Smokey Robinson

American singer, songwriter and record producer (born 1940)

Smokey Robinson

Robinson in 2018

Background information
Birth name| William Robinson Jr.
Born|  (1940-02-19) February 19, 1940 (age 85)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres|

* R&B
* soul
* pop

Occupations|

* Singer
* songwriter
* record producer

Years active| 1955–present
Labels|

* Motown
* Universal
* SBK
* Liquid 8
* Robso

Formerly of| The Miracles
Spouses|

* Claudette Rogers

(m. 1959; div. 1986)​

* Frances Gladney

(m. 2002)​

Website| smokeyrobinson.com

Musical artist

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.[1] 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.[2][3] 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

[edit]

William Robinson Jr. was born on February 19, 1940, 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.[1] He had two maternal half-sisters, and his parents divorced when he was three years old.[4]

Robinson's ancestry is also part Nigerian, Scandinavian, Portuguese, and Cherokee.[5] His uncle Claude gave him the nickname "Smokey Joe" when he was a child.[6] 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.[7]

When Robinson was 10, his mother died, and he began living with his older sister, Geraldine, with her husband, who had 10 children together.[4]

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.[8][9]

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.[citation needed] 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

[edit]

### The Miracles and Motown

[edit]

Main article: The Miracles

Robinson (front row, left) with the Miracles, circa 1962

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.[1] With his help, the Miracles released their first single, "Got a Job," an answer song to the Silhouettes' hit single "Get a Job"[10] 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.[11]

Gordy formed Tamla Records, which was later reincorporated as Motown. The Miracles became one of the first acts signed to the label,[1] although they had actually been with Gordy since before the formation of Motown Records.[12] In late 1960, the group recorded their first hit single, "Shop Around", which became Motown's first million-selling hit record.[10] 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",[10] "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",[10] "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",[10] "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.[1]

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.[1] His last performance with the group was in July 1972 in Washington, D.C.

### Solo career

[edit]

Robinson in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California, 2006

After a year of retirement, Robinson announced his comeback with the release of the eponymous Smokey album, in 1973.[1] 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.[citation needed] (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.[1] 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'".[1] 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.[1] It also hit number one in the UK Singles Chart, becoming his most successful single to date.[1] 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",[1] 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.[13] 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,[1] later igniting controversy as the committee had inducted only Robinson and not members of his group, the Miracles, which Robinson saw as an affront.[14][15] 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.

Robinson with Senator Doug Jones while testifying at the United States Congress to support the CLASSICS Act in 2018

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.[citation needed]

In April 2017, Robinson visited Fremont-Lopez Elementary School in Stockton, California, where he served as a designated arts mentor under Turnaround Arts.[16][17]

On July 31, 2018, Robinson appeared on the Fox network's show Beat Shazam as a special guest.[18]

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.[19]

## Personal life

[edit]

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.[20][21]

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).[22]

Robinson married Frances Gladney in May 2002. They own a home in Pittsburgh and use it as a winery.[23]

Robinson has not eaten red meat since 1972.[24] He practices Transcendental Meditation.[24][25] Robinson has golden green eyes, which he believes were passed down from his French great-grandmother.[26]

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.[27][28]

### 2025 sexual assault allegations

[edit]

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.[29] 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".[30]

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."[31]

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 "[create] a media circus and [make] a public spectacle of themselves."[32] The following day, the legal team for his accusers responded to Robinson's counter-complaint saying that "[The countersuit] is 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."[33] 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".[34]

## Awards and accolades

[edit]

Conductor Zubin Mehta with singers Dolly Parton and Robinson during a reception for the Kennedy Center honorees in the East Room of the White House, December 3, 2006

On February 22, 1983, Smokey was awarded an individual star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame.[35] 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.[13] 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.[36] 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.[37]

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.[37]

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.[38][39]

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Robinson at No. 23 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[40]

## Discography

[edit]

Main articles: The Miracles discography and Smokey Robinson discography (solo career)

