Cindy Birdsong 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 showed up on stage wearing the same outfit that they wore. The group also befriended a fellow Motown alumnus and Philly native, Tammi Terrell during that same period. The Blue Belles had some success after joining Atlantic
Otis Birdsong his career at the end of the 1988–89 season. As a college freshman, Birdsong finished third among the team's scoring leaders with 14.3 points per game. The following year, Birdsong etched his name in the University of Houston's record books by becoming the first sophomore in the school's history to register 1,000 career points. When the Cougars began playing in the Southwest Conference, Birdsong soon established himself as the dominant scorer in the league's history. In his first year as an SWC player, Birdsong led the league in scoring, finishing eighth nationally with a 26.1 average. Birdsong was named a