Now 74, Mary Wilson lives in Los Angeles and still performs as a solo act.
The following are edited excerpts from her conversation with AARP aboutMotown’s 60th anniversary.
If someone got a hit, everyone would be Let’s get em another one!
We were having so much fun and that excitement was captured on all of the products.
People ask me if there was jealousy.
You might have a little, but everyone was excited for everyone.
It was, Oh my God, did you see Little Stevies numbers?
It was like you were walking into a Disneyland and we were all the rides.
It was like machinery, but it was a happy, happy machinery.
That did take me aback .
That was in 1968.
For me it was a little embarrassing because she said it so loudly.
You expect the most polite things from the royal family.
She was a wild girl.
She was not royal-like, lets put it that way.
Ive been over it a long time.
Theres so many great things that happened.
Life without Motown …what?
You get together at a reunion and you say, Girl, what were we thinking?
I really enjoyed Motown.
On her love for the Motor City:
Im always in Detroit.
I have family there.
Theres a little renaissance; theyre rebuilding the city.
I went back for a homecoming with Lily Tomlin.
I wear my Native Detroiter T-shirt everywhere.
People stop me and ask, Is it coming back?
I say, Yes, of course.
Ive managed to be happy through a lot of things.
I guess thats why Im still here.
At 74 years old, I am very happy.
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