In Berry Gordy's autobiography, To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown, he dubbed you as "The First Lady of Motown." How do you feel, when all is said and done, your name will stand above all other names?
For Mr. Gordy to just give me that official title...I feel so very proud and also humbled. The name came about as I was the very first female that was signed on to Motown Records. There were no other females when we came around. In fact, we were the first group and it was a couple of years before anybody else came to sign on to Motown. When The Miracles received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Mr. Gordy and Stevie Wonder were the speakers. Mr. Gordy kept saying, "The First Lady of Motown," when they were going to introduce me to speak to the group. He said, "The First Lady of Motown, Claudette Robinson." A couple of my neighbors were there and they were like, "I didn't know you were the First Lady of Motown." I said, "Well, it's not a badge I carry around on my sleeve or something." I've always been kind of reserved as a younger person, very shy. If you were asking me that, I wouldn't walk around saying, "Hey, I'm the First Lady of Motown," even though there have been people who have taken my title for themselves.
Well, it's yours, and no one should argue with Berry Gordy! [laughing]
Right! [laughing] I feel as though the person that knows who the title is officially for would be Mr. Gordy because it was his company. It was the name that he came up with and he bestowed that title on me. And for that, I am very, very humbled and I'm proud. I'm all of the things that one can be when someone thinks enough of you. Because, definitely, I was not the biggest artist there; I was just the first.
In all things, there has to be a first to lay the groundwork for those that come after. That's the most important piece.
Yes, The Miracles was the first group, and I was the first lady of Motown, with the first million-seller. So we had a lot of firsts. But I have to say thanks to the fans because honestly, without any of that happening and without the people going out and coming to the concerts and buying the records, none of that and none of what has happened would be possible.
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