Cindy Birdsong
Encyclopedia
Cynthia Ann "Cindy" Birdsong (born December 15, 1939), better known by her stage name, Cindy Birdsong, is an American
singer, most famous for singing with the legendary soul groups Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles
and The Supremes
.
for a duration of her childhood, the family returned to New Jersey settling in Camden
. Birdsong set on sights being a nurse attending college in Pennsylvania, returning to Philadelphia, where she was contacted by a longtime friend, Patsy Holt
, to replace another member of her group, Sundray Tucker in the group, The Ordettes, in 1960. At twenty years of age, Birdsong was the oldest member of the group with the remainder of the group still in their mid-teens.
and The Delfonics
, got their first deal with Harold Robinson's Newtown Records. After almost rejecting the group due to him not being initially impressed with the looks of Patsy Holt before Holt and the group sang to him during an audition, which prompted Robinson to change his mind, signing the group and changing the name of both the group (into The Blue Belles, based from a Newtown subsidiary, Blue Belle Records) and Holt's own name, from Patsy Holt to Patti LaBelle. The group had their first hit with "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman
" in 1962 though LaBelle wrote in her memoirs that the song was actually recorded by The Starlets
. When the controversy over the song winded down, the group found a hit with the ballad, "Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)
". Birdsong was noted for her high soprano
vocals in the background.
From 1963 until 1967, The Blue Belles, later Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles, found relative success on the charts and were raved for their live performances. After first performing at the Apollo Theater
in 1961, the group became regular headliners at the world-famous venue, earning the nickname, The Sweethearts of the Apollo. Following the success of "Down the Aisle", the group would have follow-up success with "You'll Never Walk Alone
" and "Danny Boy
" before leaving their second label, Cameo-Parkway
, for a more lucrative deal with Atlantic Records
. Birdsong first met The Supremes
when the group opened for them in 1963. Patti LaBelle has noted that a rivalry between the two groups developed after the Supremes were seen in the same store LaBelle and her band members were, shopping for clothes for performances. Group members reportedly were angry when the Supremes were shown in the same outfit that they wore. The group would also befriend a fellow Motown alum and Philly native, Tammi Terrell
during that same period. The Blue Belles had some success after joining Atlantic in 1965, recording two relatively successful albums, 1966's Over the Rainbow and 1967's Dreamer scoring modest charted singles such as "All or Nothing", "Take Me a Little While" and "I'm Still Waiting".
Starting in 1967, Birdsong began to appear as a stand-in vocalist for Supremes founder Florence Ballard
when Ballard's bout with alcoholism had caused her to miss important gigs. In July 1967, Birdsong abruptly left the Bluebelles to join The Supremes as Ballard's official replacement. Birdsong said that the remaining Bluebelles were angry with her for not telling them about joining the Supremes and refused to talk to her for years. Later, as the group changed their name to Labelle and embraced funk and rock music, they would record member Nona Hendryx's composition, "(Can I Speak To You Before You Go To) Hollywood", which was allegedly based on Birdsong. Birdsong and lead singer Patti LaBelle repaired their friendship in the early 1980s after Birdsong appeared at one of LaBelle's sold-out, standing-room concerts. In 1999, Birdsong and the other Blue Belles received a Pioneer Award from the R&B Foundation and were honored by Lauryn Hill
.
, live album tracks, and some studio LP tracks, Birdsong and fellow member Mary Wilson
did not sing backing vocals
on the group's later singles. Session singer
s The Andantes
substituted for Mary and Cindy on many, although not on all, cuts in subsequent Diana Ross & the Supremes albums. Both the Let the Sunshine In album and the Cream of the Crop
album include tracks on which Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong sing back-up, often in tandem with the Andantes. However, Cindy can be heard doing a brief solo during "Let the Sunshine In
" on their Farewell performance.
replaced Diana Ross
as lead singer of The Supremes. In the new group, both Mary and Cindy's voices were heard more prominently, including the three albums the group recorded with the Four Tops
. The same year, Birdsong married Charles Hewlett. Birdsong continued to perform with the Supremes when she became pregnant
with her son, David, Birdsong officially leaving the Supremes in April 1972, after completing the Floy Joy album's recording sessions.
