Smokey Robinson

William " Smokey " Robinson, Jr. ( born February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American soul and R & B singer, producer, arranger and songwriter, who was one of the leading artists instrumental in the success of the record label Motown Records was involved. Between 1955 and 1972 he celebrated hits as lead singer of the group The Miracles, followed by solo hits like Baby That's Backatcha (1975 ), Cruisin ' (1979 ), Being with You ( 1981) and Just to See Her, or One Heart Beat ( 1987). His recording Quiet Storm (1975 ) gave its name to an entire radio format for sentimental soul ballads.

Life

End of the 1950s hit Robinson in Detroit on Berry Gordy, the founder of the Motown label, and he was with his band The Miracles of the first Hitlieferant for the young label. The first America -wide Hiterfolg was Shop Around from the year 1960. Robinson thus became the romantic voice of the Motown sound as opposed to the group The Temptations. He not only wrote hits for his own band. At Motown took in the 1960s, as well as all artists songs from Robinson on ( including Marvin Gaye, The Supremes and the Four Tops ), making ideally hits it. Songs like My Guy by Mary Wells (1964 ) and My Girl by the Temptations ( 1964/5 ) have become classics of the Motownsounds. Smokey Robinson had as vice president of Motown Records (since 1961) a natural interest that such hits emerged. At the same time they covered stylistically diverse artists as The Rolling Stones, Sonny & Cher, Otis Redding, Mamas & Papas, Count Basie, Dean Martin and Ella Fitzgerald his songs. In 1970, Smokey Robinson with the song Tears of a Clown a number-one hit in the United States.

In the late 1980s Motown was sold and shortly after Robinson retired from the Board. Since then, he always goes back on tour and is still always a popular guest on radio and television. In 1987, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The magazine Rolling Stone chose him at No. 20 of the best singers of all time.

On 7 July 2009 Smokey Robinson opened with a speech the funeral service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Here he read two letters of condolence. These came from the American singer Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Prize.

Miscellaneous

In the 1970s, he had a confrontation with the British band Smokey because he did not want that they used his name as a band name. They called around at Smokie and were under this name one of the most successful bands of the 1970s.

Another anecdote about his name comes from the year 1987, in which the band released their song ABC When Smokey Sings. The text is about the effect Robinsons singing on women, also sound elements from Smokey's song Tears of a Clown were used. In addition, the names of relatives of the band is piquant, because ABC Records was a direct competitor of the Motown label, the Smokey Robinson had projected long.

Discography

Tamla Motown albums (UK)

  • TML11003 I Like It Like That LP
  • STML/TML11024 Going to a Go-Go LP
  • TML11031 From the Beginning LP
  • STML/TML11044 Away We A- Go-Go LP
  • STML/TML11067 Make It Happen LP
  • STML/TML11072 Greatest Hits LP
  • STML/TML11089 Special Occasion LP
  • Smokey Robinson & the Miracles STML/TML11107 Live LP
  • STML/TML11129 Time Out for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles LP
  • STML11151 Four in Blue LP
  • STML11163 What Love Has Joined Together LP
  • Smokey Robinson and the Miracles STML11172 LP
  • STML11233 Greatest Hits Vol 2 LP
  • STML11265 Pure Smokey LP
  • STML11288 A Quiet Storm LP
  • STML12021 Smokey 's Family Robinson LP
  • STMA8008 1957-1972 LP
  • STMA8012 Smokey LP
  • M793R3 -1 Anthology LP
  • STMS5010 The Tears of a Clown LP
  • STMS5011 Smokey LP
  • STMS5043 Pure Smokey LP
  • STMS5044 A Quiet Storm LP

Smokie (band) ABC (Band) Integrated Authority File
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