Dreamgirl: My Life As a Supreme

Rating:
Summary: I learned a lot!!!!!!
Review: As a child, I listened to the radio all the time and of course, in the '60s, the Supremes dominated much of the airwaves. I loved their music, but really knew little about them. This book educated me, and no, I do not think it was a "Diana Ross Bashing Book". I believe Mary told the truth. We were just outsiders looking in; Mary was there.

Rating:
Summary: Very Interesting
Review: I found this book to be very interesting. So much information on the beginning of Mowtown. The struggles of stardom and the effect it had on the friendship of three young ladies. The nitpicking Mary does on Diana went a little overboard, but otherwise very entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: I originally purchased a used copy of this book at a Goodwill store for the purpose of re-selling it in Amazon auctions. After browsing through a few chapters, I immediately revised my auction with a "too high" price so no one would bid on it and I could read the book before I sold it. Now, I'm not selling it. Why? Well, not because it was literay genius but mostly because I was a disc jockey during the "Supreme" years and could identify with much of the story line. However, there was SO much I didn't know about this group until I read the book.Who would have dreamt that these girls were at one time making $5.00 to $10.00 when the cut a record? Who could imagine the depth of dissension that built up between these young friends who had worked so hard to gain their careers? How did fame and success finally split the group beyond repair? The book not only covers the lives of the Supremes, but also details some of the artists and talents of other groups working for Motown. Her descriptions of "Hitsville" were colorfully accurate and I could easily picture her and the other talent crammed into small studios rehearsing and using the toilet as an echo chamber. All the Motown greats are mentioned in this book (as well as most of their romances). I also learned a great deal more about the racial tensions of that era and how things changed through the years for black performers. I could actually feel the conflicts because of Mary's astute descriptions.There were times when I thought the flow was somewhat choppy and I was disappointed that there wasn't a more detailed description of the group's first appearance at the Apollo theatre. After all the build up, only one paragraph about the show and that just dealt with the fact that they finally did play there.However, Mary Wilson's emotional descriptions of Diane (Diana), Flo, Cindy and herself were powerful enough to make me understand how friction developed between them and how their activities affected the group as a whole.This is probably one of the most worthwhile books I have ever read and would highly recommend it to anyone who has the least bit interest in the music industry as it was betwen 1960 and 1980.

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book
Review: I originally purchased a used copy of this book at a Goodwill store for the purpose of re-selling it in Amazon auctions. After browsing through a few chapters, I immediately revised my auction with a "too high" price so no one would bid on it and I could read the book before I sold it. Now, I'm not selling it. Why? Well, not because it was literay genius but mostly because I was a disc jockey during the "Supreme" years and could identify with much of the story line. However, there was SO much I didn't know about this group until I read the book.Who would have dreamt that these girls were at one time making $5.00 to $10.00 when the cut a record? Who could imagine the depth of dissension that built up between these young friends who had worked so hard to gain their careers? How did fame and success finally split the group beyond repair? The book not only covers the lives of the Supremes, but also details some of the artists and talents of other groups working for Motown. Her descriptions of "Hitsville" were colorfully accurate and I could easily picture her and the other talent crammed into small studios rehearsing and using the toilet as an echo chamber. All the Motown greats are mentioned in this book (as well as most of their romances). I also learned a great deal more about the racial tensions of that era and how things changed through the years for black performers. I could actually feel the conflicts because of Mary's astute descriptions.There were times when I thought the flow was somewhat choppy and I was disappointed that there wasn't a more detailed description of the group's first appearance at the Apollo theatre. After all the build up, only one paragraph about the show and that just dealt with the fact that they finally did play there.However, Mary Wilson's emotional descriptions of Diane (Diana), Flo, Cindy and herself were powerful enough to make me understand how friction developed between them and how their activities affected the group as a whole.This is probably one of the most worthwhile books I have ever read and would highly recommend it to anyone who has the least bit interest in the music industry as it was betwen 1960 and 1980.

Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: I really enjoyed "My Life as a Supreme". Though I have the updated version of this book, it was definately a page turner for me. Mary candidly talks about her life with the Supremes along with the complicated relationship she had with Diane aka Diana Ross. I can honesty say that she was the true and dedicated Supreme of the group. Despite the fact that Diane was out for self from the beginning (always had to be front and center, in charge, and in control) Mary stood by her group mates through every situation regardless if they (Flo & Diane) were in the right or wrong.

Rating:
Summary: The supreme Supreme
Review: Mary Wilson has provided valuable information about the Supremes, but particularly Florence Ballard, showing that Ballard was not a loser, but a very talented woman, frustrated by the world of business. The Supremes have never received the just attention and accolades they deserved. This work provides a personal history behind the top group, not just top female group, of the sixties. A must read for any course on music history.

Rating:
Summary: More than entertainment
Review: Mary Wilson's book is an interesting and sad look at the greatest girl group of the 20th Century. The Supremes were the image of polish and class. Mary's account of the story is tragic, but I wondered why she didn't stand up for the group. She didn't seem to be afraid for the group when Florence was going through her problems mostly alone--she thought it would pass. It seems obvious that each woman was immensely talented in various ways, but Motown didn't appreciate that. Good examples are the demise of the Marvelettes and Kim Weston (as well as every other group in short order--male or female). It's hard to understand that through all that strife Mary didn't see the end coming. Florence saw it...but why couldn't Mary?

Rating:
Summary: Captivating, heart-wrenching, and detailed
Review: Okay, I'm late getting this read. It did come out several years ago. But it's a fascinating look at the early years of the Supremes: how the girls met, their lives in the projects, how they were discovered, and their rise to fame. Most startling is the way Diana Ross acted: grabbing the spotlight, working covertly behind the scenes to advance her own career at the expense of others, and turning a blind eye to the terrible treatment of Florence Ballard by Motown Records. While writer Mary Wilson is, for the most part, even-handed, and the anecdotes she tells ring true, one longs for that autobiography Florence Ballard never wrote. It seemed she should have been the lead singer of the Supremes. Listening to their music (not just the popular hits), one can see that she had a voice superior to Diana Ross's.

The most interesting part of the book was the Motown tour in the early 1960s, the fun and innocence of the singers and musicians involved. Many would become very famous later. A sad element is how Motown seemed to really rake in the profits and keep their artists in the dark. Yet Mary Wilson talks glowingly of Berry Gordy.

Nice photos and a juicy slice of early 1960s rock music!