Maxine Powell, the etiquette instructor who taught Motown Records artists how to carry themselves with style during the Detroit label’s 1960s heyday, has died aged 98.

Though she was not a singer or songwriter, Powell became a vital cog in the label’s machine as the director of its Artists Development Department, also known as Motown’s ‘finishing school’, where she coached acts like The Jackson Five and The Supremes.

Her death comes just weeks after an event was held in her honour at the Motown Museum, where singer Smokey Robinson spoke about her legacy. All Motown acts, he said, no matter how big, had to report back to Powell regularly.

“It didn’t matter who you became during the course of your career — how many hits you had, how well your name was known around the world,” said Robinson. “Two days a week when you were back in Detroit you had to go to artists’ development. It was mandatory.”

Some of her training included teaching Marvin Gaye to sing with his eyes open and having others balance books on their heads to improve posture. She also instructed artists on how to properly exit limousines.

The one act on Motown’s roster who didn’t need any of her help was Stevie Wonder. “I didn’t do anything for Stevie, he was always beautiful,” she said in a recent TV interview (below). [via BBC; Billboard]

Watch Maxine Powell discussing her Motown legacy: