Smokey Robinson

William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. He was the founder and frontman of the pioneering Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he was also chief songwriter and producer. He led the group from its 1955 origins, when they were called The Five Chimes, until 1972, when he retired from the group to focus on his role as Motown Records vice president. Robinson returned to the music industry as a solo artist the following year. He left Motown in 1999.

Robinson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 and awarded the 2016 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for his lifetime contributions to popular music. He is a double Hollywood Walk of Fame Inductee, as a solo artist (1983) and as a member of The Miracles (2009). In 2022, he was inducted into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame.

Early life and early career

William Robinson Jr. was born to an African-American father and a mother of African-American and French descent in a poor family in the North End area of Detroit, Michigan. He had two maternal half-sisters, and his parents divorced when he was three years old.

Robinson's ancestry is also part Nigerian, Scandinavian, Portuguese, and Cherokee. His uncle Claude gave him the nickname "Smokey Joe" when he was a child. In 2012, Robinson explained:

My Uncle Claude was my favorite uncle. He was also my godfather. He and I were really, really close. He used to take me to see cowboy movies all the time when I was a little boy because I loved cowboy movies. He got a cowboy name for me, which was Smokey Joe. So from the time I was three years old if people asked me what my name was I didn't tell them my name was William, I told them my name was Smokey Joe. That's what everyone called me until I was about 12 and then I dropped the Joe part. I've heard that story about him giving it to me because I'm a light skinned black man but that's not true.

When Robinson was 10, his mother died, and he began living with his older sister, Geraldine, with her husband, who had 10 children together.

He attended Northern High School, where he was above average academically and a determined athlete. However, his main interest was music, and he formed a doo-wop group named the Five Chimes. He and Aretha Franklin lived several houses from each other on Belmont; he said he'd known Franklin since she was about five, overhearing her play the piano when he had come to play with her older brother Cecil after her family first moved to Detroit.

Robinson's interest in music started during childhood after he heard the groups Nolan Strong & the Diablos and Billy Ward and his Dominoes on the radio. He has cited Barrett Strong, a Detroit native, as a strong vocal influence. In 1955, he formed the first lineup of The Five Chimes with childhood friend Ronald White and classmate Pete Moore.

Two years later, they were renamed the Matadors and included Bobby Rogers. Another member, Emerson (Sonny) Rogers, Bobby Rogers' cousin, was replaced by his sister, Claudette Rogers (who would marry Smokey Robinson in 1959). The group's guitarist, Marv Tarplin, joined them sometime in 1958. The Matadors began touring Detroit venues around this time. Eventually they changed their name to The Miracles.

Career

The Miracles and Motown

In August 1957, Robinson and the Miracles met songwriter Berry Gordy after a failed audition for Brunswick Records. At that time during the audition, Robinson had brought along with him a "Big 10" notebook with 100 songs he had written while in high school. Gordy was impressed with Robinson's vocals and even more impressed with Robinson's ambitious songwriting. With his help, the Miracles released their first single, "Got a Job," an answer song to the Silhouettes' hit single "Get a Job" on End Records. It was the beginning of a long and successful collaboration. During this time, Robinson attended college and started classes in January 1959, studying electrical engineering. He dropped out after only two months, following the Miracles' release of their first record.

Gordy formed Tamla Records, which was later reincorporated as Motown. The Miracles became one of the first acts signed to the label, although they had actually been with Gordy since before the formation of Motown Records. In late 1960, the group recorded their first hit single, " Shop Around", which became Motown's first million-selling hit record. Between 1960 and 1970, Robinson would produce 26 top forty hits with the Miracles as lead singer, chief songwriter and producer, including several top ten hits such as " You've Really Got a Hold on Me", " Mickey's Monkey", " I Second That Emotion", " Baby Baby Don't Cry" and the group's only number-one hit during their Robinson years, " The Tears of a Clown".

Other notable hits such as " Ooo Baby Baby", " Going to a Go-Go", the multi-award-winning " The Tracks of My Tears", " (Come Round Here) I'm The One You Need", " The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" and " More Love" peaked in the top twenty. In 1965, the Miracles were the first Motown group to change their name when they released their 1965 album '' Going to a Go-Go'' as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.

Between 1962 and 1966, Robinson was also one of the major songwriters and producers for Motown, penning many hit singles such as " Two Lovers", " The One Who Really Loves You", " You Beat Me to the Punch" and " My Guy" for Mary Wells; " The Way You Do The Things You Do", " My Girl", " Since I Lost My Baby", " It's Growing", and " Get Ready" for the Temptations; " Still Water (Love)" for the Four Tops; " When I'm Gone" and " Operator" for Brenda Holloway; "Don't Mess With Bill", " The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" and " My Baby Must Be a Magician" for the Marvelettes; and " I'll Be Doggone" and " Ain't That Peculiar" for Marvin Gaye.

