Flo was the founding member of The Supremes, fired from the group in 1967 after almost a decade and 10 US #1 hit singles with the group accumalated only in 3 years - 1964-1967 (your favs could never). Due to a host of reasons (including poor management by her husband and legal issues with Motown), Flo's solo career with ABC failed in 1968 and her uncompleted album shelved.
She slipped into poverty after her attorney stole her Motown settlement money. By 1974, Florence had 3 kids to support and with a her husband only present when she had whatever little money she could muster, she applied for welfare and the news hit headlines all over the country.
Later that year after years of legal battles she managed to win a settlement from the law firm that represented her, bought a new house and car and started planning a comeback into the industry after a very well-recieved performance in her hometown of Detroit.
Tragically, in 1976, Flo died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest leaving her three young daughters behind.
The character Effie White in the 1981 musical and 2006 film Dreamgirls is loosely based on Flo and The Supremes' story - except there was never a reunion involving Florence and she NEVER had an intimate relationship with the group's manager and Motown head Berry Gordy (in fact her troubled relationship with him led to her firing). Also, Flo was never overweight while in the group!
BTW, her voice is NOT Jennifer Hudson-ish...it's more of a "light" Etta James at times in the mid-chest range...her upper chest and head range is particularly stunning and can sound rather operatic at times. She's a bit of a 60s Mary J Blige, raw, soulful and sometimes a little careless.