William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. 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. 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.
The Miracles were an American vocal group formed in Detroit,Michigan in 1955. They were the first successful recording act for Motown Records and are considered one of the most important and most influential groups in the history of pop,soul,rhythm and blues and rock and roll music. The group's international fame in the 1960s,alongside other Motown acts,led to a greater acceptance of R&B and pop music in the U.S.,with the group being considered influential and important in the development of modern popular music.
"The Tears of a Clown" is a song written by Hank Cosby,Smokey Robinson,and Stevie Wonder and originally recorded by Smokey Robinson &the Miracles for the Tamla Records label subsidiary of Motown,first appearing on the 1967 album Make It Happen. The track was re-released in the United Kingdom as a single in July 1970,and it became a number-one hit on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending September 12,1970. Subsequently,Motown released a partially re-recorded and completely remixed version as a single in the United States as well,where it quickly became a number-one hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts.
The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey is an album by the Miracles,released in 1963 by Tamla Records. It includes the group's Top 10 smash single "Mickey's Monkey",written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland,which was later recorded by several other artists. "Mickey's Monkey" popularized "The Monkey" as a novelty dance. Also included is another H-D-H dance-oriented single,"I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying",a Billboard Top 40 hit. The album peaked at No. 113 on the Billboard 200.
Warm Thoughts is an album by the American musician Smokey Robinson,released in 1980. It features the top 40 hit,"Let Me Be the Clock". The album was arranged by Reginald "Sonny" Burke. This album also featured the semi-autobiographical tune "Wine,Women and Song",which proved to be the closest thing to a Miracles reunion that occurred in the 1980s,with Smokey doing a duet with his then-wife,former Miracle Claudette Robinson,and Miracle Marv Tarplin,with whom he shared songwriting credits,on guitar. The song "Travelin' Thru'" was written by Smokey's real-life sister,Rose Ella Jones,and two songs written by Robinson with fellow Motown artist,Stevie Wonder,and singer,songwriter,and former Starsky and Hutch star,David Soul. This album was a success,reaching the Top 20 of The Billboard 200 Pop Album chart,peaking at No. 14,and the Top 10 of Billboard's R&B Album Chart,peaking at No. 4.
Away We a Go-Go is a 1966 album by Smokey Robinson &the Miracles. The album features the singles "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need",a Billboard top 20 Pop hit,written and produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland;and "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart ",written and produced by Frank Wilson. The album uses a different take of "I'm the One You Need" than what was issued on the single. A third single was planned for release from this album,the tune "More,More,More ",cataloged as Tamla T-54005,but the single was never released. It was later covered by the regional group Bob Brady and The Con Chords. Another single from this album,the Stevie Wonder/Ivy Jo Hunter composition of "Can You Love a Poor Boy",was released to radio stations as a special Disc Jockey Advanced Single,Tamla T-540,but was never given an official catalog number for general release. It too,inspired cover versions by Gil Bernal and Ronnie Walker.
Greatest Hits,Vol. 2 is the second greatest hits album for the Miracles,released in 1968 on Motown Records' Tamla label. It contained the most popular singles from the successful Going to a Go-Go,Away We A Go-Go and Make It Happen albums of the 1965–1967 period. It also featured the 1964 non-album single "Come On Do The Jerk",and two B-sides,"Choosey Beggar" and "Save Me". The hit single "I Second That Emotion" was new to the album. This album reached the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart,peaking at #7,and peaked at #2 on Billboard's R&B album chart. Ten of the albums' 12 songs were written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson,Pete Moore,Marv Tarplin,Bobby Rogers,and Ronnie White.
Greatest Hits from the Beginning is a compilation double LP by the Miracles released in 1965. This was the first double album ever released by the Motown Record Corporation. It covers most of the group's hits from their pre-1965 albums,such as "Shop Around","Who's Lovin’You","You've Really Got A Hold On Me" and "Mickey's Monkey",as well as the non-album singles from 1964:"I Like It Like That" and "That's What Love Is Made Of". The album was a success,reaching #21 on the Billboard Pop Album Chart. It was also the first Miracles album to chart on the Billboard R&B Album chart,where it was an even bigger success,peaking at #2.
Marvin Tarplin was an American musician,best known as the guitarist for the Miracles from the 1950s through the early 1970s. He was one of the group's original members and co-wrote several of their biggest hits,including the 1965 Grammy Hall Of Fame-inducted "The Tracks of My Tears". He is also a winner of the BMI Songwriter's Award,and the ASCAP Award Of Merit,and was a 2012 posthumous inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Miracles.
