William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American 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. Robinson led the group from its 1955 origins as the Five Chimes until 1972 when he announced a retirement from the group to focus on his role as Motown's vice president.
However, Robinson returned to the music industry as a solo artist the following year, later scoring Top 10 solo hits such as "Cruisin'" (1979), "Being With You" (1981) and "Just to See Her" (1987). Following the sale of Motown Records in 1988, Robinson left the company in 1990. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Early life and early career
Smokey Robinson was born to an African-American father and a mother of African-American and distant French ancestry into a poor family in the North End area of Detroit. He was raised by his elder sister and her husband, after his mother died of a brain hemorrhage. His uncle Claude gave him the nickname "Smokey Joe" when he was a child. He attended Northern High School, where he was above average academically and a keen athlete, though his main interest was music and he formed a doo-wop group named the Five Chimes. At one point, he and Diana Ross lived several houses from each other on Belmont; he once said he has known Ross since she was about eight.
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 #75 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart, and at #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 (but continued recording with them), 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.
"The Tracks of My Tears" is a song written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. It is a multiple award-winning 1965 hit R&B song originally recorded by their group, The Miracles, on Motown's Tamla label. Linda Ronstadt recorded a hit cover of the song in 1975. "The Tracks of My Tears" has also been covered by many artists over the years.
In the five-LP publication The Motown Story, by Motown Records, Robinson explained the origin of this song in these words:
"'Tracks of My Tears' was actually started by Marv Tarplin, who is a young cat who plays guitar for our act. So he had this musical thing [sings melody], you know, and we worked around with it, and worked around, and it became 'Tracks of My Tears'." Tarplin's guitar licks at the song's intro are among the most famous in pop music history.
The Tracks of My Tears - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Classic Motown
published: 21 Nov 2008
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Tracks Of My Tears
A classic by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
published: 09 Nov 2008
The Tracks Of My Tears
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
The Tracks Of My Tears · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
The Definitive Collection
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Released on: 2008-01-01
Producer, Associated Performer, Vocals: Smokey Robinson
Associated Performer, Guitar: Marvin Tarplin
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Claudette Robinson
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Warren "Pete" Moore
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Ronnie White
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Bobby Rogers
Composer Lyricist: Warren Moore
Composer Lyricist: Smokey Robinson
Composer Lyricist: Marvin Tarplin
Auto-generated by YouTube.
published: 30 Oct 2018
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles The Tracks of My Tears lyrics
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles The Tracks of My Tears with lyrics (1965)
published: 26 Jul 2012
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tracks Of My Tears (Audio / Extended Stereo Mix 2005)
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Music video by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles performing The Tracks Of My Tears. (C) 2015 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
published: 12 Mar 2015
Stevie Wonder & Smokey Robinson - "Tracks of My Tears" | 25th Anniversary Concert
Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson perform "Tracks of My Tears" at the 25th Anniversary Concert in 2009.
Looking for more Induction Ceremony memories? Visit these official Hall of Fame online bios:
Stevie Wonder: http://rockhall.com/inductees/stevie-wonder
Smokey Robinson: http://rockhall.com/inductees/smokey-robinson
published: 25 May 2020
SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES - TRACKS OF MY TEARS
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
The Tracks Of My Tears · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
The Definitive Collection
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Divis...
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
The Tracks Of My Tears · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
The Definitive Collection
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Released on: 2008-01-01
Producer, Associated Performer, Vocals: Smokey Robinson
Associated Performer, Guitar: Marvin Tarplin
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Claudette Robinson
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Warren "Pete" Moore
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Ronnie White
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Bobby Rogers
Composer Lyricist: Warren Moore
Composer Lyricist: Smokey Robinson
Composer Lyricist: Marvin Tarplin
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
The Tracks Of My Tears · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
The Definitive Collection
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Released on: 2008-01-01
Producer, Associated Performer, Vocals: Smokey Robinson
Associated Performer, Guitar: Marvin Tarplin
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Claudette Robinson
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Warren "Pete" Moore
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Ronnie White
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Bobby Rogers
Composer Lyricist: Warren Moore
Composer Lyricist: Smokey Robinson
Composer Lyricist: Marvin Tarplin
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Explore the music of Smokey Robinson: https://lnk.to/0m6o4
For more Smokey Robinson news and merchandise:
Classic Motown Website: https://lnk.to/ClassicMotown...
