The Miracles/Smokey Robinson

The Miracles had a following that included people who just loved good music, and some of the worlds greatest artist. In their 19 year stay on the music charts The Miracles recorded in multiple genres of music, including Do-wop, soul, disco, and R&B. The group charted over 50 hits and had 26 songs reach the top ten on the Billboard R&B charts, including 4 number ones. On the Billboard Hot 100 list The Miracles had 16 songs in the top 20, with 7 in the top ten.
The group was started by two friends from Detroit, William "Smokey" Robinson, and Ronnie White. The two made friends in the fifth grade and soon started singing together. There are two stories as to how Smokey got his name. One is he got the name because of his love of cowboy movies, the other is he got the name because of his smokey green eyes. No matter how he got the name, he is now a worldwide star! The first group was a do-wop group called The Five Chimes in 1955 at Northern High School. The first group members were: Smokey Robinson, Ronnie White, Pete Moore, Clarence Dawson, and James Grice. Within six months Dawson and Grice had been replaced by cousins Emerson and Bobby Rogers. The group now called themselves The Matadors. Bobby Rogers and Smokey were born on the same day (February 19, 1940) at the same hospital in Detroit, but did not meet until they were fifteen years old.
Emerson Rogers was drafted in 1956 and was replaced by his sister Claudette Rogers who later married Smokey in November 1959.
Marv Tarplin was added as a gitarist in 1958. Tarplin had originally been the accompanist for The Primettes, later to become The Supremes!
In 1958 The Matadors auditioned for Jackie Wilson's manager,who turned the group down. He felt that their make up was to similar to The Platters. While leaving the audition they met Wilson's head song writer Berry Gordy. Gordy liked the group and soon became the groups manager. Gordy and Smokey (the groups main song writer) worked together to improve Smokey's writing skills.
Gordy and a colleague Billy Davis had written a song called "Got A Job" as an answer to the song by The Silhouettes called "Get A Job". The group recorded the song and Gordy arranged a deal for the group to sign with End Records. They changed their name to The Miracles becaused The Matadors sounded to masculine for a group with a female member. Gordy became the groups main outside collaborator and he and Smokey wrote another song called "Bad Girl". Issued on Chess Records, "Bad Girl" became the group's first national hit.
Frustrated by low income due to the group's practice of selling their masters to various labels, Smokey suggested that Gordy start his own label. In 1959 Gordy, founded Tamla Records, which became MOTOWN. Gordy signed The Miracles as his first act. By 1961 Smokey was Vice President.
"Shop Around" backed by "Who's Lovin You" (1960) was the group's first hit under the Motown label. "Shop Around" reached #1 on national R&B charts, and the first to sell over a million copies for the Miracles. The Miracles were the first Motown group to perform on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, on December 27, 1960. "Shop Around was followed by so many more hits that they became a national sensation.
During this period The Miracles were the most popular group at Motown. The Miracles made paved the way for the rest of Motown's recording artist.
Gordy put together a tour of all the Motown acts called The Motown Revue. The Miracles were the stars of the tour. The Miracles influenced artist outside of Motown, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, first and The Zombies. A true tribute to the popularity of The Miracles music is the fact the their songs have been covered in every genre including, Jazz, Country & Western, Reggae, Hip Hop, Rock, Pop, as well as R&B and soul.
In the early days, Smokey was working behind scenes and doing most of the songwriting for most of the acts at Motown. Smokey tutored most of the groups at Motown, including The Supremes and The Temptations. By the time most of the groups at Motown had their hit, The Miracles already had a greatest hits album, "Greatest Hits From The Beginning".
Smokey, White, Rogers,Tarplin, and Moore all wrote songs for other groups at Motown. They wrote for Mary Wells, The Temptations, The Contours, Marvin Gaye, The Marvelettes, and Brenda Holloway.
During the first Motown Revue, Smokey caught the Flu and could not sing, forcing Claudette to take his place as lead. Pete Moore was drafted and was gone for over a year. Smokey and Claudette wanted to start a family, but the life of touring caused Claudette to have several miscarrages, so in early 1964, Claudette retired from touring with the group. However she still continued to record with the group. With the exception of some early albums there are no official pictures of Claudette with the group, which lead some new comers to the Miracles to believe that Claudette was not really part of the group, but just a backup singer.
The Miracles were popular all over the world and had request to be the opening act on everybodies tour.
In 1965 The Miracles changed their name to Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, but were listed on their 45's as The Miracles until 1967. The group sang "Come Spy With Me" in 1967 for a 2oth Century Fox film of the same name. In 1968 the group gave a Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth.
In 1966 and 1967 the group had multiple hits with "Come Round here", " I second That Emotion", and "More Love". Even though there was a slight declind in their ratings the group still was making hits. In 1968 they hit the charts with, "If You Can Want", "Yester Love", and "Special Occasion" and again in 1969 with "Here I Go Again" and " Baby Baby Don't Cry".
Wanting to be home more and needing to concentrate on being vice president of Motown, Smokey started making plans to go solo. Smokey stayed with the group for two more years. In 1970 the goup was given it's own ABC television special, The Smokey Robinson Show, which stared The Miracles and guest starred The Temptation, The Supremes, and Stevie Wonder.
In 1971 after scoring a hit with "I Don't Blame You At All", Smokey announced that he would be leaving The Miracles. The group started on a six month farewell tour. During the tour the group released the last album with Smokey, "Flying High" with the lead single " We've Come To Far To End It Now".
Smokey made his last performance with the group at The Carter Barron, in Washington, DC.
Smokey introduced the new lead of the group Billy Griffin, on national television on NBC's Midnight Special. Billy Griffin's brother Donald replaced Marv Tarplin as the group's guitarist.
The Miracles had a few big hits after Smokey left but never again would they reach their old heights.
Over the years The Miracles recieved almost every award there is, but in 1987 Smokey was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo act. This move caused a lot controversy, and hurt the feelings the of members of the group. The original Miracles were not inducted nor were the 70's version. Smokey and many of the Motown alums were upset by this move.
Smokey still preforms his solo act and has united with the members of the group from time to time. Smokey has a catelog of music that will last for generations. It seems that just when you think Smokey is finished a new group of music lovers discover him.
We'll re-visit the Miracles and Smokey again to show all of the connections that were created by this talented man and his group.