Smokey Robinson Reveals He Had an Affair with Diana Ross: 'She's a Beautiful Lady'

Smokey Robinson is opening up about his numerous affairs — including one with his childhood friend Diana Ross.

In an interview with The Guardian on Thursday, the legendary singer revealed he had an affair with Ross for "about a year" while married to his first wife, Claudette Rogers.

"I was married at the time. [Ross and I] were working together and it just happened. But it was beautiful," Robinson, 83, told the outlet.

"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," he continued.

"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."

Robinson then went on to explain how their relationship ultimately ended.

"After we'd been seeing each other for a while, Diana said to me she couldn't do that because she knew Claudette, and she knew I still loved my wife," the "Tracks of My Tears" singer said. "And I did. I loved my wife very much."

His relationship with Ross, 79, taught him that love is far more complex than he 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?"

Robinson was married to Rogers from 1959 to 1986. He married his second wife, Frances Glandney, in 2002. Meanwhile, Ross was married to Robert Ellis Silberstein from 1971 to 1977, and Arne Naess Jr. from 1985 to 2000.

RELATED VIDEO: Smokey Robinson Jokes That "You Gotta Get" His Album in Order To Know What It Is About

Robinson is gearing up for the release of his first studio album in nearly 10 years, GASMS, which drops on April 28.

In February, the icon spoke to PEOPLE about why making music is still his biggest passion.

"It's what I love," he said. "I can't find anything that replaces this for me."

The record will feature nine songs written and produced by the former Miracles frontman, including the first single "If We Don't Have Each Other."

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"I retired one time. I retired for about three years, and I was climbing the walls," he said. "It's not about me making time. It's about me raring to go and do it. Everybody gets a gift from God, and mine was to be able to write music."