Cindy Birdsong on Atlantic?

[luke]

A number of books have said one reason Cindy did not join the Supremes immediately after her Hollywood Bowl performance with them was that she was still under contract to the Bluebelles and that apparently Motown realized this after the Hollywood Bowl--seems a bit odd Motown didnt know this. Was she under contract to the group-- and to Atlantic records where they recorded in 1967? Could she perform with the Supremes but not record with them?How was she able to do the Hollywood Bowl if their were contract issues? Did Motown pay to get her out of her contracts?[[Diana said in an Oprah interview they were hoping Florence was coming back but I assume that wasnt really accurate).

[jobeterob]

I don't know why you'd assume it was inaccurate that they wanted Florence back. If she could get herself together, why wouldn't they want her back.

I recently read online that Cindy Birdsong is not in great health and unable to perform or if she can perform, she can't tour.

Is that true?

[marv2]

A number of books have said one reason Cindy did not join the Supremes immediately after her Hollywood Bowl performance with them was that she was still under contract to the Bluebelles and that apparently Motown realized this after the Hollywood Bowl--seems a bit odd Motown didnt know this. Was she under contract to the group-- and to Atlantic records where they recorded in 1967? Could she perform with the Supremes but not record with them?How was she able to do the Hollywood Bowl if their were contract issues? Did Motown pay to get her out of her contracts?[[Diana said in an Oprah interview they were hoping Florence was coming back but I assume that wasnt really accurate).

They were not hoping that Florence was coming back into the group. We all know the story of how and why she was fired from the group; we all know now how every little slip up she made on the road was reported back to Gordy and by whom!

Now, I do believe that Cindy and the Bluebelles were under a recording contract with Atlantic Records at the time. I don't know if that included a performance contract restricting her from moonlighting.

[reese]

In his notes for the Ichiban Bluebelles collection, David Nathan wrote that Cindy's name appeared on Atlantic session logs well into 1968, although she obviously wasn't there.

[luke]

Could she have laid down some Bluebelle vocals even though she was going to join the Supremes? Though Ive always had the sense the Bluebelles and her were estranged as soon as he took off for Detroit meeting.

[captainjames]

Actually after the things that have been said and have went down over the years and with some of the comments that were said during that time I can see where Mary and Diana were hoping Flo would come back. In fact I can even see Berry telling them if she gets her s*^% together then she can come back. No one probably knew Berry's plan but Berry. I wonder when did Mary actually started training her all the dance steps.

[jillfoster]

In his notes for the Ichiban Bluebelles collection, David Nathan wrote that Cindy's name appeared on Atlantic session logs well into 1968, although she obviously wasn't there.
That's why session logs pertaining to ANDANTES can't be assumed to be gospel, either.

[theboyfromxtown]

Have you guys seen this old clip of Cindy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQJG-36krgk

[JimBagley]

Have you guys seen this old clip of Cindy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQJG-36krgk


Yes I have, but thank you for posting it.

[Methuselah2]

Tbfxt - Loved the clip. Just wonderful. Thanks so much for posting. Looked like it was from The Mike Douglas Show. And the outfits and backdrop matched! A great period-piece, I'd say.

[marv2]

That's why session logs pertaining to ANDANTES can't be assumed to be gospel, either.

BAM! Now there you go! I have always said [[along with some others......) that the Andantes were used as instrumentation along the same lines as the Funk Brothers. They recorded so many songs [[usually demos) that there is no way they could know which ones were released. Also, they may believe that they were on certain records but were NOT. It is completely understandable. I betcha the bulk of what they recorded were used as demos to teach the artists the songs when they came in from the road.

[marv2]

Tbfxt - Loved the clip. Just wonderful. Thanks so much for posting. Looked like it was from The Mike Douglas Show. And the outfits and backdrop matched! A great period-piece, I'd say.

No it was actually a weekly R&B music program out of Texas called "The Beat!". This clip is from 1966. Many popular Soul artist appeared on it during it's brief run.

[marv2]

This is actually from the Brooklyn Fox in 1965:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTkdPCfu6sQ

[marv2]

Actually after the things that have been said and have went down over the years and with some of the comments that were said during that time I can see where Mary and Diana were hoping Flo would come back. In fact I can even see Berry telling them if she gets her s*^% together then she can come back. No one probably knew Berry's plan but Berry. I wonder when did Mary actually started training her all the dance steps.

You must have missed something, a chapter or just misunderstood something. When the meeting was called at Berry Gordy's house, Florence Ballard was FIRED! Diane was smiling and giddy when she welcomed Cindy Birdsong into the room they were meeting in after Florence and her mother were ushered out of the house. NO ONE was hoping Florence would come back. Who do you think sent Mike Roshkind to the Northland Inn in Southfield to meet with Florence to get her to sign those papers? HA!

[franjoy56]

I could see why Patti Labelle was upset with Cindy leaving, her exit upset the makeup and sound of the group even though Cindy's voice wasn't overwhelming it certainly was a part of the three part harmony behind Patti. Is there a performance of Patti, NOna, and Sarah before they became Labelle, you could probably see the difference.

[REDHOT]

No,no one was hopin' Florence would come back,as far as Berry Gordy ,Florence was gone for good,i'm sure Diana felt the same way Berry felt,and maybe even Mary,Florence really did it to herself,i could be wrong,but i alway thought Florence wanted out of The Supremes,and she gave them[[Diana Berry,even Mary)good reasons to put her out
Please stay positive

[luke]

Florence had said she did not want to leave the group, but she gave up 7/67. And can you imagine how rattled she got with Cindy there taking notes??Sooooo disrepectful.

[davidh]

i read some notes regarding the 1967 Greatest Hits album. with the loss of Florence and HDH motown management felt that te Supremes would not recover and that they were going to release the HITS album and Reflections would be the last single. they were considering a farewell tour and bringing Florence back for the tour and then pushing Diana out as a solo. for whatever reason, diana stayed with the Supremes and Cindy stayed. the Greatest Hits was released with Standing In the Crossroads as it's replacement.

[Roberta75]

Florence had said she did not want to leave the group, but she gave up 7/67. And can you imagine how rattled she got with Cindy there taking notes??Sooooo disrepectful.

Were you in the theater with Florence or sitting in the audience with Cindy? You are real fortunate to be an eye witness to all of this or did Marv Wilson tell you this?

Roberta

[stephanie]

I always thought it was strange on Oprah when Diana said we all thought "Blondie was coming back"..I guess she may have been put on some kind of probation.

[misty]

Wow, marv2 - what an awesome video. I used to see them all the time at the Regal in Chicago so it brought back great memories. Like when Patti used to build a song instead oversinging straight out the box. Thanks!

[marv2]

Were you in the theater with Florence or sitting in the audience with Cindy? You are real fortunate to be an eye witness to all of this or did Marv Wilson tell you this?

Roberta

Nah, Cindy Birdsong told us. Florence confirmed it in one of her taped interviews.

[marv2]

Wow, marv2 - what an awesome video. I used to see them all the time at the Regal in Chicago so it brought back great memories. Like when Patti used to build a song instead oversinging straight out the box. Thanks!

Misty, you were so lucky! Although we use to travel to Chicago during that era to visit relatives, I was a kid and could not go to the Regal. My parents and my uncles and aunts did go to many of the shows there.

Patti was awesome at such a young age. We must remember, these young women did not have any formal training prior to entering show business professionally.

[skooldem1]

Mary was so two faced in this whole ordeal. It's a shame she did that to Florence.

[rod_rick]

Mary was so two faced in this whole ordeal. It's a shame she did that to Florence.

That wasn't two faced on Mary's part, that was survival. All Flo had to do was get her act together and toe the line with Gordy which she Flo chose not to do. Flo felt she was wronged and had too much pride to go with the program set fourth by Gordy.

