Smokey Robinson

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Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson performing at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California on August 17, 2006.
Smokey Robinson performing at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California on August 17, 2006.
Background information
Birth name William Robinson, Jr.
Born February 19, 1940 (1940-02-19) (age 68)
Origin Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genre(s) R&B/soul
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter, record producer, record executive
Instrument(s) Vocals, Piano.
Years active 1955 – present
Label(s) Motown, Universal, SBK, Liquid 8
Associated acts The Miracles, The Temptations, Mary Wells

William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is noted for being one of the primary figures associated with Motown Records, second only to the company's founder, Berry Gordy. As both a member of Motown group The Miracles and a solo artist, Robinson recorded thirty-seven Top 40 hits for Motown between 1960 and 1987, and also served as the company's vice president from 1961 to 1988.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early years and formation of the Miracles

Robinson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan's North End neighborhood, and when still a child was nicknamed "Smokey Joe" by an uncle because of his love of cowboy movies. In his teens, this was shortened to "Smokey". In an interview, Robinson claims he has been friends with Diana Ross since they were eleven years old.[1] In 1955, Robinson founded a group he called the Five Chimes with his best friend Ronald White, and Northern High School classmates Pete Moore , Clarence Dawson, and James Grice. By 1957, the group was called the Matadors and included cousins Emerson and Bobby Rogers in place of Dawson and Grice. Later Emerson was replaced by his sister Claudette Rogers who later married Robinson, and guitarist Marv Tarplin joined the group in 1958.

With Robinson as lead singer, the Matadors began touring the local Detroit venues. In 1958, Robinson met songwriter Berry Gordy, who co-wrote for them the single "Got a Job", an answer song to the Silhouettes' hit single "Get a Job". The group renamed itself the Miracles, and issued singles on both End Records and Chess Records before Robinson suggested to Gordy that he start a label of his own.

In 1959, Gordy founded Tamla Records, which he soon reincorporated as Motown. The Miracles were among the label's first signees. Gordy and Robinson had a synergistic relationship, with Robinson providing a foundation for Motown's hit-making success and Gordy acting as a mentor for the budding singer and songwriter. By 1961, Gordy had appointed Robinson vice-president of Motown Records, a title Robinson held for as long as Gordy remained with the company.

[edit] Motown and The Miracles

The 1960 single "Shop Around" was Motown's first number one hit on the R&B singles chart, and the first big hit for The Miracles.The song was also Motown's first million-selling hit single. They scored many more hits over the years, including the much-covered "Who's Loving You" (1960), "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "What's So Good About Goodbye" (1962),"I'll Try Something New" (1962), "Mickey's Monkey" (1963), "Ooo Baby Baby (1965), "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965), "Going to a Go-Go" (1965),"My Girl Has Gone", (Come Round Here) I'm The One You Need" (1966), "More Love" (1967), "I Second That Emotion" (1967), "If You Can Want" (1968}, "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (1969), and the international # 1 smash, "The Tears of a Clown" (1970).

Besides penning hits for his own group, Robinson also wrote and produced hits and album tracks for other Motown artists. Mary Wells had a big hit with the Robinson-penned "My Guy" (1964), and Robinson served as The Temptations' primary songwriter and producer from 1963 to 1966, penning hits such as "The Way You Do the Things You Do", "My Girl", "Since I Lost My Baby", and "Get Ready". Among Robinson's numerous other Motown compositions are "Still Water (Love)" by The Four Tops, "Don't Mess With Bill" and "My Baby Must Be a Magician" by The Marvelettes, "When I'm Gone" by Brenda Holloway, "Ain't That Peculiar" and "I'll Be Doggone" by Marvin Gaye, and "First I Look at the Purse" by The Contours.

