Cindy Birdsong and Smokey

[captainjames]

What an interesting pic and record sleeve.. Does anyone know how this cam e about ?
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[Methuselah2]

Same photo also used here:

http://megatrip.blogspot.com/2011/09/tony-c-dance-jerk.html?m=1

A baffling find by you, Captainjames.

[midnightman]

I don't think that's actually Cindy...

[marv2]

I don't think that's actually Cindy...

I don't think so either.

[theboyfromxtown]

Smokey explained this one a long time ago at one of his concerts. A Smokey fan [[Carole) showed him the EP cover and asked him if it was Cindy Birdsong.

I forget the conversation now as it is so long ago but he did confirm that it wasn't Cindy.

[captainjames]

How odd and what a resemblance if its not her.

[captainjames]

I would love to know who Smokey said it was because all indications point to Miss Birdsong.

[luke]

Certainly agree. Maybe they needed a quick pic at the Apollo and Cindy was bein a Blubelle and that's a long time ago for Smokey to remember!

[carole cucumber]

Going from the official heights listed for each : Smokey Robinson is 6' and Cindy Birdsong is 5'6".
In the video of the Smokey Robinson Show [[even with the added height given the Supremes by their wigs) , Smokey is obviously taller than Cindy.
In the cover in question above , there is not the same difference in height between the woman [[assumed to possibly be Cindy) and Smokey Robinson.
The evidence given supports Smokey's assertion that she was not Cindy Birdsong, but it does not answer the question as to the identity of the woman who closely resembles Cindy in the cover photo.

[jobeterob]

Close but no Cindy

[carole cucumber]

Looking again, the original cover photo presents a problem. Has it been doctored in an era pre-photoshop? To me it appears so...
If you look at Smokey's postion [[left arm bent with hand on hip) and then the shadow that appears on the paneling between he and the woman, there is a noticeable difference. For the shadow to appear where it does, the photographer would have to be shooting from the front right of Smokey. And the angle of the shadow should match up with the position/line of Smokey's shoulder to elbow and elbow to hand. But it doesn't .
The difference in angle and lack of straight line from shoulder to elbow on the shadow is quite noticeable. And besides ,the slight bend in the side of the jacket itself is shown as a slanted tug on the shadow.
Hence I now need to rethink my opinion that the woman pictured could not be Cindy merely based on height. I now base it on greater evidence. If the picture has been doctored, a picture of Cindy could have been cleverly juxtaposed and the new composite photo re-photographed and printed.
Smokey may well be right in denying that he took this picture with Cindy Birdsong [[if it is truly she in the cover photo) and he would be correct. He may have, when originally shown the photo by a fan, recalled another person posing with him at the time. It wouldn't suprise me if the photo was shot from the opposite angle and the shadow is that of one of his fellow [[male) Miracles posed in a similar fashion as he, with only a slight individual difference due to the fit of his jacket and his own style of dance movement.

[johnny_raven]

Close but no Cindy

Clever, jobeterob! :)

[StuBass1]

Smokey was my neighbor as a kid growing up. I've played basketball with Smokey and some of his relatives in his backyard and Smokey even guarded me and I can tell you that Smokey is not 6' tall...at least he wasn't back in the 60's...

[jobeterob]

Maybe he botoxed and stretched more than just his face, no disrespect to Smokey; or maybe he grew late

[captainjames]

Smokey was my neighbor as a kid growing up. I've played basketball with Smokey and some of his relatives in his backyard and Smokey even guarded me and I can tell you that Smokey is not 6' tall...at least he wasn't back in the 60's...

I have stood toe to toe with Smoke and we are the same height and I am not 6' tall.

[carole cucumber]

I have stood toe to toe with Smoke and we are the same height and I am not 6' tall.

Thanks for the correction. I went with the first listing I came upon.
I researched further and 2 other websites list Smokey's height as 5'10". Captain James, I hope I am not overstepping boundaries, but are you 5'10" ? Or do these websites also feature incorrect information ?

[carole cucumber]

Funny isn't it how camera angles and floor positions can change one's perspective...

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[marv2]

Thanks for the correction. I went with the first listing I came upon.
I researched further and 2 other websites list Smokey's height as 5'10". Captain James, I hope I am not overstepping boundaries, but are you 5'10" ? Or do these websites also feature incorrect information ?

