Mary Wilson, Martha Reeves pay tribute to Smokey Robinson
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Lauren Onkey never stood a chance.
Onkey, a Tri-C professor, was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Saturday morning to interview Motown legends Mary Wilson of the Supremes and Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas.
The two were in town to honor Smokey Robinson, 20th subject of the Rock Hall's Music Masters series in "The Music and Life of Smokey Robinson."
Before the two divas could even take their seats on the stage, before Onkey could ask one question, the women were off and running, talking about their lives, careers and the old days of Motown. The sparks flew, and the conversation sparkled.
"When we were at Motown, a woman named Maxine Powell actually taught us how to sit down," said Reeves.
Wilson concurred.
"She said you never cross your legs when onstage. Just cross your ankles."
"We were told that we were diamonds," said Reeves. "And they just needed to polish us."
Reeves told the audience that she got her start singing in her grandfather's church.
"There was a singing contest at the church, and my brothers and I won. I began performing as Martha Lavelle. Shortly after that, I met a man from Motown named Mickey Stevenson. He was the head of artist development. He gave me his card and told me to come by.
"I went over there the next day. He acted surprised to see me. He said the auditions weren't until the following Thursday. Then he asked me to answer the phone and he would be right back. He didn't come back for four hours. By that time, I was a secretary at Motown."
Wilson and Reeves went to the same high school in Detroit and had the same singing teacher named Abe Silver. When the Supremes and the Vandellas toured for Motown, Mary and Martha always roomed together.
"We're like sisters," said Reeves. "That's why we'll always love each other," she added about their good-natured banter.
The Rock Hall's 164-seat Foster Theater was almost sold out for the day's Smokey conference.
"I met Smokey the first day I worked at Motown," said Reeves. "He was a vice president there, but he was also one of the 17 songwriters who came in every day, working regular hours writing songs for the Motown artists. I would see him walking around the office, lost in thought, mumbling lyrics to himself. It was as if he was trying to draw them out."
Wilson said that Robinson and Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. were much alike.
"They even dressed the same way. But Berry Gordy had this thing where he could look at a person with one eye and decide whether or not that person had talent. Whether that person had potential to become a star."
Wilson also said that the Supremes owed a debt of gratitude to Robinson.
"After our first album came out, there wasn't a hit on it. Behind our back, they were calling us 'the no-hit Supremes.' They didn't think I knew. But I did."
"And then Smokey wrote some songs for you," Reeves interjected. Wilson just smiled.
At one point, Wilson and Reeves teased one another about who kissed up to Gordy more.
"I ain't got no babies that look like Berry Gordy," said Reeves to gales of laughter from the audience.
Onkey played part of an early hit song that Robinson had written for Reeves, called "No More Tear-Stained Make-Up."
"It's so amazing how Smokey was able to write that song from a woman's point of view. How he was able to get into another person's mind like that," said Reeves.
During the Q&A session, an audience member asked the two women what special associations they had with Cleveland. Wilson didn't hesitate.
"It was Leo's Casino. I will never forget playing that place. I remember one night when we had a new comedian open up for us. His name was Richard Pryor," she said.
"We had Flip Wilson open for us at Leo's," said Reeves.
A singer for the local Pink Floyd tribute band, Wish You Were Here, Sharron McPherson Foxx, asked the singers how they rest their voices between performances.
Wilson had her own personal remedy.
"I drink tea, honey, lemon and Courvoisier," she said.
Reeves had another method.
"I shut up."
The audience was lucky neither of them used that technique Saturday morning.
Onkey, a Tri-C professor, was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Saturday morning to interview Motown legends Mary Wilson of the Supremes and Martha Reeves of Martha and the Vandellas.
The two were in town to honor Smokey Robinson, 20th subject of the Rock Hall's Music Masters series in "The Music and Life of Smokey Robinson."
Before the two divas could even take their seats on the stage, before Onkey could ask one question, the women were off and running, talking about their lives, careers and the old days of Motown. The sparks flew, and the conversation sparkled.
"When we were at Motown, a woman named Maxine Powell actually taught us how to sit down," said Reeves.
Wilson concurred.
"She said you never cross your legs when onstage. Just cross your ankles."
"We were told that we were diamonds," said Reeves. "And they just needed to polish us."
Reeves told the audience that she got her start singing in her grandfather's church.
"There was a singing contest at the church, and my brothers and I won. I began performing as Martha Lavelle. Shortly after that, I met a man from Motown named Mickey Stevenson. He was the head of artist development. He gave me his card and told me to come by.
"I went over there the next day. He acted surprised to see me. He said the auditions weren't until the following Thursday. Then he asked me to answer the phone and he would be right back. He didn't come back for four hours. By that time, I was a secretary at Motown."
Wilson and Reeves went to the same high school in Detroit and had the same singing teacher named Abe Silver. When the Supremes and the Vandellas toured for Motown, Mary and Martha always roomed together.
"We're like sisters," said Reeves. "That's why we'll always love each other," she added about their good-natured banter.
The Rock Hall's 164-seat Foster Theater was almost sold out for the day's Smokey conference.
"I met Smokey the first day I worked at Motown," said Reeves. "He was a vice president there, but he was also one of the 17 songwriters who came in every day, working regular hours writing songs for the Motown artists. I would see him walking around the office, lost in thought, mumbling lyrics to himself. It was as if he was trying to draw them out."
Wilson said that Robinson and Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. were much alike.
"They even dressed the same way. But Berry Gordy had this thing where he could look at a person with one eye and decide whether or not that person had talent. Whether that person had potential to become a star."
Wilson also said that the Supremes owed a debt of gratitude to Robinson.
"After our first album came out, there wasn't a hit on it. Behind our back, they were calling us 'the no-hit Supremes.' They didn't think I knew. But I did."
"And then Smokey wrote some songs for you," Reeves interjected. Wilson just smiled.
At one point, Wilson and Reeves teased one another about who kissed up to Gordy more.
"I ain't got no babies that look like Berry Gordy," said Reeves to gales of laughter from the audience.
Onkey played part of an early hit song that Robinson had written for Reeves, called "No More Tear-Stained Make-Up."
"It's so amazing how Smokey was able to write that song from a woman's point of view. How he was able to get into another person's mind like that," said Reeves.
During the Q&A session, an audience member asked the two women what special associations they had with Cleveland. Wilson didn't hesitate.
"It was Leo's Casino. I will never forget playing that place. I remember one night when we had a new comedian open up for us. His name was Richard Pryor," she said.
"We had Flip Wilson open for us at Leo's," said Reeves.
A singer for the local Pink Floyd tribute band, Wish You Were Here, Sharron McPherson Foxx, asked the singers how they rest their voices between performances.
Wilson had her own personal remedy.
"I drink tea, honey, lemon and Courvoisier," she said.
Reeves had another method.
"I shut up."
The audience was lucky neither of them used that technique Saturday morning.
