Smokey Robinson was more than just a defining piece of the music group the Miracles; Robinson was the miracle. An extraordinary singer, songwriter and Motown exec, Robinson tore through the ‘60s and onward with his signature smooth soul and early R&B music, captivating audiences and becoming an asset to Motown's early success. Smokey Robinson is more than a household name and talented tenor, and his contributions to the early R&B realm allowed the genre to launch into takeoff, remembering the incredible musician for decades to come.

Born William Robinson in Detroit, Michigan, the singer, songwriter and producer was brought up in the most crucial time for Motown, a chance meeting with Motown founder Berry Gordy, Jr. in the late ‘50s leading to the most important part of Robinson's career. Gordy looking for fresh talent and musical vision and Robinson looking for a mentor, the two men fed off each other, breathing the life into the doo wop/early soul group the Miracles. Originally comprised of Robinson, Warren "Pete" Moore, Clarence "Humble" Dawson, Donald Wicker and James "Rat" Grice (the latter two eventually replaced by cousins Emerson "Sonny" Rodgers and Bobby Rogers), the Detroit-based Miracles breezed through the ‘60s with number one charting singles like "You've Really Got a Hold On Me," "I Second That Emotion," "The Tears of a Clown" and "Love Machine."

All the while Robinson was a powering force behind the Miracles, he was also reaching out to the rest of Motown, writing and producing songs for the Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells and the Temptations. Robinson ultimately stopped touring with the Miracles in the mid-‘60s, eventually going solo in the ‘70s while continuing to work closely with Motown, eventually becoming the label's vice president. Riding the solo wave with songs like "Cruisin" and "Being with You" in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, Smokey Robinson has continued dabbling with his music career, releasing albums well into the 2000s.