"Lady" and "Nightbirds" did well enough. Both bested any one song or album that the 70s Supremes released. Without having access to any of the actual sales figures for either the Supremes or Labelle, combining Labelle's sales with the 70s Supremes is an argument I'll allow. However, in my mind there can be no argument that Labelle became a popular act in a way that the 70s Supremes did not. Labelle was playing places like the Met and were on the cover of Rolling Stone. The 70s Supremes couldn't dream of playing a place like that, not when they were just trying to hold their heads above water and sometimes playing some B list places.
There's money in hit records, but I think I read once where the real money was in putting butts in the seats of venues. Once Labelle took off, they were packing them in. I'm guessing they were getting paid comparable to the places they were playing, and I can't imagine the 70s Supremes- certainly post "Nathan"- doing any of that. Plus it's worth mentioning that post Labelle there hasn't been any news about any of the ladies in a bad financial spot- correct me if I'm wrong- which the same cannot be said about some of the 70s Supremes, including Cindy and Mary.
As far as Cindy's abilities and ambitions, what do you really have to go on? We really can't know what Cindy aspired to. What we do know is that she went from what appeared to be an equal place in the Bluebelles to joining the Supremes when it was revamped from a traditional group to Diana billed first and the Supremes second. She was, for all intents and purposes, Diana Ross' background singer, brought in to help make the transition from group singer to solo star. And even once Diana left and Jean came aboard, the Supremes were not Cindy's group. She was going to defer to Mary on everything. Labelle was not built that way. Although Patti's name was out front of the Bluebelles, when the group revamped everyone was on the same level, even with Patti still taking the bulk of the leads. There's no evidence that had Cindy stayed that she would not have found her niche just like the other ladies she sang with within the group. Attempting to predict what Cindy Labelle would've been like based off of Cindy Supreme is an unfair conclusion because the two groups, their situations, the personalities involved were all so very different.
And I have to point out that from what I remember reading about the lady who originally envisioned Labelle's transition, she was supportive of the ladies, championing them to spread their wings. Cindy was never a Supreme under that type of guidance. Hell, for a time she made waves by answering press questions directed at her! Lol There was no one at Motown to tell Cindy the sky was the limit. Gordy did that for Diana, he did not do it for any of the other Supremes. And I've said before- and looks like I'm about to say it again
- when someone is in your corner, that's an invaluable source of success, particularly in a business like music. Having someone constantly tell you to stay in your place isn't usually the story of success in the music business, not in a group setting.
Bookmarks