Former Supremes Singer Cindy Birdsong's Family Request Conservatorship as They Accuse Friend of 'Isolating' Her

Birdsong's family has requested for her brother, Ronald Birdsong, and entertainment manager, Brad Herman, to serve as co-conservators

The family of Cindy Birdsong, a former Motown artist and member of The Supremes, has requested to put the famed musician under a conservatorship.

A new report by The New York Times states that Birdsong's family asked a Los Angeles Superior Court judge last month to have her brother, Ronald Birdsong, and entertainment manager, Brad Herman, serve as co-conservators. Herman has previously worked with clients that include Burt Reynolds and Pat Boone and has been given power of attorney by Birdsong's family.

According to the outlet, the conservatorship proceeding was initiated by Birdsong's family to ensure that her life and finances would not be under the control of her longtime friend Rochelle Lander, who was previously given power of attorney by Birdsong, 83, over a decade ago.

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The singer's family alleges that Lander "became increasingly secretive about the status of Birdsong’s health" after her second stroke about seven years ago and refused to inform them of the medical facility where she was receiving treatment. Birdsong's family claims that Lander began "isolating her from friends and family even as her health worsened."

Birdsong and Lander previously shared an apartment in Los Angeles before she was removed by Los Angeles police and put in a skilled nursing facility at the request of her family in 2021. Lander reportedly told police during the encounter that Birdsong "had a complete mental break" and "no one would help her."

The family claims Birdsong is "totally incapacitated" after suffering several strokes, while a summary of her condition filed by the nursing facility as part of the conservatorship application states the singer is "unable to get out of bed or communicate" and is on a feeding tube.

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"It has been an open secret among the Motown family, the tragedy of Cindy," said Herman in a statement to The New York Times. A hearing has been scheduled for August.

Birdsong joined The Supremes after the release of their 1964 album Where Did Our Love Go and replaced Florence Ballard. After founding member Diana Ross left the group to pursue a solo career in 1970, Jean Terrell came in as a replacement and helped the group continue to release music until 1976.

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