Her replacement, Lynda Laurence
, who is Sundray Tucker
's sister, had already joined Mary Wilson and Jean Terrell onstage and on the Floy Joy album cover, as Birdsong's pregnancy became visible. After a brief hiatus, Birdsong returned to the Supremes in late 1973, replacing a pregnant Laurence. Birdsong remained with the Supremes until she retired in February 1976, frustrated with her dealings with Mary Wilson and Wilson's then-husband, Pedro Ferrer, who was serving as the group's manager
. During that period, Birdsong contributed to two albums: The Supremes (1975) and High Energy (1976). During this time-frame, Cindy recorded lead vocals on a version of "High Energy," however her version has not been found. Although Birdsong is vocally present on the entire High Energy album, her replacement Susaye Greene
, whose voice is only heard on the title song, appears on the album cover
.
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 divorce
d and a minister in the Los Angeles
area. She is currently writing her memoirs, to be published in 2012.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, most famous for singing with the legendary soul groups Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles
Labelle
Labelle is an American all female singing group who were a popular vocal group of the 1960s and 1970s. The group was formed after the disbanding of two rival girl groups in the Philadelphia/Trenton areas, the Ordettes and the Del-Capris, forming as a new version of the former group, later changing...
and The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
.
Early life
Birdsong was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey in December 1939 to parents Lloyd Birdsong, Sr. and Annie Birdsong. After living in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
for a duration of her childhood, the family returned to New Jersey settling in Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
. Birdsong set on sights being a nurse attending college in Pennsylvania, returning to Philadelphia, where she was contacted by a longtime friend, Patsy Holt
Patti LaBelle
Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards , better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry...
, to replace another member of her group, Sundray Tucker in the group, The Ordettes, in 1960. At twenty years of age, Birdsong was the oldest member of the group with the remainder of the group still in their mid-teens.
Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles
In 1961, after a year performing in jubilees, sock hops and school functions, the Ordettes, then managed by respected music manager Bernard Montague, who later managed several other Philadelphia-based groups such as The StylisticsThe Stylistics
The Stylistics are a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. They formed in 1968, and were composed of lead Russell Thompkins, Jr., Herbie Murrell, Airrion Love, James Smith, and James Dunn. All of their US hits were ballads, graced by the...
and The Delfonics
The Delfonics
The Delfonics are a pioneering Philadelphia soul singing group, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Their most notable hits include "La-La ", "Didn't I ", "Break Your Promise," "I'm Sorry," and "Ready or Not Here I Come "...
, got their first deal with Harold Robinson's Newtown Records. After almost rejecting the group due to him not being initially impressed with the looks of Patsy Holt before Holt and the group sang to him during an audition, which prompted Robinson to change his mind, signing the group and changing the name of both the group (into The Blue Belles, based from a Newtown subsidiary, Blue Belle Records) and Holt's own name, from Patsy Holt to Patti LaBelle. The group had their first hit with "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman
I Sold My Heart to the Junkman
"I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" is a 1962 hit single by The Blue Belles, written by Jimmie Thomas. The song is notable for having been originally recorded by another group and conflicting schedules leading the future Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles group to claim the song as their own...
" in 1962 though LaBelle wrote in her memoirs that the song was actually recorded by The Starlets
The Starlets
The Starlets were an American girl group from Chicago, Illinois.The group came together in 1961, and auditioned for a Chicago songwriter, Bernice Williams. Williams wrote them the tune "Better Tell Him No", which was released on Pam Records that year. The record peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot...
. When the controversy over the song winded down, the group found a hit with the ballad, "Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)
Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)
"Down the Aisle " is a doo-wop ballad recorded and released by girl group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles in 1963. The song became a hit success for the Philadelphia-based vocal group following the controversial release of their "debut hit", 1962's "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman".-Background:By...
". Birdsong was noted for her high soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
vocals in the background.
From 1963 until 1967, The Blue Belles, later Patti LaBelle and The Bluebelles, found relative success on the charts and were raved for their live performances. After first performing at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
in 1961, the group became regular headliners at the world-famous venue, earning the nickname, The Sweethearts of the Apollo. Following the success of "Down the Aisle", the group would have follow-up success with "You'll Never Walk Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone
You'll Never Walk Alone is a song from the musical Carousel, a pop standard and football club anthem, for example that of Liverpool F.C.You'll Never Walk Alone may also refer to:* You'll Never Walk Alone , studio album...
