Smokey bill robinson biography harlem
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More than just a frontman, Robinson composed for and produced the group.
He worked behind the scenes for other Motown artists, too. Indeed, Robinson wrote hit songs not only for his group but for other Motown headliners as well. Robinson and the Miracles were favorites among the Motown personnel, earning more than six gold records containing such hits as "The Tracks of My Tears," "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," "I Second That Emotion," and "Ooo Baby Baby." Still, Robinson was on the verge of quitting the group in 1968 when his son Berry was born.
“There was a lot of classical, like Beethoven and Chopin, but I also heard everything from gospel to jazz to blues.”
In the early 1950s, Robinson formed the Matadors, which later became the world-famous group The Miracles. make music for people of all races and nationalities. He chronicles his personal struggles in his 1989 collaboration with David Ritz, Smokey: Inside My Life.Musician contributor Jon Young remarked that the autobiography "documents everything from [Robinson's] family history and the early days of the Miracles to his extramarital affairs and, most striking, a graphic account of two years in thrall to cocaine in the mid-'80s." When asked why he chose to provide such candid details about his drug addiction, Robinson responded to Young, "I wrote it because it was God's will....
Not to make black music--we just wanted to make good music that would be acceptable in all circles.... “I grew up in a home where I had a great dose of music,” he told Rolling Stone. With SBK, Robinson released a well-received album he coproduced and recorded in less than six weeks, 1991's Double Good Everything. He reconsidered almost immediately, however, when a Miracles single, "The Tears of a Clown," became a Number One hit, first in England and then in the United States.
She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she studied English literature. The Miracles subsequently became a national phenomenon, and Gordy was able to launch Motown Records, a landmark production company that introduced such talents as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and the Temptations.
Robinson and the Miracles were Gordy's first star-quality group, and they continued their association with Motown as the company gained prestige.
Late that year they released an upbeat single, "Shop Around," that became a chart-topping million-seller. At the time I was saved, I was already dead. Indeed, Robinson wrote hit songs not only for his group but for other Motown headliners as well. You are now speaking to Lazarus."
Left Motown for SBK Records
With the onset of the 1990s, Robinson's contract with Motown Records expired and after a long and productive career with the record company, he moved to SBK Records.
Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. According to Gary Graff of the Detroit Free Press, the singer said simply, "My contract with Motown was up, and I was just out of there." He also pointed to the sale of Motown Records to MCA and Boston Ventures in 1988 as one of the reasons for his departure.
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Catherine Caruso joined the Biography.com staff in August 2024, having previously worked as a freelance journalist for several years.
Gordy began to produce the Miracles's singles in 1958, collaborating with Robinson on lyrics and tunes. You are now speaking to Lazarus."
With the onset of the 1990s, Robinson's contract with Motown Records expired, and after a long and productive career with the record company, he moved to SBK Records.