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

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Larkin, Colin, ed. (1998). "Smokey Robinson". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6 (3rd ed.). Groves Dictionaries. pp. 4584–4586\. ISBN 978-1-5615-9237-1. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
2. ^ Lewis, Randy (July 5, 2016). "Smokey Robinson named 2016 Gershwin Prize for Popular Song honoree". Los Angeles Times.
3. ^ Lingan, John (February 10, 2017). "Smokey Robinson Is The Greatest American Songwriter". Deadspin. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
4. ^ a b "'At 83, I still feel sexual': Smokey Robinson on love, joy, drugs, Motown – and his affair with Diana Ross". The Guardian. April 27, 2023.
5. ^ Robinson, Smokey; The Breakfast Club (radio show) (October 21, 2016). Smokey Robinson Discusses Motown, Playing Music During Segregation Days and How He Got His Name (video). New York City: Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM. Event occurs at 44:20. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
6. ^ Hubbard, Stephen; Scott Ross. "Smokey Robinson and the Miracle of Salvation". Christian Broadcasting Network Music. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
7. ^ Battle, Chelsea (September 12, 2012). "Smokey Robinson—A Poet That You Knoweth". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
8. ^ CBS, Steven and Ross, Scott. "Interview with Smokey Robinson." The 700 Club. Retrieved April 12, 2007.
9. ^ "Smokey Robinson sings to Aretha Franklin during her funeral". WXYZ News. August 31, 2018 – via YouTube.
10. ^ a b c d e Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 25 – The Soul Reformation: Phase two, the Motown story. [Part 4]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
11. ^ Interviewer: Gwen Ifill (October 10, 2009). "An Evening With Smokey Robinson". The History Makers. PBS. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
12. ^ "The Miracles: In the '60s, we loved and lost to this Motown legend's smooth songs (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2012)". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland. April 3, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
13. ^ a b "Smokey Robinson". The Grammys. March 17, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
14. ^ "Smokey Robinson". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 20, 2009.
15. ^ Marder, Phill (December 15, 2010). "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame still missing 3 Motown stalwarts". Goldmine. Retrieved November 9, 2011.
16. ^ "Music icon Smokey Robinson makes repeat visit to Stockton school". Recordnet. May 11, 2018. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
17. ^ Rivera, Kurt (April 3, 2017). "Music legend Smokey Robinson visits Stockton elementary school". ABC 10. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
18. ^ "Smokey Robinson is Special Guest on 'Beat Shazam' Hosted by Jamie Foxx Tonight on FOX". Feeling the Vibe Magazine. July 31, 2018. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
19. ^ "Smokey Robinson, 'King of Motown,' to release new solo album". AP News. January 27, 2023. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
20. ^ Calvario, Liz (April 28, 2023). "Smokey Robinson says he had an affair with Diana Ross, and that she ended it". TODAY.com.
21. ^ Aniftos, Rania (April 28, 2023). "Smokey Robinson Reveals He Had a Year-Long Affair With Diana Ross: 'She's a Beautiful Lady'". Billboard.
22. ^ Robinson, Smokey (May 1989). "Smokey Robinson Reveals How Infidelity And Drugs Destroyed His Marriage". Ebony. pp. 148–154\. ISSN 0012-9011.
23. ^ "Smokey Robinson Teams With Pittsburgh's Engine House 25 Wines". KDKA News. October 22, 2018 – via YouTube.
24. ^ a b McLean, Craig (September 7, 2014). "Smokey Robinson interview: 'God saved me from cocaine'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
25. ^ Gluck, Bob (August 15, 2012). You'll Know When You Get There: Herbie Hancock and the Mwandishi Band. The University of Chicago Press. p. 229\. ISBN 978-0-2263-0004-7. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
26. ^ Sweetingham, Lisa (October 21, 2009). "Smokey Robinson interview". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022.
27. ^ Graham, Adam (November 8, 2023). "Smokey Robinson launches Smokey's Soul Town station on SiriusXM radio". The Detroit News.
28. ^ "Smokey Robinso to Launch Exclusive Sirius XM" (PDF). November 8, 2023.
29. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (May 6, 2025). "Smokey Robinson Sued by Former Female Employees Alleging Sexual Assault and Battery". Variety.
30. ^ Franklin, McKinley (May 7, 2025). "Smokey Robinson Denies 'Vile, False' Sexual Assault Allegations, Lawyer Says Suit Is an Attempt to 'Extract Money From an American Icon'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
31. ^ "Smokey Robinson under criminal investigation after sexual abuse lawsuit". USA Today. May 15, 2025. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
32. ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (May 28, 2025). "Smokey Robinson Files $500 Million Counter-Complaint Against Former Employees, Claiming Slander and Elder Abuse". Variety. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
33. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (May 29, 2025). "Smokey Robinson's accusers blast his $500-million countersuit as 'attempt to silence and intimidate'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
34. ^ Matt Stevens; Orlando Mayorquin (May 30, 2025). "Smokey Robinson Faced a Sexual Assault Allegation in 2015". New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
35. ^ "Smokey Robinson". Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 25, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
36. ^ "Smokey Robinson". Michigan Rock and Roll Legends. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
37. ^ a b "Ella Award Special Events". February 12, 2011. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
38. ^ "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". American Academy of Achievement.
39. ^ "2019 Summit Highlights Photo: Roger Daltrey, the lead singer of The Who, greets a friend and fellow honoree, Motown legend Smokey Robinson". Academy of Achievement.
40. ^ "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. January 1, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Christgau, Robert (June 1972). "Smokey Robinson". Newsday.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Smokey Robinson.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Smokey Robinson.