[REDHOT]

No one was waiting for Florence to come back to The Supremes,Florence was gone for good,[[how sad)maybe Diana forgot about everything,like it or not,Florence was really messing things up,they[[Diana Mary,and Berry)gave Florence many chances to clean up her act,[[she didn't)like it or not,they[[Diana Mary,and Berry) had to let her go,maybe it was wrong the way Berry Gordy did it,but it was the right thing to do,Cindy Birdsong was the best replacement,Cindy was a super SUPREME lol
Please stay positive

[jobeterob]

After leaving the Supremes, Birdsong worked as a nurse at UCLA Medical Center under her married name of Cindy Hewlett, and then went to work for Suzanne de Passe at Motown Records. In 1987, Birdsong returned to singing, and released the single "Dancing Room" on Hi-Hat Records. Other songs were demoed, but none released. These songs included "Ready For You", "Check It Out", "Talk is Cheap", and "Anatomy".

In 1983, Birdsong joined fellow former Supremes Mary Wilson and Diana Ross in a one-off reunion on the Motown 25 anniversary television special. She was an original member of the Former Ladies of the Supremes along with Jean Terrell and Scherrie Payne but left to pursue a solo career in singing. Once again, she was replaced by Lynda Laurence in the group. In 1999, she reunited with the Bluebelles, who changed their name to Labelle after Birdsong's departure, for the first time in thirty-two years as the group accepted an R&B Foundation Award for Lifetime Achievement singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" together. In 2004, Birdsong joined former Supreme Mary Wilson and Kelly Rowland [[of Destiny's Child) to perform a medley of Supreme hits for the Motown 45 anniversary television special. Today, Cindy is divorced and a minister in the Los Angeles area. She is currently writing her memoirs, Secrets of a Songbird, to be published in 2012.

[franjoy56]

After leaving the Supremes, Birdsong worked as a nurse at UCLA Medical Center under her married name of Cindy Hewlett, and then went to work for Suzanne de Passe at Motown Records. In 1987, Birdsong returned to singing, and released the single "Dancing Room" on Hi-Hat Records. Other songs were demoed, but none released. These songs included "Ready For You", "Check It Out", "Talk is Cheap", and "Anatomy".

In 1983, Birdsong joined fellow former Supremes Mary Wilson and Diana Ross in a one-off reunion on the Motown 25 anniversary television special. She was an original member of the Former Ladies of the Supremes along with Jean Terrell and Scherrie Payne but left to pursue a solo career in singing. Once again, she was replaced by Lynda Laurence in the group. In 1999, she reunited with the Bluebelles, who changed their name to Labelle after Birdsong's departure, for the first time in thirty-two years as the group accepted an R&B Foundation Award for Lifetime Achievement singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" together. In 2004, Birdsong joined former Supreme Mary Wilson and Kelly Rowland [[of Destiny's Child) to perform a medley of Supreme hits for the Motown 45 anniversary television special. Today, Cindy is divorced and a minister in the Los Angeles area. She is currently writing her memoirs, Secrets of a Songbird, to be published in 2012.

Jobete, do you have any new information on the Birdsong memoirs, i think this book will be the ultimate spiritual or tell all book from Cindy's point of fe and she certainly deserves to tell her story as she seen it from the Bluebells to the Supremes, she must have seen it all.

[jobeterob]

That came from Wikipedia; I was surprised at the memoir portion.

I believe Bankhouse Dave who used to post on SD, had talked to Cindy about a book, but I'm not sure she was interested.

I saw, I think on Youtube, recently that Cindy isn't well enough to perform anymore. And I know nothing about that either. It was a bit of a disappointment because while I think a tour of the Supremes with Diana Ross died 10 years ago, I hoped they might one day do a song, like Destiny's Child just did. Perhaps that is not possible now even.