" and "Danny Boy
Danny Boy
-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" before leaving their second label, Cameo-Parkway
Cameo-Parkway Records
Cameo-Parkway Records was the parent company of Cameo Records and Parkway Records, which were major American Philadelphia-based record labels from 1956 and 1958 to 1967...
, for a more lucrative deal with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
. Birdsong first met The Supremes
The Supremes
The Supremes, an American female singing group, were the premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s.Originally founded as The Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, The Supremes' repertoire included doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelic soul, and disco...
when the group opened for them in 1963. Patti LaBelle has noted that a rivalry between the two groups developed after the Supremes were seen in the same store LaBelle and her band members were, shopping for clothes for performances. Group members reportedly were angry when the Supremes were shown in the same outfit that they wore. The group would also befriend a fellow Motown alum and Philly native, Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
during that same period. The Blue Belles had some success after joining Atlantic in 1965, recording two relatively successful albums, 1966's Over the Rainbow and 1967's Dreamer scoring modest charted singles such as "All or Nothing", "Take Me a Little While" and "I'm Still Waiting".
Starting in 1967, Birdsong began to appear as a stand-in vocalist for Supremes founder Florence Ballard
Florence Ballard
Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown group The Supremes. From 1963 until 1967, Ballard sang on 16 Top 40 hit Supremes' singles, ten of which hit number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1967, Motown CEO Berry Gordy decided to remove Ballard from...
when Ballard's bout with alcoholism had caused her to miss important gigs. In July 1967, Birdsong abruptly left the Bluebelles to join The Supremes as Ballard's official replacement. Birdsong said that the remaining Bluebelles were angry with her for not telling them about joining the Supremes and refused to talk to her for years. Later, as the group changed their name to Labelle and embraced funk and rock music, they would record member Nona Hendryx's composition, "(Can I Speak To You Before You Go To) Hollywood", which was allegedly based on Birdsong. Birdsong and lead singer Patti LaBelle repaired their friendship in the early 1980s after Birdsong appeared at one of LaBelle's sold-out, standing-room concerts. In 1999, Birdsong and the other Blue Belles received a Pioneer Award from the R&B Foundation and were honored by Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
.
Diana Ross & the Supremes (1967–1970)
For her first two and a half years as a Supreme, listeners did not hear Birdsong's voice on most of The Supremes' newest singles. Except for featured backgrounds on several collaborations with The TemptationsThe Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
, live album tracks, and some studio LP tracks, Birdsong and fellow member Mary Wilson
Mary Wilson (singer)
Mary Wilson is an American singer, formerlymember of the Motown female singing group The Supremes during the 1960s and 1970s. Wilson was the only singer to be a consistent member of the group in its eighteen-year tenure...
did not sing backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
on the group's later singles. Session singer
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s The Andantes
The Andantes
The Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
substituted for Mary and Cindy on many, although not on all, cuts in subsequent Diana Ross & the Supremes albums. Both the Let the Sunshine In album and the Cream of the Crop
Cream of the Crop
Cream of the Crop is a 1969 album recorded by Diana Ross & the Supremes for the Motown label, the final regular Supremes studio album to feature lead singer Diana Ross...
album include tracks on which Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong sing back-up, often in tandem with the Andantes. However, Cindy can be heard doing a brief solo during "Let the Sunshine In
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" is a medley of two songs written for the 1967 musical Hair by James Rado & Gerome Ragni , and Galt MacDermot , released as a single by The 5th Dimension. The song peaked at number one for six weeks on the U.S...
" on their Farewell performance.
Post Diana Ross & the Supremes (1970–1972; 1973–1976)
In 1970, Jean TerrellJean Terrell
Jean Terrell is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in January 1970.-Early life and career:...
replaced Diana Ross
Diana Ross
Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, record producer, and actress. Ross was lead singer of the Motown group The Supremes during the 1960s. After leaving the group in 1970, Ross began a solo career that included successful ventures into film and Broadway...
as lead singer of The Supremes. In the new group, both Mary and Cindy's voices were heard more prominently, including the three albums the group recorded with the Four Tops
Four Tops
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
. The same year, Birdsong married Charles Hewlett. Birdsong continued to perform with the Supremes when she became pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
with her son, David, Birdsong officially leaving the Supremes in April 1972, after completing the Floy Joy album's recording sessions.
