"I'm extremely happy today. I found joy a long time ago at Hitsville, U.S.A., and it's overwhelming now," said Reeves.
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The honor celebrates her 60+ year career in music. Along the way, her group "Martha and the Vandellas" had many major hits, including "Dancing in the Street," "Heatwave" and "Nowhere to Hide."
"It's a dream come true but it's a miracle happening. I'm not just talking about Smokey. It's a miracle! This is a miracle for me," said Reeves.
"Martha is one of our profound acts," said longtime friend Smokey Robinson. "She is one of the ones who helped to put Motown on the map all around the world."
Motown founder Berry Gordy agreed. "And when she did her thing, there was truly nowhere to run, nowhere to hide."
"She would encourage me to continue to write and to study and she motivated me in the singing and just being kind to people," said Stevie Wonder.
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"I remember working with her on the road," said comedian Willie Tyler. "And people would always hum the songs and, like she said today, it makes people feel good when they hear that kind of music."
"The power of Martha is the fact that she's got longevity," said Freda Payne. "She's got a ton of hits."
Martha Reeves is now 82 and feelin' good!
"I am special. When you know that you're special, then your joy flows. It flows easy," said Reeves.