A lot this information on the internet is incorrect like net worth!

[marv2]

Mr Gordy is shorter than me , I believe he is 5'7". Smokey looks taller because he was always thin, he is about 5'9" -5"10" . Diane is 5'6" and Stevie is at least 6'0".

[marv2]

Mary is 5'5", so how tall would you say Suzanne DePasse is?

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[Bluebrock]

Mr Gordy is shorter than me , I believe he is 5'7". Smokey looks taller because he was always thin, he is about 5'9" -5"10" . Diane is 5'6" and Stevie is at least 6'0".
Diana Ross is not that tall. I worked with her many times in the 90's and she is considerably smaller than that. She looks taller when she wears heels and the big wig but without them I would put her height at no more than 5ft 2". I recall her complaining how she always wore heels to make her look taller but she admitted that heels played havoc with her feet and she tried to avaoid wearing them because of this.

[captainjames]

Thanks for the correction. I went with the first listing I came upon.
I researched further and 2 other websites list Smokey's height as 5'10". Captain James, I hope I am not overstepping boundaries, but are you 5'10" ? Or do these websites also feature incorrect information ?

That would be correct I am 5' 10"

[milven]

I wonder how far out Smokey grows his fingernails before he trims them

[jobucats]

Diana Ross is not that tall. I worked with her many times in the 90's and she is considerably smaller than that. She looks taller when she wears heels and the big wig but without them I would put her height at no more than 5ft 2". I recall her complaining how she always wore heels to make her look taller but she admitted that heels played havoc with her feet and she tried to avaoid wearing them because of this.
Just to add to the height issue:
I had a fan newsletter back in the 60s that stated that Mary was 5'5", Diana 5'5 1/2", and Florence was 5"7". I am not saying that the source was gospel, I'm just adding my 2 cents worth.
Another thing to consider is that some people, as they age, experience a decrease in their height. At the height of my life [[LOL), I was almost 6'. Now I am barely 5'10".

[luke]

Ditto jobucats though I am now 5 foot 10 and a half so watch yourself ! :)

[Bluebrock]

Just to add to the height issue:
I had a fan newsletter back in the 60s that stated that Mary was 5'5", Diana 5'5 1/2", and Florence was 5"7". I am not saying that the source was gospel, I'm just adding my 2 cents worth.
Another thing to consider is that some people, as they age, experience a decrease in their height. At the height of my life [[LOL), I was almost 6'. Now I am barely 5'10".
Well I can only speak as I find. One of my colleagues had her photo taken with Diana in 1992. She was 5ft 4" and was without doubt a little taller than Diana who wasn't wearing heels at the time. Whenever she was rehearsing she would wear comfy flat shoes but when the actual recordings of the shows took place she wore her heels and looked taller as a result. I guess it isn't really that important how tall she is in view of current world events but no way was she anywhere near 5ft 5" or 6".

[luke]

But what about Cynthia Ann Birdsong??

[markdtiller]

Is it not Claudette?

[marv2]

But what about Cynthia Ann Birdsong??

I am going to guess and say she is about 5'6" just very slightly taller than Mary Wilson.

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[luke]

Thanks. Has Jean been the tallest Supreme?

[marv2]

Thanks. Has Jean been the tallest Supreme?

It's a toss up between Jean and Florence , but I'd give Jean the edge. She was slightly taller than Mary and Cindy. Now it makes me laugh when I think of how people would say that Mary towered over Scherrie and Susaye! LOL!

[luke]

That is pretty funny.

[BigAl]

It would not surprise me if Susaye, vocal abilities notwithstanding, might have been chosen precisely because, like Scherrie, she was diminutive, thus putting the visual focus on Mary.

As for the original premise of this thread, I'll agree that the lady in the photo does bear a remarkable resemblance to Cindy, but I suspect it probably isn't she. Cindy had shapelier gams!

[marv2]

It would not surprise me if Susaye, vocal abilities notwithstanding, might have been chosen precisely because, like Scherrie, she was diminutive, thus putting the visual focus on Mary.

As for the original premise of this thread, I'll agree that the lady in the photo does bear a remarkable resemblance to Cindy, but I suspect it probably isn't she. Cindy had shapelier gams!

Cindy was a Bad Mama Jama! LOL!!!