Her replacement, Lynda Laurence
Lynda Laurence
Lynda Laurence is an American singer. She is best known for being a part of two Motown acts: Stevie Wonder's backup group Wonderlove, and one of the post-Diana Ross versions of The Supremes...
, who is Sundray Tucker
Sundray Tucker
Sundray Tucker is an American singer. She is the eldest daughter of the late Ira Tucker and Louise Tucker...
's sister, had already joined Mary Wilson and Jean Terrell onstage and on the Floy Joy album cover, as Birdsong's pregnancy became visible. After a brief hiatus, Birdsong returned to the Supremes in late 1973, replacing a pregnant Laurence. Birdsong remained with the Supremes until she retired in February 1976, frustrated with her dealings with Mary Wilson and Wilson's then-husband, Pedro Ferrer, who was serving as the group's manager
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
. During that period, Birdsong contributed to two albums: The Supremes (1975) and High Energy (1976). During this time-frame, Cindy recorded lead vocals on a version of "High Energy," however her version has not been found. Although Birdsong is vocally present on the entire High Energy album, her replacement Susaye Greene
Susaye Greene
Susaye Greene , is an African-American singer, best known for being the last official member to join Motown girl group The Supremes, remaining in the group during its final years of existence from 1976 to 1977.-Early life and career:...
, whose voice is only heard on the title song, appears on the album cover
Album cover
An album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
.
Later career
After leaving the Supremes, Birdsong worked as a nurse at UCLA Medical CenterRonald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
The Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is a hospital located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles in Los Angeles, California....
under her married name of Cindy Hewlett, and then went to work for Suzanne de Passe
Suzanne de Passe
Suzanne de Passe is an American television, music and film producer. As well as the Co-Chairman of de Passe Jones Entertainment Group-Career:Suzanne began her career at Motown as Creative Assistant to company founder, Berry Gordy...
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
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever is a 1983 television special produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown Records, to commemorate Motown's twenty-fifth year of existence. Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever is a 1983 television special produced by Suzanne de Passe for Motown Records, to...
anniversary television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
special. She was an original member of the Former Ladies of the Supremes
Former Ladies of the Supremes
The Former Ladies of the Supremes, or FLOS, is a singing group that was formed by former Supremes members Jean Terrell, Lynda Laurence and Scherrie Payne, in 1986...
along with Jean Terrell
Jean Terrell
Jean Terrell is an American R&B and jazz singer. She replaced Diana Ross as the lead singer of The Supremes in January 1970.-Early life and career:...
and Scherrie Payne
Scherrie Payne
Scherrie Payne is an American singer. The younger sister of singer/actress Freda Payne, Scherrie Payne was the co-lead singer of The Supremes from 1973 to 1977, after Jean Terrell left the group in the fall of 1973...
but left to pursue a solo career in singing. Once again, she was replaced by Lynda Laurence
Lynda Laurence
Lynda Laurence is an American singer. She is best known for being a part of two Motown acts: Stevie Wonder's backup group Wonderlove, and one of the post-Diana Ross versions of The Supremes...
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
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene "Kelly" Rowland is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and television personality. She rose to fame as one of the founding members of the American girl group Destiny's Child...
(of Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
) to perform a medley of Supreme hits for the Motown 45 anniversary television special. Today, Cindy is divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
d and a minister in the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
area. She is currently writing her memoirs, to be published in 2012.