Fellow singer-songwriter Bob Dylan named Robinson as one of his favorite 'poets' and his hit ballads also earned him the title "America's poet laureate of love". During the course of his 50-year career in music, Robinson has accumulated more than 4,000 songs to his credit. John Lennon of The Beatles made countless remarks regarding Robinson's influence on his music. In a 1969 interview, Lennon stated that one of his favorite songs was The Miracles' "I've Been Good To You", which has similar lyrics to Lennon's "Sexy Sadie". George Harrison also greatly admired Robinson and paid tribute to him in his 1976 song "Pure Smokey". (The Beatles had recorded Robinson's "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" in 1963.)

After marrying Claudette Rogers, Robinson started a family, and named both of his children after Motown: his son was named Berry after the company's founder, and his daughter Tamla after the Motown imprint for which Robinson and The Miracles recorded.

The Miracles remained a premier Motown act through most of the 1960s. Albums were released as "Smokey Robinson & the Miracles" after 1965. By 1969, the group's fortunes began to falter, and Robinson decided to quit The Miracles so that he could remain at home with his family and concentrate on his duties as vice president. The group stopped recording and Robinson prepared to leave the group. Unexpectedly, however, their 1969 recording "Baby Baby Don't Cry" hit the national Pop Top 10, and when their 1966 recording of "The Tears of a Clown" was released as a single in 1970, it became a number-one hit in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

With the surprise success of "The Tears of a Clown", Robinson was convinced to remain with The Miracles for a few more years. In 1972, however, he followed through on his original plans to leave the group, and The Miracles began a six-month farewell tour. On July 16, 1972, Smokey and Claudette Robinson gave their final performances as Miracles at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Washington, DC, and Robinson introduced the group's new lead singer, Billy Griffin. The Miracles went on for a while, even having another number one hit, "Love Machine", in 1976.

[edit] Successful solo career

Smokey Robinson began a low-key solo career while concentrating on his duties as vice president of Motown, releasing his first solo LP, Smokey, in 1973. His first hit single, "Sweet Harmony" (1973), was dedicated to The Miracles.

In 1975, Robinson's solo career went into full-drive after the success of the number one R&B hit "Baby That's Backatcha". Robinson's 1976 single "Quiet Storm" and its accompanying album typified a genre of smooth, slow R&B that has spawned late-night radio shows called "quiet storm." Other Robinson solo hits include "Cruisin'" (1979), "Being With You" (a U.K. number-one hit) (1981), "Tell Me Tomorrow" (1982), and "Ebony Eyes", a duet with labelmate Rick James (1983). He also recorded the soundtrack to the film Big Time (1977).

[edit] Later years

During the mid-1980s, Robinson fell victim to cocaine addiction. His recording slowed, and his marriage to Claudette faltered; the two were divorced in 1986. With the help of friend Leon Kennedy (as described in Robinson's autobiography "Smokey"), Robinson was dramatically healed of his addiction at a religious service. He eventually revitalized his career, scoring hits in 1987 with the Grammy Award-winning "Just To See Her" (a U.S. #8 hit) and "One Heartbeat" (U.S. #10). Both songs were Top 10 pop hits. Also in 1987, British band ABC scored a U.S. and U.K. hit with their tribute to Robinson entitled "When Smokey Sings." In 1988, Robinson published his autobiography, Smokey, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. However, in a decision that has since sparked controversy, the other original members of his group, The Miracles, Bobby Rogers, Ronnie White, Pete Moore, Marv Tarplin, and Claudette Robinson, were not.

Upon Motown's sale to MCA in 1988, Robinson resigned from his position as vice president. After one last album for Motown, Love, Smokey (1990), Robinson departed the company. He released one record for SBK Records, Double Good Everything (1991), the same year he won a Soul Train Music Award for Career Achievement. Eight years later, he returned to Motown, which by then was a subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and released Intimate (1999). The same year, Robinson received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Since then, Smokey has continued to periodically perform and tour. In 2003, Robinson served as a guest judge for American Idol during "Billy Joel Week". He issued a gospel LP, Food for the Spirit in 2004. A new album of pop standards from the early 20th century, Timeless Love, was released in June 2006. It was originally recorded with a jazz combo, but strings were added after the fact, giving the album more of a lush sound but removing much of the jazz feeling of the disc.