Explore the music of Smokey Robinson: https://lnk.to/0m6o4
For more Smokey Robinson news and merchandise:
Classic Motown Website: https://lnk.to/ClassicMotownWS
Classic Motown Store: https://lnk.to/ClassicMotownST
Follow Smokey Robinson on…
Facebook: https://lnk.to/3TfJy
Twitter: https://lnk.to/EKyQJ
Music video by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles performing The Tracks Of My Tears. (C) 2015 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Explore the music of Smokey Robinson: https://lnk.to/0m6o4
For more Smokey Robinson news and merchandise:
Classic Motown Website: https://lnk.to/ClassicMotownWS
Classic Motown Store: https://lnk.to/ClassicMotownST
Follow Smokey Robinson on…
Facebook: https://lnk.to/3TfJy
Twitter: https://lnk.to/EKyQJ
Music video by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles performing The Tracks Of My Tears. (C) 2015 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson perform "Tracks of My Tears" at the 25th Anniversary Concert in 2009.
Looking for more Induction Ceremony memories? Visit the...
Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson perform "Tracks of My Tears" at the 25th Anniversary Concert in 2009.
Looking for more Induction Ceremony memories? Visit these official Hall of Fame online bios:
Stevie Wonder: http://rockhall.com/inductees/stevie-wonder
Smokey Robinson: http://rockhall.com/inductees/smokey-robinson
Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson perform "Tracks of My Tears" at the 25th Anniversary Concert in 2009.
Looking for more Induction Ceremony memories? Visit these official Hall of Fame online bios:
Stevie Wonder: http://rockhall.com/inductees/stevie-wonder
Smokey Robinson: http://rockhall.com/inductees/smokey-robinson
Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
The Tracks Of My Tears · Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
The Definitive Collection
℗ 1965 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Released on: 2008-01-01
Producer, Associated Performer, Vocals: Smokey Robinson
Associated Performer, Guitar: Marvin Tarplin
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Claudette Robinson
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Warren "Pete" Moore
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Ronnie White
Associated Performer, Background Vocalist: Bobby Rogers
Composer Lyricist: Warren Moore
Composer Lyricist: Smokey Robinson
Composer Lyricist: Marvin Tarplin
Auto-generated by YouTube.
Explore the music of Smokey Robinson: https://lnk.to/0m6o4
For more Smokey Robinson news and merchandise:
Classic Motown Website: https://lnk.to/ClassicMotownWS
Classic Motown Store: https://lnk.to/ClassicMotownST
Follow Smokey Robinson on…
Facebook: https://lnk.to/3TfJy
Twitter: https://lnk.to/EKyQJ
Music video by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles performing The Tracks Of My Tears. (C) 2015 Motown Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson perform "Tracks of My Tears" at the 25th Anniversary Concert in 2009.
Looking for more Induction Ceremony memories? Visit these official Hall of Fame online bios:
Stevie Wonder: http://rockhall.com/inductees/stevie-wonder
Smokey Robinson: http://rockhall.com/inductees/smokey-robinson
William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American 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. Robinson led the group from its 1955 origins as the Five Chimes until 1972 when he announced a retirement from the group to focus on his role as Motown's vice president.
However, Robinson returned to the music industry as a solo artist the following year, later scoring Top 10 solo hits such as "Cruisin'" (1979), "Being With You" (1981) and "Just to See Her" (1987). Following the sale of Motown Records in 1988, Robinson left the company in 1990. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Early life and early career
Smokey Robinson was born to an African-American father and a mother of African-American and distant French ancestry into a poor family in the North End area of Detroit. He was raised by his elder sister and her husband, after his mother died of a brain hemorrhage. His uncle Claude gave him the nickname "Smokey Joe" when he was a child. He attended Northern High School, where he was above average academically and a keen athlete, though his main interest was music and he formed a doo-wop group named the Five Chimes. At one point, he and Diana Ross lived several houses from each other on Belmont; he once said he has known Ross since she was about eight.