Not Forgotten
Living Legends
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio, was founded in 1983 to honor musicians, songwriters, and performers who have made influential contributions to rock and roll music. Artists become eligible for inclusion in the Hall of Fame twenty-five years after the release of their first records. Once eligible, the artists are selected by rock and roll historians and then voted on by about 1,000 other rock experts. To be included, an artist must receive at least 50 percent of the votes.
The Supremes were chosen for inclusion in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the 1988 induction ceremony. Though Flo had passed away in 1976, there was great excitement that the ceremony would become a reunion of Mary Wilson and Diana Ross. That reunion didn't happen.
The ceremony occurred after the publication of Mary's first autobiography, and many people felt that Diana did not attend because her feelings were still hurt by the book. In any event, Mary Wilson was the only Supreme present that night. She gave a speech that thanked the Hall of Fame for recognizing the work of all of the Supremes. Florence Ballard's daughter, Lisa Chapman, accepted the award on behalf of her mom.
At the end of the ceremony, there was a big jam session in which many musicians played and sang together. Mary performed onstage that night with Elton John and Billy Joel. She was excited to be at the event but also sad that the original Supremes could not share the honor together.
Additional topics
Musician BiographiesThe SupremesNot Forgotten - More Bumps In The Road, Supremes Come And Go, Florence's Tough Life, A Musical Dream