Smokey Robinson

Happy Birthday thesmokeyrobinson, celebrating 82 today! The Miracles' "Shop Around" was Motown's first million seller in 1960. Over the next 10 years Smokey gave us some truly memorable music: "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962), "Mickey's Monkey" (1963), "Ooo Baby Baby", "Going to a Go-Go", "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965), "(Come Round Here) I'm The One You Need" (1966), "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage", "I Second That Emotion", "More Love" (1967) and "The Tears of a Clown" (1970). Smokey topped the charts again as a solo artist with "Cruisin'" (1979) and "Being With You" (1981). "Just to See Her" and "One Heartbeat" were Top 10 hits for Smokey in 1987. Smokey was also a major writer and producer for Motown. He has written over 4,000 songs in his distinguished career! Smokey Robinson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, and was awarded the 2016 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for his lifetime contributions to popular music. Smokey was just inducted into the Black Music and Entertainment Walk of Fame as a Foundational Inductee along with Berry Gordy, Cicely Tyson and Ray Charles. He's busier than ever, and he's involved in "Temptations 60", a YouTube documentary series celebrating the group’s 60th anniversary and their new album. Catch up with Smokey at smokeyrobinson.com. Happy Birthday, old friend! In this interview, recorded at the Legends Of Rock'n'Roll show at EXPO 86 in Vancouver, Smokey recalls meeting Ray Charles, his early days at Motown, working with Mary Wells, the success of "Shop Around", his perspective on Motown founder Berry Gordy, and how having kids changed his work ethic.