https://variety.com/2021/music/news/...ew-1234906696/
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Cindy had been with The Supremes for two years and seven months when Diana left; she was not brand-new, as Ms. Wilson seems to suggest. And I understand that Ms. Wilson was frustrated when Cindy had to be replaced two times, but that's what she asked for when she decided to be the "lead" Supreme and guide the group's future. Her dismissive attitude in this interview was uncharacteristic, but maybe it shows what she felt, truly, about both Cindy and Diana when her guard was down.
I've noticed this is something both Mary and Diana have done over the years, they have both referred to Cindy as a stand-in/sub several times as if they expected Flo to come back lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by benross
When Diana left, both she and Mary had been Supremes for nine years; eleven if you count the Primettes. At two years, Cindy was brand new. Neither she nor Diana ever looked at the post Flo Supremes as anything but replacement Supremes, based off of what they've said over the years. Not that "replacement" is negative or derogatory, just factual. To Mary and Diana, the Supremes were the two of them and Florence. Cindy's legacy benefitted from having sung with both Mary and Diana, and of course when talk of a reunion arose, it would make sense for Diana to sing with the living Supremes she had performed and recorded with [[aside from Barbara, of course).
Reading the interview I didn't feel Mary was dismissive of Cindy at all. Cindy had two years of Supremes-dom under her belt. She may not have been "brand new", but she was certainly fairly new. When discussing it 40 years later, two years in retrospect probably would seem brand new, to both Mary and Cindy, if she were probably asked.
Diana once publicly said that, but I think she was thinking about the first time Flo was "fired". I can't imagine either of the remaining Supremes believed Flo was coming back- or wanted her to come back, quiet as it might be kept- after that final firing. But I think in their hearts if the original trio could've stayed together longer, they would have preferred it that way. From the way I've heard them [[and read them) talking about the group, Diana and Mary consider themselves, along with Florence, as the Supremes. They're appreciative of the other ladies, probably most especially Cindy, but it was their work with Flo, both before the fame and once they became famous, that set the trajectory of the group. It has to be hard to see any of the other ladies in the same light.Quote:
Originally Posted by floyjoy678
Of course, Mary and Diana did not look at Cindy the same way they looked at Florence. She didn't start the group with them. Even Cindy herself acknowledged herself as the new girl when Jean joined and that she no longer was the new one but that she wasn't replacing Diana Ross. I don't see Mary as dismissive. She just look at the originators differently. Mary had written in her books that Cindy was reliable, always there when she needed her and that many people would ask her where is that Birdsong girl at? Mary seemed to always look fondly at Cindy, that she was a good friend when she needed her and she was also the only Supreme like Mary who worked with Diana, Jean and Scherrie. I don't think Mary ever made the same statement that Diana did that they were all waiting for Blondie to come back. Mary has stated she knew Motown wouldn't be behind Florence rejoining the group.
Quote:
Originally Posted by benross
Mary had many legitimate ways of looking at Supremes group members. The original trio, and everyone else. of course as each new member joined in the 70s, Mary did everything she could to get the public to embrace the new girl as an official, wonderful, Supreme Supreme . However, she felt differently when it came to RTL. Then, only Diana Mary and Cindy were Supremes. And I don’t blame her. By 1966, Mary wasn’t friends with any Supremes ever. The dynamic changed, it became about business, and increasing on each year, each group member became a means to an end. We know that there was a lot turmoil in each grouping, and there was no way to really be friends all that they could certainly be cordial and enjoy each other from time to time. Luckily for Mary, she had more good friends than anyone I have ever known. And they were not people that she did business with. I don’t think she ever felt any genuine warmth towards Cindy, at least Cindy never felt it. Cindy arrived in a power struggle, left in a power struggle, returned in a power struggle and was subsequently fired from a power struggle. It’s the nature of the beast. Since Cindy has become ill, I think Mary appreciated her more. I don’t know how Mary felt about Diana at the end, but, months before, she wasn’t all warm and fuzzy. And basically all of the above it’s not that much different than I feel Diana must have felt. You start out having fun with friends, find a modicum of success, the success blows up to unbelievable heights and from then on you’re scrambling. Mary never treated or thought of the other Supremes as equals. This is not a criticism, merely observation and it’s quite understandable. I don’t think Mary understood that much of what she held against Diana, she was kind of being the same way. I think the pain of losing Florence was such that Mary never allowed herself to be in that position again.