Post by ClassicSoul on Feb 18, 2006 13:30:18 GMT -5
Motown legend honors Black History Month
MEMPHIS, Tenn. Motown singing and songwriting legend Smokey Robinson celebrated lesser-known black Americans while speaking in honor of Black History Month at the University of Memphis.
Robinson said yesterday that young people see celebrities like Beyonce Knowles and Shaquille O'Neal every day, but regular people make "marvelous contributions" that go unnoticed.
The singer, who turns 65 Sunday, is best known for classic Motown tracks like "Tracks Of My Tears," "Tears Of A Clown" and "I Second That Emotion."
Robinson even gave some credit to hip-hop music, with a caveat.
He said that some rappers infuse their "street poetry" with negativity, but said "the positive has always outweighed the negative."
Robinson's mother, Flossie Smith, was born and raised in Memphis, before moving to Detroit. That's enough for Robinson to call himself a "half Memphisonian," he said.
Robinson said he plans to release an album this spring of some of his favorite standards, including songs by Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. Motown singing and songwriting legend Smokey Robinson celebrated lesser-known black Americans while speaking in honor of Black History Month at the University of Memphis.
Robinson said yesterday that young people see celebrities like Beyonce Knowles and Shaquille O'Neal every day, but regular people make "marvelous contributions" that go unnoticed.
The singer, who turns 65 Sunday, is best known for classic Motown tracks like "Tracks Of My Tears," "Tears Of A Clown" and "I Second That Emotion."
Robinson even gave some credit to hip-hop music, with a caveat.
He said that some rappers infuse their "street poetry" with negativity, but said "the positive has always outweighed the negative."
Robinson's mother, Flossie Smith, was born and raised in Memphis, before moving to Detroit. That's enough for Robinson to call himself a "half Memphisonian," he said.
Robinson said he plans to release an album this spring of some of his favorite standards, including songs by Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald.
LINK