* Smokey Robinson interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' December 1992
* Interview on Fresh Air
* "Smokey Robinson". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
* Smokey Robinson's page at soulwalking.co.uk
* Smokey Robinson Biography and Update at SoulTracks
* Smokey Robinson at cosmopolis.ch
* Smokey Robinson at IMDb
* Smokey Robinson interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969)
* Smokey Robinson Wines

* v
* t
* e

Smokey Robinson

Albums|

* Smokey
* Pure Smokey
* A Quiet Storm
* Smokey's Family Robinson
* Deep in My Soul
* Big Time
* Love Breeze
* Smokin'
* Where There's Smoke...
* Warm Thoughts
* Being with You
* Yes It's You Lady
* Touch the Sky
* Essar
* Smoke Signals
* One Heartbeat
* Love, Smokey
* Double Good Everything
* Intimate
* Food for the Spirit
* My World (The Definitive Collection)
* Timeless Love
* Time Flies When You're Having Fun
* Now and Then
* Smokey & Friends
* Christmas Everyday
* Gasms

Singles|

* "Baby That's Backatcha"
* "Pops, We Love You"
* "Get Ready"
* "Cruisin'"
* "Being with You"
* "Ebony Eyes"
* "Just to See Her"
* "One Heartbeat"
* "We've Saved the Best for Last"

Related articles|

* Discography
* The Miracles
* The Miracles discography
* "Pure Smokey"
* "When Smokey Sings"

Awards for Smokey Robinson

* v
* t
* e

Gershwin Prize recipients

* Paul Simon (2007)
* Stevie Wonder (2009)
* Paul McCartney (2010)
* Burt Bacharach and Hal David (2012)
* Carole King (2013)
* Billy Joel (2014)
* Willie Nelson (2015)
* Smokey Robinson (2016)
* Tony Bennett (2017)
* Emilio Estefan and Gloria Estefan (2019)
* Garth Brooks (2020)
* Lionel Richie (2022)
* Joni Mitchell (2023)
* Elton John and Bernie Taupin (2024)

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Legend Award

* Andrew Lloyd Webber / Liza Minnelli / Willie Nelson / Smokey Robinson (1990)
* Johnny Cash / Aretha Franklin / Billy Joel / Quincy Jones (1991)
* Barbra Streisand (1992)
* Michael Jackson (1993)
* Curtis Mayfield / Frank Sinatra (1994)
* Luciano Pavarotti (1998)
* Elton John (1999)
* Bee Gees (2003)

