On January 12, 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. founded Tamla Records in Detroit, Michigan. Gordy had previously owned a music store that exclusively sold jazz records and was a member of a songwriting team for singer Jackie Wilson and others. A meeting with a 17-year-old Smokey Robinson led to Gordy recordingContinue Reading
Smokey Robinson’s 1981 solo album Being With You came along after he conquered a period of writer’s block. The Motown singer, writer, and Vice-President left The Miracles in 1972. His albums did not consistently produce hits because it was difficult for him to fulfill all three roles simultaneously. Marv Tarplin,Continue Reading
Smokey Robinson brings Motown’s classic era to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series. Backed by a 12-piece band, the singer/songwriter/poet performed six songs in his half-hour set. The songlist included “Being With You,” “Tears Of A Clown,” and “Quiet Storm.” He also shared two songs from his new album Gasms; “IfContinue Reading
Smokey Robinson’s “Quiet Storm” was co-written with his sister Rose Ella Jones for his 1975 third solo album A Quiet Storm. Robinson’s falsetto had the quality of a soothing breeze within the song that started a late-night programming format of love songs on national radio. The unassuming bass, snug congaContinue Reading