One Dozen Roses is a 1971 album by Smokey Robinson &The Miracles,issued on Motown Records' Tamla label. The penultimate album before lead singer Smokey Robinson departed the group for a solo career,One Dozen Roses features the Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit single "I Don't Blame You at All". Also included is the group's number-one smash hit "The Tears of a Clown",which was also made available through the reissue of the 1967 Miracles LP Make It Happen as The Tears of a Clown. Both of these songs were also huge hits in the UK,reaching #11 and #1 respectively.
Anthology is the first compilation album by American rhythm and blues group The Miracles. It was released in 1974 by Motown Records.
"The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" is a 1967 song recorded by the American R&B group The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label. Written by Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Marv Tarplin and produced by Robinson,it is noted for being the first single to bill the group as "Smokey Robinson" &the Miracles,a billing already present on the group's albums by this time. Group members Smokey Robinson and Pete Moore were the song's producers.
1957–1972 is a 1972 double album by The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label. This two-record set is noted as the group's final series of live concerts with original lead singer Smokey Robinson,recorded over a period of three days,July 14–16,during the 1972 National Parks Centennial,at the Carter Barron Amphitheater in Washington,D.C.,and charted at No. 75 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart,and at No. 14 on its R&B Album chart. During the show,Smokey's wife,original Miracles member Claudette Rogers Robinson,who stopped touring with the group in 1964,reunited with the Miracles on stage for the first time in eight years. As a celebration of the group's fifteen years together,The Miracles made this an "all request" show,where audience members could choose which of the group's long string of hits they wanted performed. Also,at the end of the concert,Miracles fans were introduced to the group's new lead singer,Billy Griffin. According to Smokey's autobiography,Smokey:Inside My Life,The Miracles' final concert was videotaped in movie form,but was never publicly released. However,1957–1972 was released on CD originally in 1990,and re-released again in 2004 along with The Miracles' 1969 "Live" album in the 2004 Motown/Hip-O Select release Smokey Robinson and The Miracles:The Live Collection.
Flying High Together is an album by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label,released in 1972. It is noted as The Miracles' last studio album with original lead singer Smokey Robinson,who retired from the act to concentrate on his duties as vice president of Motown. The album charted at #46 on the Billboard Pop Album chart,and featured two singles:the appropriately named "We've Come Too Far to End It Now",which matched the parent album's chart position on the Billboard singles chart,charting at #46,and reached the Top 10 of the Billboard R&B singles chart,charting at #9,and "I Can't Stand to See You Cry",which charted at #45 Pop,and #21 R&B.
What Love Has...Joined Together is a 1970 album by R&B group Smokey Robinson &The Miracles on Motown Records' Tamla label. A concept album consisting solely of six short love songs,it charted at number 97 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart,and reached the Top 10 of Billboard's R&B album chart,peaking at number 9. It was the first Miracles album to have no new songs;the recordings are all cover versions of songs written by noted composers,such as Stevie Wonder,Berry Gordy,Frank Wilson,Brenda Holloway and her sister Patrice Holloway,Burt Bacharach and Hal David,Marvin Gaye,The Beatles' John Lennon &Paul McCartney,,and Miracles members Smokey Robinson and Bobby Rogers.
I Like It Like That is an album by Motown group the Miracles,compiled for the UK market and released on the UK Tamla-Motown label as one of its initial group of six albums in March 1965. There was no equivalent album to this in the USA. It is known as the Miracles' "forgotten album".
Four In Blue is a 1969 album by the Motown R&B group the Miracles,issued on the label's Tamla Records subsidiary in the U.S.,and the Tamla-Motown label elsewhere in the world,.
Smokey Robinson &the Miracles LIVE! (TS289) is a 1969 album by R&B group The Miracles. Issued on Motown's Tamla label,it is the second of three live albums the Miracles recorded during their career. The album was recorded in 1968 at Detroit's famous Roostertail Restaurant,a popular venue where Motown artists appeared during the 1960s and 1970s. Released January 6,1969,it charted at #71 on the Billboard Pop Album Chart and peaked at #7 on the Billboard R&B Album Chart.
The Smokey Robinson Show was a 1970 musical variety special starring Smokey Robinson &The Miracles. It aired on ABC on December 18,1970,and featured guest stars The Supremes,The Temptations,Stevie Wonder,and Las Vegas singer/performer and actress Fran Jeffries. The program was sponsored by Faberge and was produced by Screen Gems. The director was Kip Walton.
My World (The Definitive Collection) is a 2005 greatest hits compilation from American soul music singer Smokey Robinson,sometimes featuring his earlier group The Miracles. It has received positive reviews from critics. The compilation was produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson and Harry Weinger and features two new tracks. The original recordings were digitally remastered by Ellen Fitton at Universal Mastering Studios-East.
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