Personal life
Cindy married Charles Hewlett in August, 1970 in San Francisco. In attendance were then singing partners Jean Terrell and Mary Wilson. This was Birdsong's first marriage and Hewlett's second. Birdsong filed for divorce in March, 1975 citing "irreconcilable differences". The couple have one son, David, born in 1972.Kidnapping
On December 2, 1969, Birdsong was kidnapped while returning to her apartment with her then-boyfriend (later husband) Charles Hewlett and their friend, Howard Meak. The intruder, yielding a knife, forced Birdsong to tie up the two, then forced her downstairs into her car. Birdsong managed to unlock the car door and jump out of the car onto the highway to safety. Four days later, on December 6, 1969, Charles Collier, a maintenance man at Birdsong's apartment, contacted police and turned himself in. It is unclear what Collier's intentions were.Albums
- 1963 Sweethearts of the Apollo
- 1963 Sleigh Bells, Jingle Bells & Bluebelles
- 1965 On Stage
- 1966 Over the Rainbow
- 1967 Dreamer
Singles
- 1962 "I Sold My Heart to the JunkmanI Sold My Heart to the Junkman"I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" is a 1962 hit single by The Blue Belles, written by Jimmie Thomas. The song is notable for having been originally recorded by another group and conflicting schedules leading the future Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles group to claim the song as their own...
" - 1962 "I Found a New Love"
- 1962 "Tear After Tear"
- 1963 "Cool Water"
- 1963 "Decatur Street"
- 1963 "Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)"Down the Aisle " is a doo-wop ballad recorded and released by girl group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles in 1963. The song became a hit success for the Philadelphia-based vocal group following the controversial release of their "debut hit", 1962's "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman".-Background:By...
" - 1964 "You'll Never Walk AloneYou'll Never Walk AloneYou'll Never Walk Alone is a song from the musical Carousel, a pop standard and football club anthem, for example that of Liverpool F.C.You'll Never Walk Alone may also refer to:* You'll Never Walk Alone , studio album...
" - 1964 "One Phone Call (Will Do)"
- 1964 "Danny BoyDanny Boy-Background:The words to "Danny Boy" were written by English lawyer and lyricist Frederic Weatherly in 1910. Although the lyrics were originally written for a different tune, Weatherly modified them to fit the "Londonderry Air" in 1913, after his sister-in-law in the U.S. sent him a copy. Ernestine...
" - 1965 "All or Nothing"
- 1966 "Over the RainbowOver the Rainbow"Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...
" - 1966 "Ebb Tide"
- 1966 "I'm Still WaitingI'm Still Waiting (Curtis Mayfield song)"I'm Still Waiting" is a Curtis Mayfield composition notable for its recording by post-doo-wop era Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. Mayfield also recorded his version of it with The Impressions...
" - 1966 "Take Me for a Little While"
- 1967 "Always Something There to Remind Me(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" Always Something There to Remind Me" is a song written in the 1960s by songwriting team Burt Bacharach and Hal David.-First charting versions:...
" - 1967 "Dreamer"
- 1967 "Oh My Love"
Albums
- 1968 Reflections
- 1968 Live at London's Talk of the TownLive at London's Talk of the TownLive at London's Talk of the Town is a 1968 live album released by Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. This performance marked the first time that new member Cindy Birdsong had performed overseas with original Supremes Diana Ross and Mary Wilson, a year after original founding member...
- 1968 Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl"Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl"Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl" is a 1968 cover album of songs from the Broadway musical Funny Girl, released by Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label...
- 1968 Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The TemptationsDiana Ross & the Supremes Join the TemptationsDiana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations is, as the title implies, a collaborative album combining Motown's two best selling groups, Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations. Issued by Motown in late 1968 to coincide with the broadcast of the Supremes/Temptations TCB television special,...
- 1968 Love Child
- 1968 TCB
- 1969 Let the Sunshine In
- 1969 Together
- 1969 Cream of the CropCream of the CropCream of the Crop is a 1969 album recorded by Diana Ross & the Supremes for the Motown label, the final regular Supremes studio album to feature lead singer Diana Ross...
- 1969 G.I.T. on BroadwayG.I.T. on BroadwayG.I.T. on Broadway was a 1969 live television special produced by Motown Productions and George Schlatter-Ed Friendly Productions. The special, a follow-up to 1968's successful TCB program, was a musical revue starring Motown's two most popular groups at the time, Diana Ross & the Supremes and The...
- 1970 Farewell
Singles
- 1968 "I'm Gonna Make You Love MeI'm Gonna Make You Love Me"I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" is a soul song most popularly released as a joint single performed by Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations for the Motown label...
" - 1969 "I'll Try Something NewI'll Try Something New (song)"I'll Try Something New" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and originally released in 1962 by The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla subsidiary label...
