As an original member of The Miracles, the first act to sign with Berry Gordy’s Tamla/Motown Records, Claudette Robinson was also the iconic label’s very first female artist. In 1960, The Miracles’ “Shop Around” became Tamla/Motown’s first million-seller, prompting Mr. Gordy to bestow a special official title on Claudette: “The First Lady of Motown.”
Born Claudette Annette Rogers in New Orleans on June 20 1942, Louisiana, she was bright and adventurous. At a very young age she embraced her grandmother’s Christian values and service to her church when she sang in the choir.
Claudette’s family relocated to Detroit, Michigan where she excelled academically with honors and graduated from Commerce High School at the young age of 15. At age 16, she attended Wayne State University through her sophomore year of college, before joining the United States Marine Corps Reserves, where she was a member of the Rifle Team with accomplished sharpshooter status.
Claudette Robinson serves The Joy Community Outreach to End Homelessness, member of the Beverly Hills West Links Chapter of California for 25 years, and served on the Maple Center Community Counseling Center where she served on the Board of Governors. A devoted mother, and grandmother, Claudette Robinson remains a Christian woman of strength, who is an inspiration to family, friends, and fans.
In 2009, commemorating The Miracles’ golden anniversary in the entertainment industry, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honored the group with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As Motown founder Berry Gordy stood at the dedication ceremony podium, he said, “Without The Miracles, there would be no Motown.”