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

1963–1990|

* 1963
* Bing Crosby
* 1965
* Frank Sinatra
* 1966
* Duke Ellington
* 1967
* Ella Fitzgerald
* 1968
* Irving Berlin
* 1971
* Elvis Presley
* 1972
* Louis Armstrong
* Mahalia Jackson
* 1984
* Chuck Berry
* Charlie Parker
* 1985
* Leonard Bernstein
* 1986
* Benny Goodman
* The Rolling Stones
* Andrés Segovia
* 1987
* Roy Acuff
* Benny Carter
* Enrico Caruso
* Ray Charles
* Fats Domino
* Woody Herman
* Billie Holiday
* B. B. King
* Isaac Stern
* Igor Stravinsky
* Arturo Toscanini
* Hank Williams
* 1989
* Fred Astaire
* Pablo Casals
* Dizzy Gillespie
* Jascha Heifetz
* Lena Horne
* Leontyne Price
* Bessie Smith
* Art Tatum
* Sarah Vaughan
* 1990
* Nat King Cole
* Miles Davis
* Vladimir Horowitz
* Paul McCartney

1991–2000|

* 1991
* Marian Anderson
* Bob Dylan
* John Lennon
* Kitty Wells
* 1992
* James Brown
* John Coltrane
* Jimi Hendrix
* Muddy Waters
* 1993
* Chet Atkins
* Little Richard
* Thelonious Monk
* Bill Monroe
* Pete Seeger
* Fats Waller
* 1994
* Bill Evans
* Aretha Franklin
* Arthur Rubinstein
* 1995
* Patsy Cline
* Peggy Lee
* Henry Mancini
* Curtis Mayfield
* Barbra Streisand
* 1996
* Dave Brubeck
* Marvin Gaye
* Georg Solti
* Stevie Wonder
* 1997
* Bobby "Blue" Bland
* The Everly Brothers
* Judy Garland
* Stéphane Grappelli
* Buddy Holly
* Charles Mingus
* Oscar Peterson
* Frank Zappa
* 1998
* Bo Diddley
* The Mills Brothers
* Roy Orbison
* Paul Robeson
* 1999
* Johnny Cash
* Sam Cooke
* Otis Redding
* Smokey Robinson
* Mel Tormé
* 2000
* Harry Belafonte
* Woody Guthrie
* John Lee Hooker
* Mitch Miller
* Willie Nelson

2001–2010|

* 2001
* The Beach Boys
* Tony Bennett
* Sammy Davis Jr.
* Bob Marley
* The Who
* 2002
* Count Basie
* Rosemary Clooney
* Perry Como
* Al Green
* Joni Mitchell
* 2003
* Etta James
* Johnny Mathis
* Glenn Miller
* Tito Puente
* Simon & Garfunkel
* 2004
* Van Cliburn
* The Funk Brothers
* Ella Jenkins
* Sonny Rollins
* Artie Shaw
* Doc Watson
* 2005
* Eddy Arnold
* Art Blakey
* The Carter Family
* Morton Gould
* Janis Joplin
* Led Zeppelin
* Jerry Lee Lewis
* Jelly Roll Morton
* Pinetop Perkins
* The Staple Singers
* 2006
* David Bowie
* Cream
* Merle Haggard
* Robert Johnson
* Jessye Norman
* Richard Pryor
* The Weavers
* 2007
* Joan Baez
* Booker T. & the M.G.'s
* Maria Callas
* Ornette Coleman
* The Doors
* The Grateful Dead
* Bob Wills
* 2008
* Burt Bacharach
* The Band
* Cab Calloway
* Doris Day
* Itzhak Perlman
* Max Roach
* Earl Scruggs
* 2009
* Gene Autry
* The Blind Boys of Alabama
* The Four Tops
* Hank Jones
* Brenda Lee
* Dean Martin
* Tom Paxton
* 2010
* Leonard Cohen
* Bobby Darin
* David "Honeyboy" Edwards
* Michael Jackson
* Loretta Lynn
* André Previn
* Clark Terry

