| Claudette Rogers Robinson | |
| Birth Name: | Claudette Annette Rogers |
| Birth Date: | 20 June 1942 |
| Birth Place: | New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Origin: | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Singer |
| Years Active: | 1956–2010 |
| Label: | Motown, Tamla |
| Past Member Of: | The Miracles |
Claudette Annette Rogers Robinson (Rogers; born June 20, 1942) is an American singer, best known as a member of the vocal group The Miracles from 1957 to 1972. Her brother Emerson "Sonny" Rogers was a founding member of the group, which before 1957 was named "The Matadors". Claudette replaced her brother in the group after he was drafted into the U.S. Army.
In 2012, Claudette was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the rest of the original Miracles, including her cousin Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, Ronald White, and Marv Tarplin. She was inducted alongside her former husband, Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson.
Claudette Rogers and Smokey Robinson were married on November 7, 1959. Smokey and Claudette had plans to raise a family, but the rough music touring life caused Claudette to have seven miscarriages.
Smokey Robinson co-wrote the number-one Motown single "My Girl" with Miracles member Ronald White in dedication to Claudette, a song performed most notably by The Temptations. The song was originally intended to be recorded by The Miracles.
The Robinsons have two children, and both have Motown-referenced names: Berry William Borope Robinson was named after label chief Berry Gordy with his first middle name, "William", in honor of his father (William "Smokey" Robinson), and his second middle name in honor of fellow Miracles group mates Bobby (Rogers), Ronnie (White) and Pete (Moore), and Tamla Claudette Robinson was named after Motown's original record label, Tamla Records. with her middle name "Claudette", after her mother.
Smokey Robinson and Claudette were divorced in 1986, after 27 years of marriage. Motown founder Berry Gordy gave Claudette the official title of the "First Lady of Motown", as noted in his autobiography, because, as a member of The Miracles, Motown's first group and first recording act, she was the first female artist ever signed to a Motown-affiliated record label (Tamla). Several years ago, Claudette began writing her autobiography, A Miraculous Life, a book of her memoirs, and of her life with The Miracles. Robinson is a board member of the national Rhythm & Blues Foundation and the HAL Awards. Her cousin and original Miracles member Bobby Rogers toured with the last incarnation of The Miracles throughout the United States, Canada and Europe, until his death in 2013. Claudette still performs and makes selected appearances with The Miracles. She can be seen on stage with The Miracles live at the Apollo Theatre in a rare 1962 film clip on the 2006 Motown/Universal DVD release, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: The Definitive Performances. She can also be seen onstage with original Miracles, Smokey Robinson, her cousin Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin (but not Ronnie White) on the DVD release of The "Motown 25" Television Special.[1]
In 1987, Smokey Robinson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. However, in a controversial decision, the other original members of The Miracles—Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, Pete Moore, Marv Tarplin, and Claudette Robinson—were not.
In 2012, it was finally announced that, after a 26-year wait, Claudette Robinson would be automatically and retroactively inducted with the rest of The Miracles into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside Miracles lead singer Smokey Robinson.[2]