I was just amazed that so many people came out to see us receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A lot of the star ceremonies – they're great ceremonies – but not a lot of people come out. It's basically the record company, their family, and friends and that's about it. There were people getting off of the bus when they found out what was going on. We have just been extremely blessed. We've just been really blessed through all these years to still be able to have people come out. They just always seem so thrilled and excited.
I guess my mind just goes back to day one and I never ever would have thought that 50 plus years later people would be listening to the music and even want to see the group – any part of it. So we've been extremely blessed. We are extremely blessed.
50 years from now, I believe that the world will continue to play Motown records. I doubt the same will be true for much of the contemporary fare. Looking at the current R&B landscape, a lot of people would say that "the soul" is gone. What do you think makes the Motown sound so timeless? And do you think anything happened to "the soul" of R&B?
Well, I truly believe the soul never dies. I think that soul is something that comes from within. It still exists today. The difference is a lot of the music today is manufactured. In our day, it was going to the recording studio. In the initial days, you were actually recording with the band; the band was right there with you. There were real instruments. It wasn't manufactured music. I'm not knocking manufactured music. It does have its own place. but I think that you can get a much better feeling when you have the real instruments there.
To many, Marvin Gaye was known as "The Prince of Soul." With 2009 marking the 25th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's untimely death, as well as the digital release of Then & Now, which features some of his vintage, unreleased works, what do you find to be his lasting contribution to the music industry?
Well, I was fortunate enough to go to the candlelight vigil by Marvin Gaye's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. To think that it has been 25 years since his death…it's unbelievable that much time has passed. Several Motown artists were in attendance, as well as fans that wanted to pay their respects to one of the greatest singers of our time.
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