Smokey Robinson is an American R&B and pop singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive
Robinson was the founder and front man of the Motown vocal group The Miracles,
for which he also served as the group's chief songwriter and producer.
He later returned to the music industry as a solo artist.
-Wikipedia
Birth Name: William Robinson, Jr.
Born: February 19, 1940 (age 86)
From: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genre(s):
R&B,
soul,
pop,
adult contemporary
Instrument(s):
Vocals,
piano
Occupation(s):
Singer,
songwriter,
record producer,
record executive
Active From: 1955–present
Member of:
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
The Miracles
The Chimes
Associated Acts:
The Miracles
The Temptations
Mary Wells
Marvin Gaye
The Marvelettes
Quotes:
And I can say this, most of the people who have recorded my songs are songwriters themselves.
Had I not come out with an inspirational CD, you perhaps would have never known that I feel like I feel, that all songs, all the music I've ever done is a gift from God.
I always try to write a song, I never just want to write a record.
I don't ever balk at being considered a Motown person, because Motown is the greatest musical event that ever happened in the history of music.
I had been stockpiling Gospel songs for other artists, and had planned to submit them to Gospel artists.
I left Motown because of the regime of people who were there.
In fact, I wouldn't really call this a Gospel album, I call it more an inspirational album.
Motown will always be a heavy-duty part of my life because those are my roots.
Once you're a Motown artist, that's your stigmatism, and I was there from the very first day.
Once you're a Motown artist, you're always a Motown artist.
One thing I can say about the Motown acts is that we were a family. That's not a myth.
Originally I was not writing songs for myself.
So I wanted to sing inspirational music, and that's exactly how I approached it - only the words have been changed to declare my relationship with God.
Songwriting is my gift from God.
That's because we did not set out to make black music. We set out to make quality music that everyone could enjoy and listen to.
There's so many wonderful gospel people out there, and I don't necessarily want to compete with those people.
When someone picks up one of my songs and records it, I'm a flattered man, it's a blessing to me.
When you write a song, a song has longevity.