In 2004, Robinson's company, SFGL Foods, launched a special brand of gumbo called "Smokey Robinson's 'The Soul is in the Bowl' Gumbo".[2] Smokey Robinson is the spokesman of the Great American Smokeout, which takes place annually one week before Thanksgiving. It is a day when smokers quit smoking for at least a day.

Robinson has appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross, the NBC daytime drama Days of Our Lives, and on The Rachael Ray Show. He is scheduled to appear on Duets on Fox with Clint Black, Michael Bolton, Macy Gray, Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, Brian McKnight, Aaron Neville, Randy Travis, and Dionne Warwick. David Foster will be a judge.

At its 138th Commencement Convocation in May 2006, Howard University conferred on Robinson the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa. In December 2006 Robinson was one of five Kennedy Center honorees, along with Dolly Parton (with whom Robinson had recorded a 1987 duet, "I Know You By Heart"), Zubin Mehta, Steven Spielberg and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The ceremony was held on December 3, 2006, and broadcast on CBS on December 26, 2006.

Robinson sang "The Tracks Of My Tears" as a cameo in the 2006 film Last Holiday. Also in late 2006, Robinson reunited with fellow Miracles Bobby Rogers and Pete Moore for the group's first extended interview. This interview forms the basis of the Universal Music DVD release Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: The Definitive Performances, a video retrospective of the group's music and career.

On February 11, 2007 Robinson sang "Tracks Of My Tears" at the 49th annual Grammy Awards, as part of a tribute to R&B music which included Motown labelmate Lionel Richie and current R&B star Chris Brown. Robinson performed on the finale of American Idol Season 6 on May 23, 2007. Robinson and the top six male contestants performed a medley of his hits.

In November 2007, Robinson toured Australia and performed with Australian band Human Nature on the set of local television programme Dancing With The Stars. On 22 November 2007, Robinson was interviewed by Bob Rogers (not to be confused with Bobby Rogers of The Miracles) on Sydney radio station 2CH.[3][4][5]

[edit] Smokey Robinson in popular culture

  • ABC recorded a tribute song called "When Smokey Sings", that references his influence on the music industry.The song was a top 10 pop hit. Smokey himself had a top 10 record on the Billboard pop chart[citation needed] that same week. Having a tributor and tributee in the top 10 at the same time is thought to be a music industry first.[citation needed]
  • In the Oliver Stone war film, Platoon the Miracles' 1965 million- selling song "Tracks of my Tears " is playing in the memorable 'underworld' scene, and the Soldiers sing along. This scene from the film is based on Stone's own personal experiences with the song in Vietnam.[citation needed]
  • George Harrison wrote a song called "Pure Smokey," a tribute to Smokey Robinson. The song was on Harrison's 1976 album Thirty-Three and 1/3.
  • The character C.C. White, a budding songwriter who finds success as an R&B label's main creative force in the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls, is based upon Smokey Robinson.[6] In the 2006 film adaptation of Dreamgirls, C.C. is portrayed by Keith Robinson.

[edit] Solo discography

[edit] Albums

Tamla (Motown) releases
Motown releases
  • 1987: One Heartbeat
  • 1990: Love, Smokey
Later releases
  • 1991: Double Good Everything (SBK Records)
  • 1999: Intimate (Universal Records)
  • 1999: Our Very Best Christmas (Universal Records)
  • 2004: Food for the Spirit (Liquid 8 Records)
  • 2006: Timeless Love (Universal Records)