2011–2020|

* 2011
* Julie Andrews
* Roy Haynes
* Juilliard String Quartet
* The Kingston Trio
* Dolly Parton
* Ramones
* George Beverly Shea
* 2012
* The Allman Brothers Band
* Glen Campbell
* Antônio Carlos Jobim
* George Jones
* The Memphis Horns
* Diana Ross
* Gil Scott-Heron
* 2013
* Glenn Gould
* Charlie Haden
* Lightnin' Hopkins
* Carole King
* Patti Page
* Ravi Shankar
* The Temptations
* 2014
* The Beatles
* Clifton Chenier
* The Isley Brothers
* Kraftwerk
* Kris Kristofferson
* Armando Manzanero
* Maud Powell
* 2015
* Bee Gees
* Pierre Boulez
* Buddy Guy
* George Harrison
* Flaco Jiménez
* The Louvin Brothers
* Wayne Shorter
* 2016
* Ruth Brown
* Celia Cruz
* Earth, Wind & Fire
* Herbie Hancock
* Jefferson Airplane
* Linda Ronstadt
* Run-DMC
* 2017
* Shirley Caesar
* Ahmad Jamal
* Charley Pride
* Jimmie Rodgers
* Nina Simone
* Sly Stone
* The Velvet Underground
* 2018
* Hal Blaine
* Neil Diamond
* Emmylou Harris
* Louis Jordan
* The Meters
* Queen
* Tina Turner
* 2019
* Black Sabbath
* George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic
* Billy Eckstine
* Donny Hathaway
* Julio Iglesias
* Sam & Dave
* Dionne Warwick
* 2020
* Chicago
* Roberta Flack
* Isaac Hayes
* Iggy Pop
* John Prine
* Public Enemy
* Sister Rosetta Tharpe

2021–present|

* 2021
* Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
* Lionel Hampton
* Marilyn Horne
* Salt-N-Pepa
* Selena
* Talking Heads
* 2022
* Bonnie Raitt
* 2023
* Bobby McFerrin
* Nirvana
* Ma Rainey
* Slick Rick
* Nile Rodgers
* The Supremes
* Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson
* 2024
* Laurie Anderson
* The Clark Sisters
* Gladys Knight
* N.W.A
* Donna Summer
* Tammy Wynette
* 2025
* Frankie Beverly
* The Clash
* Bobby Jones
* Taj Mahal
* Prince
* Roxanne Shante
* Frankie Valli

* v
* t
* e

Kennedy Center Honorees (2000s)

2000|

* Mikhail Baryshnikov
* Chuck Berry
* Plácido Domingo
* Clint Eastwood
* Angela Lansbury

2001|

* Julie Andrews
* Van Cliburn
* Quincy Jones
* Jack Nicholson
* Luciano Pavarotti

2002|

* James Earl Jones
* James Levine
* Chita Rivera
* Paul Simon
* Elizabeth Taylor

2003|

* James Brown
* Carol Burnett
* Loretta Lynn
* Mike Nichols
* Itzhak Perlman

2004|

* Warren Beatty
* Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee
* Elton John
* Joan Sutherland
* John Williams

2005|

* Tony Bennett
* Suzanne Farrell
* Julie Harris
* Robert Redford
* Tina Turner

2006|

* Zubin Mehta
* Dolly Parton
* Smokey Robinson
* Steven Spielberg
* Andrew Lloyd Webber

2007|

* Leon Fleisher
* Steve Martin
* Diana Ross
* Martin Scorsese
* Brian Wilson

2008|

* Morgan Freeman
* George Jones
* Barbra Streisand
* Twyla Tharp
* Pete Townshend & Roger Daltrey

2009|

* Mel Brooks
* Dave Brubeck
* Grace Bumbry
* Robert De Niro
* Bruce Springsteen

* Complete list
* 1970s
* 1980s
* 1990s
* 2000s
* 2010s
* 2020s

* v
* t
* e

MusiCares Person of the Year

* David Crosby (1991)
* Bonnie Raitt (1992)
* Natalie Cole (1993)
* Gloria Estefan (1994)
* Tony Bennett (1995)
* Quincy Jones (1996)
* Phil Collins (1997)
* Luciano Pavarotti (1998)
* Stevie Wonder (1999)
* Elton John (2000)
* Paul Simon (2001)
* Billy Joel (2002)
* Bono (2003)
* Sting (2004)
* Brian Wilson (2005)
* James Taylor (2006)
* Don Henley (2007)
* Aretha Franklin (2008)
* Neil Diamond (2009)
* Neil Young (2010)
* Barbra Streisand (2011)
* Paul McCartney (2012)
* Bruce Springsteen (2013)
* Carole King (2014)
* Bob Dylan (2015)
* Lionel Richie (2016)
* Tom Petty (2017)
* Fleetwood Mac (2018)
* Dolly Parton (2019)
* Aerosmith (2020)
* Joni Mitchell (2022)
* Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson (2023)
* Jon Bon Jovi (2024)
* Grateful Dead (2025)

