Smokey Robinson's Life in Photos

Smokey Robinson's Early Life

William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. was born on Feb. 19, 1940, in Detroit, Mich. — living a few doors down from Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross. He was athletic throughout high school, but his love of music piqued his interest the most.

He formed a doo-wop group called the Five Chimes with Ronald White and Warren "Pete" Moore in 1955, eventually renaming it The Matadors in 1957. The group included members Emerson "Sonny" Rogers and Bobby Rogers, and later added Claudette Rogers and Marv Tarplin.

They toured Detroit for some time before changing their name to The Miracles.

Smokey Robinson's Start at Motown

Robinson's talent and ambition caught the eye of legendary songwriter Berry Gordy in 1957. Gordy helped The Miracles release their first single, "Got a Job," which was influenced by The Silhouettes' hit single "Get a Job."

Gordy formed Motown Records, initially called Tamla Records, and The Miracles were considered the label's first group to make it big. As their career began to take off, Motown began to flourish.

Some of their hits include "Ooo Baby Baby," "Going to a Go-Go" and the iconic song "The Tracks of My Tears."

Smokey Robinson's Marriage to Claudette Rogers

Robinson married The Miracles band member Claudette Rogers on Nov. 7, 1957. She was considered the "First Lady of Motown." They had two children together, son Berry Robinson (named after Gordy) in 1968 and daughter Tamla Robinson (named after Gordy's label) in 1969.

The couple filed for legal separation after Robinson admitted to having a child with a different woman (a son named Trey, born in 1984). After 27 years of marriage, the couple divorced in 1986.

Robinson later revealed in an April 2023 interview with The Guardian that Diana Ross was among the people he had had an affair with: for a year while he was married to Rogers.

"After we'd been seeing each other for a while, Diana said to me she couldn't do that because she knew Claudette, and she knew I still loved my wife," Robinson said. "And I did. I loved my wife very much."

Smokey Robinson's First Motown Hit

In 1960, Robinson and The Miracles released their single, "Shop Around," which became Motown's first million-selling hit record. The song was a reflection of the Motown sound and its success resulted in a solid financial foundation for the company.

"That was the quickest song I ever wrote in my life," Robinson told the BBC in March 2016. ”It came out in about 30 minutes.”

Smokey Robinson's Iconic Collaborations

While The Miracles were signed to Motown, Robinson also served as a primary songwriter for the label between 1962 and 1966, penning hits for a number of artists-turned-legends throughout the 1960s. The songs included Marvin Gaye's "Ain't That Peculiar," Mary Wells' "My Guy," The Temptations' "My Girl" and The Supremes' "Someday We'll Be Together."

Gaye's aforementioned single, written and produced by Robinson and members of The Miracles, topped charts and became one of his most successful songs of the decade.

Smokey Robinson's Multi-Million Selling Single

With the songwriting help of musical mastermind Stevie Wonder, The Miracles recorded the song "The Tears of a Clown" for their Make It Happen album in 1967. Not only did it reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts in the U.S. and become an international multi-million seller when it ultimately was released as a single in 1970, but it also was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007.

Smokey Robinson's Solo Career

Robinson departed from The Miracles in 1972 to focus being Motown's vice president — a title he held since the early 1960s — but returned to the music scene as a solo artist the following year.

He released his debut solo album, Smokey, in 1973, followed by Pure Smokey and A Quiet Storm, which included singles such as "Baby That's Backatcha," "The Agony and the Ecstasy" and "Quiet Storm."

His singing career took a backseat to his duties as Motown's VP, and he struggled to launch it successfully. After Motown Records was sold to MCA in 1988, Robinson left the company two years later.

Smokey Robinson's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction

Robinson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 as a solo artist. Franklin, Gaye, Bo Diddley and B.B. King were among the other performers who were inducted that year.

It wasn't until 2012 that The Miracles received the long-awaited honor, as they were inducted by Robinson himself. "I didn't think it would happen in my lifetime," Rogers told Billboard.

"It's finally happening, and we appreciate it," added band member Moore of the "bittersweet" honor. "Like the old saying goes, better late than never."

Robinson was also inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 1990. He received the organization’s highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, in 2005.

Smokey Robinson's First Grammy Award Win

Robinson earned his first Grammy nomination in 1979 for his top 5 solo hit "Cruisin'," which won him a nod for best male R&B vocal performance.

It wasn't until 1988 that he won his first Grammy, for "Just to See Her," in the same category as his previous nod.

Robinson was also honored by the Recording Academy with a Grammy Legend Award in 1990, and was the recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.

Smokey Robinson's Marriage to Frances Glandney

Robinson eventually remarried, to interior designer Frances Glandney in May 2002. She also became stepmother to Robinson's three children.

