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Motown Single The Commodores I Keep Running

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

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Smokey Robinson 2021 Kennedy Center Honors

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

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Smokey Robinson Tiny Desk

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

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Smokey Robinson

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

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