* v
* t
* e

National Medal of Arts recipients (2000s)

2000|

* Maya Angelou
* Eddy Arnold
* Mikhail Baryshnikov
* Benny Carter
* Chuck Close
* Horton Foote
* Lewis Manilow
* National Public Radio, cultural programming division
* Claes Oldenburg
* Itzhak Perlman
* Harold Prince
* Barbra Streisand

2001|

* Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation
* Rudolfo Anaya
* Johnny Cash
* Kirk Douglas
* Helen Frankenthaler
* Judith Jamison
* Yo-Yo Ma
* Mike Nichols

2002|

* Florence Knoll Bassett
* Trisha Brown
* Philippe de Montebello
* Uta Hagen
* Lawrence Halprin
* Al Hirschfeld
* George Jones
* Ming Cho Lee
* William "Smokey" Robinson

2003|

* Austin City Limits
* Beverly Cleary
* Rafe Esquith
* Suzanne Farrell
* Buddy Guy
* Ron Howard
* Tabernacle Choir
* Leonard Slatkin
* George Strait
* Tommy Tune

2004|

* Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
* Ray Bradbury
* Carlisle Floyd
* Frederick Hart
* Anthony Hecht
* John Ruthven
* Vincent Scully
* Twyla Tharp

2005|

* Louis Auchincloss
* James DePreist
* Paquito D'Rivera
* Robert Duvall
* Leonard Garment
* Ollie Johnston
* Wynton Marsalis
* Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
* Tina Ramirez
* Dolly Parton

2006|

* William Bolcom
* Cyd Charisse
* Roy DeCarava
* Wilhelmina Holladay
* Interlochen Center for the Arts
* Erich Kunzel
* Preservation Hall Jazz Band
* Gregory Rabassa
* Viktor Schreckengost
* Ralph Stanley

2007|

* Morten Lauridsen
* N. Scott Momaday
* Craig Noel
* Roy Neuberger
* Les Paul
* Henry Z. Steinway
* George Tooker
* Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival (University of Idaho)
* Andrew Wyeth

2008|

* Stan Lee
* Richard M. Sherman
* Robert B. Sherman
* Olivia de Havilland
* Hank Jones
* Jesús Moroles
* Ford's Theatre Society
* Fisk Jubilee Singers, (Fisk University)
* José Limón Dance Foundation
* The Presser Foundation

2009|

* Bob Dylan
* Clint Eastwood
* Milton Glaser
* Maya Lin
* Rita Moreno
* Jessye Norman
* Joseph P. Riley Jr.
* Frank Stella
* Michael Tilson Thomas
* John Williams
* Oberlin Conservatory of Music
* School of American Ballet

* Complete list
* 1980s
* 1990s
* 2000s
* 2010s

* v
* t
* e

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Class of 1987

Performers|

* The Coasters
* Carl Gardner, Cornell Gunter, Billy Guy, Dub Jones
* Eddie Cochran
* Bo Diddley
* Aretha Franklin
* Marvin Gaye
* Bill Haley
* B.B. King
* Clyde McPhatter
* Ricky Nelson
* Roy Orbison
* Carl Perkins
* Smokey Robinson
* Big Joe Turner
* Muddy Waters
* Jackie Wilson

Early influences|

* Louis Jordan
* T-Bone Walker
* Hank Williams

Non-performers
(Ahmet Ertegun Award)|

* Leonard Chess
* Ahmet Ertegun
* Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
* Jerry Wexler

* v
* t
* e

The Miracles (1955–1964) / Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1965–1972) / The Miracles (1973–2011)

* Smokey Robinson
* Ronnie White
* Pete Moore
* Bobby Rogers
* Claudette Robinson
* Marv Tarplin
* Billy Griffin
* Donald Griffin
* Carl Cotton
* Mark Scott
* Dave Finley
* Sydney Justin
* Alphonse Franklin
* Tee Turner

