Florence Ballard Diana Ross, then going by "Diane". Betty McGlown completed the original lineup and Jenkins named them as "The Primettes". The group performed at talent showcases and at school parties before auditioning for Motown Records in 1960. Berry Gordy, head of Motown, advised the group to graduate from high school before auditioning again. Ballard eventually dropped out of high school though her groupmates graduated. In 1960, Ballard was raped at knifepoint by local high-school basketball player Reggie Harding after leaving a sock hop at Detroit's Graystone Ballroom (she had attended with her brother, but they accidentally lost track of each other).
Melinda Ballard damage. The award was later changed to $4 million. As a result of her case and the attention she received, Ballard founded Policyholders of America, a consumer advocate group and homeowner’s insurance information clearinghouse. In 2013, Ballard died at the age of 55. Melinda Ballard Melinda Ballard (1958 – 2013) was an activist for insurance policyholders in America. In 1999, she sued her insurer over mold damage in her 22-room Austin, Texas mansion. Their case started as a single claim for water damage and turned into a case about mold contamination in the entire house. They were one of the