BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The music of Motown Records may have started in Detroit, but many of the stars who created that sound now live in Southern California.
In this Zevely Zone, I traveled to Beverly Hills to meet the First Lady of Motown. A lot of people spend their lives hoping for one miracle, but this is a story about five.
In the late 1950s, the founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy, bestowed a nickname upon Claudette Robinson that stuck.
"The First Lady of Motown, ha, ha, ha," laughed Claudette.
The Miracles had five members but only one female. She showed me a picture of the band where she was posed front and center.
"Well, I'm the girl," said Claudette.
Smokey Robinson was The Miracles' lead singer. He and Claudette were married for 27 years and had two children Berry and Tamla. Berry Gordy is the godfather to their son and daughter.
Some of The Miracle's hits include, 'Shop Around', 'The Tears of a Clown', and 'You Really Got a Hold on Me'. Their music may remind you of simpler times, but Claudette remembers life on the road being complicated.
"We were shot at the bus was shot at," said Claudette. Despite the danger, it was Smokey who refused to play in front of segregated crowds any longer. Cause the kids were having fun they didn't care about what color you were they just wanted to dance and [have] fun," said Claudette.
Music and Motown memories have always gone hand in hand.
"It's a Miracles ring," said Claudette while showing me the bling on her finger along with pictures from the past.
"This picture right here is actually Stevie Wonder riding a bike. Stevie can do anything that seeing people can do. Stevie is an amazing person," said Claudette. When I told her I thought she was amazing too she said, "It touches my heart to hear you say that."
In 2009 the First Lady of Motown received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. "It was magical," said Claudette.
In 2012, came her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
"Congratulations!" I said. Claudette responded, "Thank you so much and I mean that from the bottom of my heart because I don't take these honors for granted because it didn't have to be us it could have been any number of people, but I am more than delighted that it was us. A miracle does happen and it certainly did for us, it certainly did for us."
A documentary titled The First Lady of Motown: The Claudette Robinson Story is scheduled to be released soon.