Smokey Robinson's Kennedy Center Honor

In 2006, he was recognized for his contributions to the performing arts by the Kennedy Center, alongside artistic legends Andrew Lloyd Webber, Dolly Parton, Steven Spielberg and Zubin Mehta (pictured with President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush).

Smokey Robinson's Motown Reunion on Broadway

Robinson was reunited with Gordy, Wonder and Ross at the opening night of Broadway's Motown: The Musical on April 14, 2013, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in N.Y.C.

The show is based on Gordy's 1994 autobiography — To Be Loved: The Music, the Magic, the Memories of Motown — and tells the story of the creation of his legendary record label in addition to his personal and professional relationships with artists such as Ross, Robinson, Wonder, Gaye and Michael Jackson.

Smokey Robinson's BET Lifetime Achievement Award

Robinson received BET's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015 for his contribution to the Motown sound and its trailblazing history.

The ceremony featured a mashup of Robinson's hits sung by a handful of artists — beginning with Tori Kelly singing The Jackson 5's version of Robinson's "Who's Loving You," followed by Robin Thicke singing "Ooo Baby Baby," and concluding with Ne-Yo's take on "The Tears of a Clown."

Robinson even sang himself!

Smokey Robinson's MusiCares Honor

Robinson was honored with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award at the 12th Annual MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit in 2016 in recognition of his commitment to helping others with the addiction recovery process.

The Fund provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment and support, regardless of their financial situation.

Smokey Robinson's Gershwin Prize Honor

The Library of Congress awarded Robinson with the Gershwin Prize in 2016 for "promoting the genre of a song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations."

Robinson also received the National Medal of Arts by former President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at a Washington, D.C., ceremony in the Oval Office at the White House in 2002.

Smokey Robinson Speaks at Aretha Franklin’s Funeral

Robinson and Franklin had been lifelong friends when she died in August 2018 and Robinson shared memories of their time together during the Detroit service for the Queen of Soul.

“We talked about it many times, how we were the two who were left of our neighborhood friends. We were the longest ones,” he said. “Now my longest friend has gone home, and you’ve gone to be with our Father — like we all will.”

Smokey Robinson's Father-Daughter Bond

Robinson is the father of three kids, but his relationship with his only daughter, Tamla, is closer than ever. Whether it's Father's Day, National Father-Daughter Day or just a random appreciation post, the two are always sharing sweet photos with each other. He also has a close bond with Tamla's daughter — his granddaughter, Lyric Ontiveros.

Smokey Robinson Shares His Songwriting Process for AARP on YouTube

Produced by AARP Studios, Robinson revisited some of his classic hit songs in the 2021 eight-episode YouTube series Smokey Wrote That.

At the time, PEOPLE shared an exclusive clip where he discussed how he wrote “The Tracks of My Tears.”

Crediting guitarist Marv Tarplin for the music for the song that he listened to on repeat, Robinson said it took him a week to get the song’s first three lines: “Take a good look at my face/see a smile looks out of place/if you look closer it's easy to trace.”

It was only later on when he was shaving that he was able to finish the lyric.

"I'm looking at my face and I'm thinking to myself, I said, 'What if a person had cried so much that their tears had actually left tracks in their face?' " recalled Robinson. "I said, 'That's it.' "

Smokey Robinson Appears in 2021 Holiday Lifetime Movie

In December 2021, Robinson starred alongside Tia Mowry in Miracle in Motor City, a Lifetime Christmas film about a social worker who tries to book the "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" singer — playing himself — to perform at her church's annual Christmas pageant.

Smokey Robinson Honored as 2023 MusiCares Persons of the Year

In February 2023, Robinson and Gordy were jointly honored as the MusiCares Persons of the Year — the first time the Recording Academy celebrated more than one person for this prestigious philanthropic award.

Robinson shared in a statement upon news that he and Gordy were co-recipients, “I have supported MusiCares for many years and know what great work they do for our creative community who need our help.”

He added, "I am honored that they have chosen me and my best friend and Motown founder Berry Gordy to share this beautiful honor and celebrate with you all together."

Smokey Robinson Releases GASMS Album

Even with a career spanning more than 60 years, Robinson shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon — and is continuing to further his mark on the Motown sound.

In April 2023, Robinson released the cheekily titled GASMS, his first solo studio album since 2014. In addition to the first single, “If We Don’t Have Each Other,” he penned and produced eight more new songs.

Music continues to be Robinson’s biggest passion. "It's what I love," he told PEOPLE in a February 2023 issue. "I can't find anything that replaces this for me.”

"I retired one time. I retired for about three years, and I was climbing the walls," he said. "It's not about me making time. It's about me raring to go and do it. Everybody gets a gift from God, and mine was to be able to write music."