Shock reveal: The fiery affair of Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross…

'It just happened': Smokey Robinson says his romantic fling with Diana Ross wasn't planned, but just blossomed spontaneously.


Smokey Robinson spilled the beans on his love life, dishing about his flings and affairs which included a scandalous liaison with none other than his childhood friend and iconic singer Diana Ross.

During an interview with The Guardian on Thursday, the 83-year-old singer disclosed that he was involved in a romantic relationship with Diana Ross for approximately one year while he was still married to his first wife, Claudette Rogers.

“I was married at the time. Diana Ross and I were working together and it just happened, but it was beautiful,” said Robinson during the interview.

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Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross

Robinson did not hold back as he revealed that his love for Diana still burns bright, even after all these years. Their fiery romance may have ended, but the passion and desire seems to still linger on…

Robinson still loves Diana Ross

“She’s a beautiful lady, and I love her right til today. She’s one of my closest people. She was young and trying to get her career together.

“I was trying to help her. I brought her to Motown, in fact. I wasn’t going after her and she wasn’t going after me. It just happened,” elaborated Robinson.

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Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross. Picture: Getty Images.
Smokey Robinson and Diana Ross. Picture: Getty Images.

Then the ship sank

Even the hottest flames must eventually burn out, and such was the case for Robinson and Diana’s fiery romance.

Robinson didn’t hold back as he revealed the spicy details of how their once passionate relationship ultimately turned to ashes.

“After we had been seeing each other for a while, Diana said to me she couldn’t do that anymore because she knew Claudette, and she knew I still loved my wife, and I did. I loved my wife very much,” said the singer.

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Moral of the story?

As the saying goes, every story has a moral, and this one is no exception. The Tracks of My Tears singer revealed that his relationship with Ross taught him that love can be much more complicated than he had ever imagined.

“You asked me what happened when we get older, and we get wisdom in life. I learned that we are capable of loving more than one person at the same time. And it has been made taboo by us, by people,” he explained.

“It’s not because one person isn’t worthy or they don’t live up to what you expect, it has to do with feelings. If we could control love, nobody would love anybody. Nobody would take that chance. Why would you put your heart out there for somebody to be able to hurt you like that and make you able to have those feelings?” the singer elaborated.

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Smokey Robinson with ex-wife Claudette Rogers. Picture: Getty images.

Robinson’s marriage with Claudette Rogers

Robinson was married to Claudette Rogers from 1959 to 1986 and then tied the knot with his second wife, Frances Glandney, in 2002.

Similarly, Ross had two marriages; her first was to Robert Ellis Silberstein from 1971 to 1977, while her second marriage was to Arne Naess Jr. from 1985 to 2000.

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Smokey Robinson’s new album

After a decade, the music icon has finally returned to the spotlight with his latest studio album, GASMS, which was released on 28 April, 2023.

The album is packed with nine soulful tracks, all written and produced by Robinson himself, including the smash hit single ‘If We Don’t Have Each Other‘.

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