flo Ballard Fan

The love of Flo's fans for her and you, and your whole family is deep, true, and forever, and it spans world wide across many generations. You, Blondie and Milton Jenkins made history. Your husband is the main reason we had The Supremes! And Flo was the first and the very BEST Supreme! --Derrick English, Professor of Musicology

About this edition

• Publisher: Precious4Max Publishing, Inc.
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0980057418
• ISBN 13: 9780980057416
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 196
• Illustrator: Lee Lewis Walsh