This article is about the multitalented musician Smokey Robinson, whose real name is William Robinson Jr. He is a singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and former record executive. Smokey Robinson began his career in 1955 and is best known as the founder of the musical group “The Miracles.” Robinson continued to perform with the group until 1972, after which he became the vice president of Motown Records. Smokey Robinson continued his musical career as a solo artist after leaving the group Miracles.
As an actor, Smokey Robinson appeared in films and television shows, including Days of Our Lives, Heal the Land, Last Holiday, Higglytown Heroes, and the Young and the Restless.
How much does Smokey Robinson earn if you’re curious about the former Miracle member’s earnings and net worth? Don’t forget to read this article until the end for more information.
Smokey Robinson Early Life
William “Smokey” Robinson Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan, on February 19, 1940. William was raised in a poor household in the North End of Detroit, where his uncle Claude gave him the nickname “Smokey.” William was introduced to cowboy films by Claude, who eventually gave him the “cowboy name” “Smokey Joe.” From then on, the young William introduced himself as Smokey Joe to everyone. Eventually, he stopped using “Joe” and adopted the name “Smokey.”
Smokey formed a doo-wop group called the Five Chimes while in high school. As a child, Robinson was incredibly enthusiastic about music, and he listened to a variety of artists on the radio. Among them were Nolan Strong & the Diablos, Billy ward & his Dominoes, and numerous others. Eventually, his doo-wop group has renamed the Matadors.
Smokey Robinson Career
In the late 1950s, after extensive touring, the Matadors changed their title to the Miracles. Robinson met Berry Gordy in 1957, who assisted the Miracles in the release of their debut single, “Got a Job.” Robinson was studying electrical engineering at the time, but he dropped out after the success of his debut single.
Gordy then established Tamla Records, which later evolved into Motown Records. Following a record deal with this label, the Miracles released the hit single “Shop Around” in 1960, which went on to sell over a million copies. In the decade that followed, numerous hits followed. These included “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Mickey’s Monkey,” “I Second That Emotion,” and “Baby Baby Don’t Cry.” Throughout this time, Robinson was the band’s primary vocalist, songwriter, and producer. In 1965, the Miracles renamed themselves to Smokey Robinson & the Miracles to reflect this.
Outside of his work with the Miracles, Smokey composed numerous songs for other Motown Records artists. He made a number of tracks as well. Robinson collaborated with the Temptations, the Marvelettes, and Marvin Gaye, among others. This ceased when a new team of lyricists arrived at Motown, which coincided with an increase in the number of artists writing their own material.
Smokey expressed a desire to retire in 1969. Robinson desired to spend more time with his family, as his constant travel had drained him. Soon after, the group released “Tears of a Clown,” one of their most successful songs. This persuaded Robinson to remain with the group for a few more years until 1972 when he finally parted ways with the Miracles.
Despite rumors that he would retire from music entirely, Robinson returned to music in 1973 to pursue a solo career after a brief hiatus. That year, he released “Smokey,” his debut solo album. In 1974, he followed up with “Pure Smokey.” Despite the musical quality of these albums, Robinson failed to make a significant impression. This was primarily due to his competition with established solo artists like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder.
Smokey Robinson finally established himself as a solo artist in 1975. The album “A Quiet Storm” he released included the hits “Baby That’s Backatcha” and “Quiet Storm.” After this, he began to focus more on his position as vice president of Motown. Due to this, his subsequent solo albums were not adequately promoted, and Smokey did not devote himself to these endeavors as he had in the past.
In 1979, Smokey rebounded with the hit single “Cruisin,” which reached the top ten. Robinson released the number-one single “Being with You” in 1981. 1987’s “One Heartbeat” album, which contained the top-ten singles “Just to See Her” and “One Heartbeat,” brought him further success. After RCA acquired Motown in 1988, Smokey resigned as vice president and began focusing solely on his solo career. Throughout the succeeding decades, he continued to work with a variety of artists and to release a variety of singles and albums.
Smokey Robinson’s Net Worth 2023
According to scintillatingstars, Smokey Robinson’s net worth as of 2023 is $155 million. He has collected all of his income through his musical career. He has released 21 studio albums as a member of the band The Miracles.
Twenty of the group’s songs landed in the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100 out of a total of over fifty songs that peaked on the charts. Smokey has independently released 23 studio albums.
Smokey Robinson House & Properties
Robinson’s real estate investments are so enormous that they defy comprehension. In 2002, he placed his 10,600-square-foot home on the market. According to public records, the home is located in Encino, Los Angeles, on a 1.5-acre lot with an 800-square-foot private deck. The residence dates back to the 1910s and has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms. In addition, the property features a gym, screening room, wine room, fireplace, and many other luxurious amenities.
Robinson earned more than $2.3 million from the sale. Robinson sold his other Los Angeles property for $7.99 million later in 2014. The residence is reportedly located in Chatsworth, Los Angeles, and features a 9,000-square-foot main residence and a 2,000-square-foot guest residence. However, the singer attempted to sell this property for $10.5 million in 2005 but was unsuccessful.
In 2007, the property was relisted for sale at $10 million. In 2014, Smokey sold the property for $7,99 million. He is also rumored to own a residence in Detroit. Currently, the home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms is estimated to be worth at least $350,000.
Smokey Robinson’s Personal Life
Smokey Robinson married Claudette Rogers in 1959. In 1957, he met Claudette, a fellow member of The Miracles.
Claudette Rogers, a former member of The Miracles from 1957 to 1972, is 79 years old. The Robinsons have two children named Berry and Tamla.
Robinson had a son by the name of Trey from an extramarital affair. After he admitted to having a child with a woman other than his wife, their marriage disintegrated.
The couple split in 1986.
Later, in 2002, Smokey married Frances Gladney. The couple’s Pittsburgh home has been converted into a winery.
Smokey Robinson’s Social Media Accounts
Smokey Robinson is active on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
He has more than 1.4 million Facebook followers, approximately 124.7K Twitter followers, and approximately 157K Instagram followers as of 9 January 2023.
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