Rosalind Ashford helped the group to distinguish themselves from the other girl groups in the label including the pop-oriented Marvelettes and the doo-wop-influenced Supremes with a rougher, brassier gospel-influenced sound. Reeves was a brassy alto while Annette was a deep contralto, and Rosalind was a high soprano. Like the Supremes' Florence Ballard, the Marvelettes' Wanda Rogers and The Four Tops' Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Ashford registered as the high background vocal in Vandellas records. After "Quicksand" gave the group a third top forty pop hit, Beard left to start a family with her new spouse. Reeves recruited a former member of The Velvelettes,
Thomas Ballard Jr. among them was Capt. John Ballard, of York county, who died in 1745. Thomas Ballard Jr. Colonel Thomas Ballard Jr. (c. 1654 - bef. October 1710), was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses from York County, Virginia. Ballard was a son of Colonel Thomas Ballard, of the council of state born around 1654 at Middle Plantation, Virginia. He served as one of the justices of York Co. and was Colonel of the Militia. He was burgess for York Co. in 1693, 1697, 1698, 1699, 1700-1702, 1703-1705 and 1710-1712. He married Catherine Hubbard, a daughter of John Hubbard. His