William “Smokey” Robinson Jr., better known as Smokey Robinson, is an American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive.
He is best known as the founder and lead singer of the avant-garde Motown music group The Miracles.
He is the band’s lead singer, lead songwriter and producer, helping to shape and define their signature sound.
Robinson’s contributions to the music world made him a legendary figure who is still revered today.
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- Full name: William “Smokey” Robinson Jr.
- Stage name: Smokey Robinson
- Date of birth: February 19, 1940
- Age: 84
- Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Country: United States
- Occupation: Singer-songwriter
- Height: 1.82 m
- Parents: Flossie Robinson, William Robinson
- Siblings: Rose Ella Jones, Geraldine Burston
- Spouse: Claudette Rogers, Diana Ross, Frances Gladney
- Children: Tamra Claudette Robinson, Trey Robinson, Barry William Borrop Robinson
- Relationship: Married
- Net worth: $150 million
Early life and education
Smokey Robinson is an American singer-songwriter, producer, and former executive.
He was born on February 19, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan, the second of three children of Flossie and William Robinson.
His sisters are Rose Ella Jones and Geraldine Burston. Robinson attended North High School and graduated in 1957.
He is best known as the founder and lead singer of the legendary Motown band The Miracles, as well as for his successful solo career.
Profession
Smokey Robinson founded the band with friends in high school, originally called “The Five Chimes.”
The band eventually changed its name to The Miracles and signed with Motown Records, a label that Robinson played a major role in shaping.
Robinson used his incredible songwriting talent to create “Shop around”, “You’re one step ahead” And the iconic “Tears of a Clown” It solidified his place in music history.
Smokey Robinson is a legendary singer and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead singer of the band The Miracles.
After leaving the band, he began a very successful solo career and developed a more personal and mellow style.
His landmark album, “A Quiet Storm,” solidified his status as a solo soul legend and included hits like “Cruisin’,” “Being With You” and “Just to See Her.”
Despite personal difficulties during the 1980s, Robinson overcame them and continued to tour and record in his later years.
Robinson is an acclaimed artist who has won multiple Grammy Awards and has been inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist and with his band The Miracles.
He is widely regarded as one of the most talented songwriters and singers in music history, and his influence on genres such as soul, R&B, and pop is undeniable.
His unique voice and powerful lyrics continue to inspire and influence artists around the world.
Awards and nominations
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1999)
- Grammy Legend Award (1990)
- Nominated in several categories, including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
- National Medal of Arts (1993)
- Soul Train Music Awards: Legacy Award (1991)
- Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame (2005)
- Kennedy Center Honors (2006)
- Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song (2016)
- Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame (2016)
- American Academy of Achievement Gold Plate Award (2019)
- Nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Vocal Performance and Favorite Soul/R&B Song at the American Music Awards
social media
- Instagram account: @smokeyrobinson
- Facebook account: Smokey Robinson
personal life
Robinson, now 84, had a turbulent and controversial marriage. Although Robinson married the Miracles’ Claudette Rogers in 1959 and had three children, Tamra Claudette Robinson, Trey Robinson and Barry William Bolop Robinson, he admitted to having extramarital affairs, including one with Diana Ross.
During the marriage, he also had a son with another woman. The couple eventually separated in 1974 and divorced in 1986. In 2002, Robinson married his third wife, Frances Gladney.
Discography
- Miracle (1957-1972)
- The Miracles, by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles (1961)
- The Miracle Chorus (1962)
- Miracle Song Smokey Robinson (1963)
- Going Out with the SOB (1965)
- I Heard It Through the Grapevine (1968)
- Solo albums (1973-present)
- Fireworks (1973)
- The Quiet Storm (1975)
- Black Smoke Bomb (1976)
- Smokey Robinson (1976)
- The Soul (1977)
- Love Breeze (1978)
- Where there’s smoke, there’s fire (1979)
- Warm Thoughts (1980)
- With You (1981)
- Essar (1984)
- Touching the Sky (1983)
- Yes, That’s You, Ma’am (1982)
- Smoke Signals (1986)
- One Heartbeat (1987)
- Love in Smoke (1990)
- Everything is Fine (1991)
- Food for Thought (2004)
- Eternal Love (2006)
- Time flies when you’re having fun (2009)
- Times Have Changed (2010)
- Smokey and Friends (2014)
- Climax (2023)
net worth
Smokey Robinson is a very successful and influential figure in the music industry.
He has achieved great success as an American R&B and pop singer-songwriter, producer, and former record executive.
With a net worth of $150 million, he rose to fame in the music industry and built a lot of wealth through his talent and hard work.