After the arrival of Holland–Dozier–Holland and the team of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, Robinson was eclipsed as a top writer and producer for the label, and other Motown artists such as Gaye and Stevie Wonder began to compose more original material. Later in his career, Robinson wrote lyrics and music for the Contours such as " First I Look at the Purse", as well as the Four Tops' " Still Water" and The Supremes' " Floy Joy". The other Miracles—Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, Ronnie White, and Marv Tarplin—collaborated with him as writers on many of these hits, and Pete Moore also doubled as co-producer with Robinson on several of them.

By 1969, Robinson wanted to retire from touring to focus on raising his two children with his wife Claudette, and on his duties as Motown's vice president, a job he had taken on by the mid-1960s after Esther Gordy Edwards had left the position. However, the success of the group's "Tears of a Clown" made Robinson stay with the group until 1972. His last performance with the group was in July 1972 in Washington, D.C.

Solo career

After a year of retirement, Robinson announced his comeback with the release of the eponymous '' Smokey'' album, in 1973. The album included the Miracles tribute song, "Sweet Harmony", and the hit ballad "Baby Come Close". In 1974, Robinson's second album, '' Pure Smokey'', was released but failed to produce hits. Robinson struggled to compete with his former collaborators Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and former Temptations member Eddie Kendricks, as all three had multiple hit singles during this period.

Former Beatle George Harrison featured the track " Pure Smokey" on his 1976 album '' Thirty Three & 1/3'' as a tribute to Robinson. (Harrison's fellow Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney were also fans of Robinson's songwriting and the group covered "You Really Gotta Hold on Me" on their second UK album ''With the Beatles'' and US album '' The Beatles' Second Album'', respectively.)

Robinson answered his critics the following year with '' A Quiet Storm'', released in 1975. The album launched three singles – the number-one R&B hit " Baby That's Backatcha", "The Agony & The Ecstasy" and "Quiet Storm" (the radio format quiet storm, originated by DJ Melvin Lindsey, is named after the album). However, Robinson's solo career suffered from his work as Motown's vice president, and his own music took the backseat. As a result, several albums including '' Smokey's Family Robinson'', '' Deep in My Soul'', '' Love Breeze'' and '' Smokin'', saw poor promotion and received bad reviews. At this point Robinson relied on other writers and producers to help him with his albums.

Following these albums, Robinson got out of a writer's block after his close collaborator (and fellow Miracle), Marv Tarplin, who joined him on the road in 1973 after Robinson left the Miracles, presented him a tune he had composed on his guitar. Robinson later wrote the lyrics that became his first solo top ten Pop single, " Cruisin'". The song hit number one in Cash Box and peaked at number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It also became his first solo number one in New Zealand. Robinson would follow a similar approach with his next album, '' Warm Thoughts'', which produced another top 40 hit, "Let Me Be the Clock", though it did not repeat the success of "Cruisin'".

In 1981, Robinson topped the charts again with another sensual ballad, " Being with You", which was another number one hit in Cash Box and peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It also hit number one in the UK Singles Chart, becoming his most successful single to date. The Gold-plus parent album sparked a partnership with George Tobin and with Tobin, Robinson released his next several Motown albums, ''Yes It's You Lady'', which produced the hit "Tell Me Tomorrow", ''Touch the Sky'' and ''Essar''. In 1983, Robinson teamed up with fellow Motown label mate Rick James recording the R&B ballad, " Ebony Eyes".

In 1987, following a period of personal and professional issues, Robinson made a comeback with the album, '' One Heartbeat'' and the singles, " Just to See Her" and " One Heartbeat", which were Top 10 hits on ''Billboard''s Pop, Soul, and Adult Contemporary charts. They were aided by popular music videos. "Just to See Her" won Robinson his first Grammy Award in 1988. The album became one of his most successful ever, selling over 900,000 copies in the United States alone. In the same year, Robinson released ''One Heartbeat'', the UK group ABC released a tribute song, " When Smokey Sings".

He was inducted as a solo artist to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, later igniting controversy as the committee had inducted only Robinson and not members of his group, the Miracles, which Robinson saw as an affront. In 2012, however, the committee rectified the mistake announcing that the group would be inducted on their own merit. Though Robinson was not listed as an inductee, he was due to induct his former group at the ceremony in April 2012.

After MCA purchased Motown in 1988, Robinson relinquished his position as vice president. Following the release of the album, ''Love Smokey'', in 1990, Robinson left Motown for a deal with SBK Records in 1991. However, the album, '' Double Good Everything'' failed to chart. Robinson remained virtually quiet during the nineties (though he would make a notable cameo appearance in The Temptations 1998 miniseries), making a brief comeback in 1999 when he re-signed with Motown and issued the album, ''Intimate'', which included the song "Easy to Love".

