Post by Diamond Girl on May 27, 2007 14:30:30 GMT -5
Smokey is still a soul miracle
By BETH McLOUGHLIN
May 21, 2007
SMOKEY ROBINSON was only a teenager when he first performed with The Miracles.
Now, in a career set to span nearly 50 years, the man with the sweetest voice in soul is set to make a return to these shores to tour with his new album.
And despite battling cocaine addiction in the past and going through a period of time when he felt like giving it all up, the man with 4,000 songs under his belt is just as enthusiastic as ever.
"I love performing, it's my first love. I get to have a one-on-one with my fans, and have them react to what's going on on stage.
"I just have a party on stage every night," he says.
"I know it might be hard to believe, but every night those songs are new to me."
The album Timeless Love features covers of classics like Fly Me to the Moon, but Smokey expects to play some of his own oldies like Tears of a Clown and Tracks of My Tears when he performs.
"If I don't do that, they'll throw things at me," he says.
"I have people coming to see me and when they come they have babies with them that are two or three months old.
"And the first time I ever saw them they were with their parents.
"I am very blessed to be doing what I love."
The soul legend says he would have been an electrical engineer if his songs hadn't captured Berry Gordy's imagination as a teenager.
Thankfully he was discovered early by the impresario, and was vice-president of Motown by 1961.
"I look at Motown now and I'm so proud to have been part of it from the very beginning.
"Motown was a once-in-a-lifetime event and I don't think it will ever happen quite like that again.
"To have all those artists in the same stable, with all those hits coming out... it was a one-off."
Despite this, Smokey does have a surprising regard for the talent coming out of reality shows, and has even appeared as a guest on American Idol.
"I always wanted to be in showbusiness, ever since I was little, I just didn't think it would be possible for someone like me.
"I think American Idol is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened for young talent. Even those that don't win get exposure.
"My advice to young people, apart from getting an education, is that if you really love performing, just be prepared to get knocked down, and if you love it enough you'll get back up again."
Smokey has endured throughout many changes in the music business, but says the best moment of his career is "right now".
"It's great that people are still interested in what I'm doing. I keep up with everything that's going on in music right now, from gospel to hip hop.
"The best time for me is definitely right now."
www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,11036-2007170689,00.html
By BETH McLOUGHLIN
May 21, 2007
SMOKEY ROBINSON was only a teenager when he first performed with The Miracles.
Now, in a career set to span nearly 50 years, the man with the sweetest voice in soul is set to make a return to these shores to tour with his new album.
And despite battling cocaine addiction in the past and going through a period of time when he felt like giving it all up, the man with 4,000 songs under his belt is just as enthusiastic as ever.
"I love performing, it's my first love. I get to have a one-on-one with my fans, and have them react to what's going on on stage.
"I just have a party on stage every night," he says.
"I know it might be hard to believe, but every night those songs are new to me."
The album Timeless Love features covers of classics like Fly Me to the Moon, but Smokey expects to play some of his own oldies like Tears of a Clown and Tracks of My Tears when he performs.
"If I don't do that, they'll throw things at me," he says.
"I have people coming to see me and when they come they have babies with them that are two or three months old.
"And the first time I ever saw them they were with their parents.
"I am very blessed to be doing what I love."
The soul legend says he would have been an electrical engineer if his songs hadn't captured Berry Gordy's imagination as a teenager.
Thankfully he was discovered early by the impresario, and was vice-president of Motown by 1961.
"I look at Motown now and I'm so proud to have been part of it from the very beginning.
"Motown was a once-in-a-lifetime event and I don't think it will ever happen quite like that again.
"To have all those artists in the same stable, with all those hits coming out... it was a one-off."
Despite this, Smokey does have a surprising regard for the talent coming out of reality shows, and has even appeared as a guest on American Idol.
"I always wanted to be in showbusiness, ever since I was little, I just didn't think it would be possible for someone like me.
"I think American Idol is the most wonderful thing that's ever happened for young talent. Even those that don't win get exposure.
"My advice to young people, apart from getting an education, is that if you really love performing, just be prepared to get knocked down, and if you love it enough you'll get back up again."
Smokey has endured throughout many changes in the music business, but says the best moment of his career is "right now".
"It's great that people are still interested in what I'm doing. I keep up with everything that's going on in music right now, from gospel to hip hop.
"The best time for me is definitely right now."
www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,11036-2007170689,00.html
Maybe a phone teller and even then you would've been on the other line going "I don't hear you, sir, Mr. Robinson..."
