Flashback In History With Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson launched his career at the early age of 15 fronting the group, The Five Chimes. The singing group would change their name two years later to The Matadors then eventually settled on The Miracles.
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles became one of the very fist acts to sign to Berry Gordy‘s Motown record label and gave the label its first million-selling hit song with “Shop Around“.
Robinson was responsible for producing nearly thirty Top 40 hit songs during the 1960’s and multiple Top 10 singles that included “I Second That Emotion“, “Baby Baby Don’t Cry“, and “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me“. It’s hard to believe that Smokey Robinson and The Miracles only reached the top of the charts once with “The Tears Of A Clown“. The song appeared on the 1967 album “Make It Happen” but was re-released as a single in 1970 and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts.
Smokey “retired” from the group in 1972 to focus on his family and job duties with Motown Records but launched his solo career the following year with the release of the self-titled album “Smokey“. He released a number of singles and additional albums but it wasn’t until 1988 that Robinson received his first Grammy Award for the song “Just To See Her” and subsequently was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.
I had the pleasure of meeting Smokey Robinson (pictured) about ten years ago during a New Year’s Eve party held at the infamous Playboy Mansion in Southern California. People often warn not to meet your heroes but Smokey could not have been nicer accommodating my request for a picture and random chitchat.
For your chance to see tickets for Smokey Robinson at his upcoming Las Vegas shows at The Venetian, check out our contest page HERE.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/picazzoboy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Jammin1057