In 2003, he once again split ties with Motown, releasing the gospel album, ''Food for the Spirit'' on Liquid 8 Records in 2004. In 2004, Robinson sang the main title theme song "Colorful World" to the American children's animated series '' ToddWorld'' for Discovery Kids, TLC and Mike Young Productions. Two years later, Robinson released the standards album, '' Timeless Love'', in 2006 on Universal Records.

In 2009, he issued the album, '' Time Flies When You're Having Fun'' on his own label, Robso Records. It reached number 59 on the ''Billboard'' album chart, his highest showing since '' One Heartbeat''. He subsequently released "Now And Then" in 2010, which peaked at number 131.

'' Smokey & Friends'' was released in mid-August 2014. It was an album of duets, including songs with Elton John, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor. It reached number 12 on the ''Billboard'' album chart.

'' Christmas Everyday'' was Robinson's first post-Miracles Christmas album, and was released on November 10, 2017. In 2018, he appeared on an episode of CMT Crossroads alongside country singer Cam.

In April 2017, Robinson visited Fremont-Lopez Elementary School in Stockton, California, where he served as a designated arts mentor under Turnaround Arts.

On July 31, 2018, Robinson appeared on the Fox network's show ''Beat Shazam'' as a special guest.

Robinson appeared on the song "Make It Better" from Anderson Paak's 2019 album '' Ventura''.

In 2023, Robinson announced that he would release his first album in almost a decade in April 2023. The nine-track album will be called '' Gasms'', and will feature entirely new music. The first single from the album, called "If We Don't Have Each Other", was already available on streaming services by January 2023.

Personal life

Robinson married a fellow Miracles member, Claudette Rogers, in 1959. The couple had two children: a son, Berry Robinson (born 1968), named after Motown's founder Berry Gordy, and a daughter, Tamla Robinson (born 1971), named after the original "Tamla" label set up by Gordy that would eventually become Motown.

According to Robinson, he had affairs with multiple women while married to Claudette, among them an approximately year-long affair with Diana Ross. According to Robinson, Ross ended it because she felt uncomfortable as she was friends with Claudette, whom Robinson admitted he still loved. (A representative for Ross had no comment on Robinson's claim.) Robinson says that loving multiple people in that way simultaneously is natural.

Robinson also had a son named Trey (born 1984) with another woman during his marriage to Claudette. After Robinson admitted to having fathered a child with a woman other than his wife, he filed for legal separation and later filed for divorce that was finalized in 1986. The Robinsons had also separated in 1974 and during that separation, Robinson engaged in an extramarital affair that inspired the song "The Agony & The Ecstasy" (later featured on '' A Quiet Storm'').

Robinson married Frances Gladney in May 2002. They own a home in Pittsburgh and use it as a winery.

Robinson has not eaten red meat since 1972. He practices Transcendental Meditation. Robinson has golden green eyes, which he believes were passed down from his French great-grandmother.

Beginning in November 2023, Robinson is the current owner and host of the SiriusXM channel ''Soul Town'', a station that plays R&B and soul hits from the 1950s to the early 1980s. Released under the banner ''Smokey's Soul Town'', Robinson occasionally appears on the channel, recalling his best moments with Motown and meeting other artists as well as pick his favorite songs during that time period.

2025 sexual assault allegations

On May 6, 2025, it was reported that Robinson and his wife were being sued by four former female housekeepers who were alleging sexual battery, assault and false imprisonment from 2012 to 2024. The women are asking for a trial with general damages for several allegations of no less than $50 million. The women also claimed that Robinson's wife Frances created a hostile work environment by using "ethnically pejorative words and language." The women said that they did not take action against Robinson prior to 2025 for fear of losing their livelihood, familial reprisal or embarrassment. Some of the women were fearful it could affect their immigration status. Robinson has denied the allegations. According to a statement from his lawyer, Christopher Frost, "the evidence will show that this is simply an ugly method of trying to extract money from an 85-year-old American icon".

On May 15, 2025, it was reported that Robinson was under criminal investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Robinson's lawyer responded to the investigation by stating, "It is clear to us what is happening here. Plaintiffs filed a police report only after they filed a $50 million lawsuit. This means only that the police are now required to investigate."

On May 28, 2025, Robinson filed a $500 million counter-complaint against his former employees accusing them of slander, intentional infliction of emotional distress and financial elder abuse. The suit states that the women made pre-litigation demands for $100 million or more, which were not met, prompting them to " reatea media circus and akea public spectacle of themselves." The following day, the legal team for his accusers responded to Robinson's counter-complaint saying that " he countersuitis nothing more than an attempt to silence and intimidate the survivors of Mr. Robinson’s sexual battery and assault. It is a baseless and vindictive legal maneuver designed to re-victimize, shift blame and discourage others from coming forward." On May 30, 2025, it was revealed that Robinson had been the subject of a criminal investigation due to an allegation of the singer sexually abusing an unrelated fifth woman in 2015, but the case was dismissed for "insufficient evidence".

