Smokey Robinson opens up about his numerous relationships, including one with childhood friend Diana Ross.
in an interview with Guard On Thursday, the legendary singer revealed that Ross had been in a relationship for “about a year” while he was married to his first wife, Claudette Rogers.
“I was married back then. [Ross and I] They were working together and it was. But it was beautiful,” said Robinson, 83.
“She is a beautiful lady and I love her to this day. She is one of my closest friends. She was young and trying to fix her career,” he continued.
“I was trying to help him. I actually brought him to Motown. I wasn’t going after him, and he wasn’t coming after me. It just happened.”
She then went on to explain how their relationship ultimately ended.
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“After talking for a while, Diana told me she couldn’t do that because she knew Claudette and she knew I still love my wife,” the “Tracks of My Tears” singer said. “And I loved it. I loved my wife very much.”
Her relationship with 79-year-old Ross taught her that love is much more complicated than she imagined.
“You asked me what happens when we grow old and gain wisdom in life. I learned that we can love more than one person at the same time. And that was made taboo by us. By the people,” he explained. .
“It’s not because a single person isn’t valuable or doesn’t live the way you expect – it has to do with emotions. If we could control love, no one would love anyone. No one would take that risk. Is your heart there so that someone could hurt you like that and make you feel those feelings?”
Robinson was married to Rogers from 1959 to 1986. He married his second wife, Frances Glandney, in 2002. Meanwhile, Ross starred as Robert Ellis Silberstein from 1971 to 1977 and Arne Naess Jr. from 1985 to 2000. married with
RELATED VIDEO: Smokey Robinson Joke “You Need To Get His Album” To Know What It’s About
Robinson is getting ready to release his first studio album after nearly 10 years. GASESIt falls on April 28.
In February, the icon spoke to PEOPLE about why making music is still her biggest passion.
“This is what I love,” he said. “I can’t find anything to replace it for me.”
The recording will feature nine songs written and produced by the former Miracles frontman and will include the first single “If We Don’t Have Awhere”.
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“I retired once. I retired for about three years and was climbing walls,” he said. “It’s not about me saving time. It’s about me dying to go and do it. Everyone gets a gift from God, and mine was to be able to write music.”