Studio albums|

* Hi... We're the Miracles (1961)
* Cookin' with the Miracles (1961)
* I'll Try Something New (1962)
* The Fabulous Miracles (1963)
* Christmas with The Miracles (1963)
* The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey (1963)
* I Like It Like That (1964)
* Going to a Go-Go (1965)
* Away We a Go-Go (1966)
* Make It Happen (The Tears of a Clown) (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)
* Renaissance (1973)
* Do It Baby (1974)
* Don't Cha Love It (1975)
* City of Angels (1975)
* The Power of Music (1976)
* Love Crazy (1977)
* The Miracles (1978)

Live albums|

* The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963)
* Smokey Robinson & the Miracles LIVE! (1969)
* Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957–1972 (1972)

Compilations|

* Greatest Hits: From the Beginning (1965)
* Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1968)
* Anthology (1974)
* Anthology '86 (1986)
* Anthology: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1995)
* The Ultimate Collection (1998)
* Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology (2002)
* Depend On Me: The Early Albums (2009)

Singles|

* "Bad Girl"
* "Way Over There"
* "Shop Around"
* "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues"
* "What's So Good About Goodbye"
* "I've Been Good to You"
* "I'll Try Something New"
* "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"Happy Landing"
* "A Love She Can Count On"
* "Mickey's Monkey"
* "I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying"
* "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You"
* "I Like It Like That"
* "That's What Love Is Made Of"
* "Come On Do the Jerk"
* "Ooo Baby Baby"
* "The Tracks of My Tears"
* "A Fork in the Road"
* "My Girl Has Gone"
* "Going to a Go-Go"
* "Choosey Beggar"
* "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)"
* "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need"
* "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage"
* "More Love"
* "I Second That Emotion"
* "If You Can Want"
* "Yester Love"
* "Special Occasion"
* "Baby, Baby Don't Cry"
* "Here I Go Again"
* "Doggone Right"
* "Abraham, Martin and John"
* "Point It Out"
* "The Tears of a Clown"
* "I Don't Blame You at All"
* "We've Come Too Far to End It Now"
* "Give Me Just Another Day"
* "Do It Baby"
* "Love Machine"

Videography|

* The Definitive Performances (1963–1987) (2006)

Related|

* Discography
* Cover versions of Miracles songs
* Awards and achievements
* The Miracles Sing Modern

* v
* t
* e

The Miracles singles

Discography

1950s|

* " Bad Girl" (1959)

1960s|

* "Way Over There" (1960)
* "Shop Around" (1960) / "Who's Lovin' You" (1960)
* "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" (1961)
* "What's So Good About Goodbye" (1961) / "I've Been Good to You" (1961)
* "I'll Try Something New" (1962)
* "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) / "Happy Landing" (1962)
* "A Love She Can Count On" (1963) / "I Can Take a Hint" (1963)
* " Mickey's Monkey" (1963)
* "I Gotta Dance to Keep from Crying" (1963)
* "The Christmas Song" (1963)
* "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You" (1964)
* "I Like It Like That" (1964)
* "That's What Love Is Made Of" (1964)
* "Come On Do the Jerk" (1964)
* "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965)
* "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) / "A Fork in the Road" (1965)
* "My Girl Has Gone" (1965)
* "Going to a Go-Go" (1965) / "Choosey Beggar" (1965)
* "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)" (1966)
* "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" (1966)
* "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" (1967)
* "More Love" (1967)
* "I Second That Emotion" (1967)
* "If You Can Want" (1968)
* "Yester Love" (1968)
* "Special Occasion" (1968)
* "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (1969)
* "Here I Go Again" (1969) / "Doggone Right" (1969)
* "Abraham, Martin and John" (1969)
* "Point It Out" (1969) / "Darling Dear" (1969)

1970s|

* "The Tears of a Clown" (1970)
* "I Don't Blame You at All" (1970)
* "We've Come Too Far to End It Now" (1972)
* "Give Me Just Another Day" (1973)
* "Do It Baby" (1974)
* "Love Machine" (1975)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Australia
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Croatia
* Poland
* Israel
* Finland

Academics|

* CiNii

Artists|

* MusicBrainz
* Grammy Awards

People|

* Trove

Other|

* IdRef
* SNAC
* Yale LUX

*[m.]: married
*[div.]: divorced
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template