Awards and accolades

On February 22, 1983, Smokey was awarded an individual star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Four years later, in 1987, Robinson was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Robinson's single " Just to See Her" from the '' One Heartbeat'' album was awarded the 1988 Grammy Award for Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. This was Robinson's first Grammy Award. One year later, in 1989, he was inducted to the Songwriter's Hall of Fame

In 1993, Robinson was awarded a medal at the National Medal of Arts. Two years before, he won the Heritage Award at the Soul Train Music Awards. In 2005, Robinson was voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. 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, Zubin Mehta, Steven Spielberg and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

On March 20, 2009, the Miracles were finally honored as a ''group'' with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Smokey was present with original Miracles members Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, (Bobby's cousin) Claudette Rogers, and Gloria White, accepting for her husband, the late Ronnie White, whose daughter Pamela and granddaughter Maya were there representing him as well. Smokey's replacement, 1970s Miracles lead singer Billy Griffin, was also honored.

Controversially, original Miracle Marv Tarplin was not honored, against the wishes of his fellow Miracles and the group's fans, who felt that he should have also been there to share the honor.
Later, Tarplin did receive his star. He was also inducted with the rest of the original Miracles, Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, Ronnie White, and Claudette Robinson, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, 25 years after Robinson's controversial solo induction in 1987. He was also awarded Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

In 2009, Robinson received an honorary doctorate degree—along with Linda Ronstadt—and gave a commencement speech at Berklee College of Music's commencement ceremony. In 2015, he was given a BET Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2016, Robinson received the Library of Congress' Gershwin Prize for Popular Song; and, on August 21, 2016, he was inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in his hometown of Detroit.

In 2019, he received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement presented by Awards Council members Jimmy Page and Peter Gabriel.

In 2023, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked Robinson at No. 23 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Discography

The Miracles
*'' Hi... We're the Miracles'' (1961)
*'' Cookin' with the Miracles'' (1961)
*'' I'll Try Something New'' (1962)
*'' The Fabulous Miracles'' (1963)
*'' The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey'' (1963)
*'' I Like It Like That'' (1964)

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
*'' Going to a Go-Go'' (1965)
*'' Away We a Go-Go'' (1966)
*'' Make It Happen'' (1967)
*'' Special Occasion'' (1968)
*'' Time Out for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles'' (1969)
*'' Four in Blue'' (1969)
*'' What Love Has...Joined Together'' (1970)
*'' A Pocket Full of Miracles'' (1970)
*'' The Season for Miracles'' (1970)
*'' One Dozen Roses'' (1971)
*'' Flying High Together'' (1972)

Studio albums
* '' Smokey'' (1973)
* '' Pure Smokey'' (1974)
* '' A Quiet Storm'' (1975)
* '' Smokey's Family Robinson'' (1976)
* '' Deep in My Soul'' (1977)
* '' Love Breeze'' (1978)
* '' Where There's Smoke...'' (1979)
* '' Warm Thoughts'' (1980)
* '' Being with You'' (1981)
* '' Yes It's You Lady'' (1982)
* '' Touch the Sky'' (1983)
* '' Essar'' (1984)
* '' Smoke Signals'' (1986)
* '' One Heartbeat'' (1987)
* '' Love, Smokey'' (1990)
* '' Double Good Everything'' (1991)
* '' Intimate'' (1999)
* ''Food for the Spirit'' (2004)
* '' Timeless Love'' (2006)
* '' Time Flies When You're Having Fun'' (2009)
* '' Now and Then'' (2010)
* '' Smokey & Friends'' (2014)
* '' Gasms'' (2023)
* ''What the World Needs Now'' (2025)

References

Further reading

*

External links

Smokey Robinson interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' December 1992

Interview
on ''Fresh Air''
*

Smokey Robinson's page at soulwalking.co.uk




*
*

Smokey Robinson Wines

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, Smokey
1940 births
Living people
20th-century African-American male singers
20th-century American male singers
20th-century American singers
21st-century African-American male singers
21st-century American male singers
African-American male singer-songwriters
American male singer-songwriters
African-American record producers
American child singers
American gospel singers
American male pop singers
American music industry executives
American people of French descent
American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
American soul singers
American tenors
American child pop musicians
Gershwin Prize recipients
Grammy Legend Award winners
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners
Kennedy Center honorees
Motown artists
Northern High School (Detroit, Michigan) alumni
Record producers from Michigan
SBK Records artists
Singers from Detroit
Singer-songwriters from Michigan
The Miracles members
United States National Medal of Arts recipients
Universal Music Group artists