" - 1969 "The WeightThe Weight"The Weight" is a song written by Robbie Robertson. It was released by The Band as Capitol Records single 2269 in 1968, and appeared one week later on the group's debut album Music from Big Pink. The song is listed as #41 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Songs of All Time published in 2004, and...
" - 1969 "I Second That EmotionI Second That Emotion"I Second That Emotion" is a 1967 song primarily composed by Smokey Robinson and originally released as a single from his band Smokey Robinson & the Miracles for the Motown label. The song peaked for three weeks in the United States at #4 on the Billboard pop singles chart in December 1967...
" - 1970 "Why (Must We Fall in Love)Why (Must We Fall in Love)"Why " is a Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations song released in 1970 as the second single from the album Together. While the album's preceding single, "The Weight" was only released in the US and Canada, "Why " wasn't released in North America, but was released as a single in the UK,...
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Albums
- 1970 Right On
- 1970 The Magnificent 7(with The Four Tops)
- 1970 New Ways but Love StaysNew Ways but Love StaysNew Ways But Love Stays is a 1970 album by the Jean Terrell-led version of The Supremes. Building on the foundation of the group's first LP, Right On, New Ways was produced by Frank Wilson and features The Supremes' most successful single with Terrell, "Stoned Love"...
- 1971 The Return of the Magnificent Seven(with The Four Tops)
- 1971 Touch
- 1971 Dynamite (with The Four Tops)
- 1972 Floy Joy
- 1975 The Supremes
- 1976 High Energy
Singles
- 1970 "Up the Ladder to the RoofUp the Ladder to the Roof"Up the Ladder to the Roof" is a 1970 hit single recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. It was the first Supremes single to feature new lead singer Jean Terrell in place of Diana Ross, who officially left the group for a solo career two weeks before the recording of this song in January 1970...
" - 1970 "Everybody's Got the Right to LoveEverybody's Got the Right to Love"Everybody's Got the Right to Love" is a socially conscious–inspired pop song written by Lou Stallman, produced by Frank Wilson and released as a single in 1970 by Motown group The Supremes, who took the song into the top forty in mid-1970 following the release of "Up the Ladder to the Roof".-Song...
" - 1970 "Stoned LoveStoned Love"Stoned Love" is a 1970 hit single recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. It was the last Billboard Pop Top Ten hit for the group, peaking at number seven, and their last Billboard number-one R&B hit as well, although the trio continued to score top ten hits in the UK into 1972...
" - 1970 "River Deep – Mountain High"
- 1971 "Nathan JonesNathan Jones (song)"Nathan Jones" is a hit single recorded by The Supremes, released in spring 1971 on the Motown label. Produced by Frank Wilson and written by Leonard Caston - aka Leonard Caston, Jr...
" - 1971 "You Gotta Have Love in Your HeartYou Gotta Have Love in Your Heart"You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" is a duet single between Motown singing groups The Supremes and the Four Tops, released as a single off their The Return of the Magnificent 7 album in 1971. The single became a modest charter peaking at #55 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and #41 on the U.S....
" - 1971 "TouchTouch (The Supremes song)"Touch" is a soft ballad written by Pamela Sawyer and Frank Wilson, who also produced it as a single for Motown recording group The Supremes, who issued it as a single in 1971....
" - 1971 "Floy JoyFloy Joy (song)"Floy Joy" is a song written by Smokey Robinson and released as a single in December 1971 by popular Motown female singing group The Supremes....
" - 1972 "Automatically SunshineAutomatically Sunshine"Automatically Sunshine" is a single written by Smokey Robinson and released as a single by Motown singing group The Supremes as the third single off their popular album Floy Joy in 1972....
" - 1972 "Your Wonderful, Sweet Sweet Love"
- 1972 "I Guess I'll Miss the Man"
- 1975 "He's My Man"
- 1975 "Where Do I Go from Here"
- 1975 "Early Morning Love"
- 1976 "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the WalkingI'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking"I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking" is a disco-styled soul single composed by the Holland brothers Eddie and Brian, members of the former Holland–Dozier–Holland team and was released as a single by Motown vocal group The Supremes in 1976 on the Motown label. It was the first single since "Your...
" - 1976 "High Energy"