The vice president of Motown!
Smokey Robinson is a singer, songwriter, and producer who started working with Berry Gordy before Motown was even founded.
Smokey’s band, The Miracles, was actually one of the first signings to the label.
During the ’60s, Smokey Robinson and his Miracles released smash hits such as Shop Around, You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me, and The Tears of a Clown.
Smokey also worked as a songwriter and producer for Motown. In this role, he is responsible for hit tunes My Guy, My Girl, and Get Ready. He also wrote songs for Marvin Gaye and witnessed the development of Little Stevie Wonder.
As if that wasn’t enough, Robinson also filled the position of Vice President at Motown in 1965.
This was seemingly too much on Smokey’s plate as in 1972, he announced that his singing career was over and that he was to be only Vice President and a devoted father from now on.
A year later Smokey announced his comeback with a new album but by now, his former students, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder had become so successful that anything Smokey released paled in comparison.
The sweet, somewhat innocent sound of the ’60s that Smokey was the king of was gone, and popular music had become more political.
What started out as “black music for white radio” had grown up and was now rebelling.
The new kings in town were Smokey’s students, Marvin and Stevie.
Smokey Robinson Tunes | Related Pages
Get Ready
You can learn how to play Get Ready by The Temptations using chords, lyrics, TAB, backing track, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| F5 | Bb | G5 | C |
And I’m bringing you a love that’s true so get ready, so get ready…
My Girl
You can learn how to play My Girl by The Temptations using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, TAB, and the original recording.
| C | F | C | F |
I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day…
My Guy
You can learn how to play My Guy by Mary Wells using chords, lyrics, TAB, backing track, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Bb Bb6 | Bb Bb6 | Bb Bb6 | Bb Bb6 |
Nothing you could say could tear me away from my guy…
Smokey Robinson on the web
Artists & Bands
Behind every single tune you learn, there’s an artist or band with an entire catalogue of music, waiting to be discovered.
Find out more about these great Artists & Bands, and let their tunes guide you to success.
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was an article about Smokey Robinson tunes, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not practising scales, and studying theory in isolation.