[edit] Pop Chart singles

Release date Title Chart Positions
US Billboard Hot 100 US R&B US A/C UK Singles Chart Notes
1973 "Sweet Harmony" #48 #31
1973 "Baby Come Close" #27 #7
1974 "It's Her Turn To Live" #82 #29
1974 "Just My Soul Responding" #35 B-side of "It's Her Turn To Live"
1974 "Virgin Man" #56 #12
1975 "I Am I Am" #56 #7
1975 "Baby That's Backatcha" #26 #1
1975 "The Agony And The Ecstasy" #36 #7
1976 "Quiet Storm" #61 #25
1976 "Open" #81 #10
1976 "When You Came" Issued in Canada only
1976 "An Old Fashioned Man"
1977 "There Will Come A Day (I'm Gonna Happen To You)" #42 #7
1977 "Vitamin U" #101 #18
1977 "Theme From Big Time, Part I" #38
1978 "Daylight and Darkness" #75 #9
1978 "Why You Wanna See My Bad Side" #52 B-side of "Daylight and Darkness"
1978 "Shoe Soul" #68
1979 "Pops We Love You" #59 #26 #66 Artist: Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder
1979 "Get Ready" #82
1979 "Cruisin'" #4 #4 #34
1980 "Let Me Be The Clock" #31 #4
1980 "Heavy On Pride (Light On Love)" #34
1980 "Wine, Women and Song"
1981 "Being With You" #2 #1 #4 #1
1981 "Aquí Contigo" "Being With You", sung in Spanish
1981 "You Are Forever" #59 #31
1981 "Who's Sad" #62
1982 "Tell Me Tomorrow - Part I" #33 #3 #31 #51
1982 "Old Fashioned Love" #60 #17 #32
1982 "Yes It's You Lady" #107
1983 "Blame It On Love" #48 #35 #5 Artist: Smokey Robinson with High Inergy
1983 "Don't Play Another Love Song" #103 #75 #36
1983 "I've Made Love To You a Thousand Times" #101 #8
1983 "Touch The Sky" #110 #68
1984 "Ebony Eyes" #43 #22 #35 Artist: Rick James featuring Smokey Robinson
1984 "And I Don't Love You" #106 #33
1984 "I Can't Find" #109 #41
1985 "First Time on a Ferris Wheel" Artist: Smokey Robinson and Syreeta
1986 "Hold on to Your Love" #11 #18
1986 "Sleepless Nights" #51
1986 "Because of You (It's The Best It's Ever Been)"
1986 "Love Will Set You Free (Theme From Solarbabies)" Issued in Canada only; last ever release by Tamla Records
1987 "Just to See Her" #8 #2 #1 #52 Robinson's first single on Motown
1987 "One Heartbeat" #10 #3 #2
1987 "What's Too Much" #79 #16 #15
1988 "I Know You By Heart" #22 Artist: Dolly Parton with Smokey Robinson. Released on Columbia Records
1988 "Love Don't Give No Reason" #31 #24
1989 "We've Saved The Best For Last" #47 #18 #4 Artist: Kenny G with Smokey Robinson
1989 "Indestructible" #30 Artist: The Four Tops featuring Smokey Robinson
1990 "Everything You Touch" #4 #2
1990 "(It's The) Same Old Love" #68 #32
1990 "Take Me Through The Night" #34
1991 "Double Good Everything" #91 #23 Robinson's first single for SBK Records
1992 "I Love Your Face" #57
1992 "Rewind" #56
1999 "Easy to Love" #67 Robinson's first single for Universal Records

[edit] References

  1. ^ Hubbard, Steven and Ross, Scott. "Interview with Smokey Robinson." The 700 Club. Retrieved April 12, 2007.
  2. ^ Smokey Robinson's 'The Soul is in the Bowl' Gumbo
  3. ^ SMOKE ON THE DANCEFLOOR - The Sydney Morning Herald
  4. ^ Motown star Smokey Robinson in visa furore - Daily Telegraph
  5. ^ Bob and Smokey - 2CH
  6. ^ Chideya, Farai (Dec. 21, 2006). "Bill Condon Tells the Story Behind 'Dreamgirls'" [audio interview]. National Public Radio. Retrieved on Jan. 23, 2007.

[edit] External links