Smokey: Inside My Life

by Smokey Robinson, David Ritz

For the past thirty years, Smokey Robinson has been writing, producing, and singing some of the top hits of all time under the Motown label. Here he tells about the peaks and valleys of his life and career and relationships with other superstars. Photos.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

289 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1989

About the author

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Robinson founded The Miracles while still in high school. The group was Berry Gordy’s first vocal group, and it was at Robinson’s suggestion that Gordy started the Motown Record dynasty. Their single of Robinson’s “Shop Around” became Motown’s first #1 hit on the R&B singles chart. In the years following, Robinson continued to pen hits for the group including “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Ooo Baby Baby,” “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Going to a Go-Go,” “More Love,” “Tears of a Clown” (co-written with Stevie Wonder), and “I Second That Emotion.”

During the course of his 50-year career in music, Robinson has accumulated more than 4,000 songs to his credit and continues to thrill sold-out audiences around the world with his high tenor voice, impeccable timing, and profound sense of lyric. Never resting on his laurels, Smokey Robinson remains a beloved icon in our musical heritage.

Source Edited from "About" on Mr. Robinson's personal website.

Reviews

[Carol Storm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not many Motown legends have penned autobiographies, and this one by Miracles founder and ace Motown songwriter Smokey Robinson is definitely worth reading.

As often happens, the best chapters in this autobiography are devoted to the author's early childhood. The Robinson clan comes across as an unusually warm, close-knit and engaging multi-racial family, deeply proud of their African-American heritage (and their roots in slavery) but open about their Caucasian influences as well. Smokey attributes his famous green eyes to a Southern lady who was daring enough to marry a light-skinned black man during the Reconstruction Era. He also pays tribute to the family patriarch, "Daddy Five," who gave him his lust for life and his ambitions for fortune and fame.

The chapters on Smokey's early years at Motown are fascinating too. The best part is where he explains how Motown founder Berry Gordy, an accomplished songwriter himself, actually worked with Smokey one on one for several months, refining his early songs over and over until the first crude efforts became classics like "Shop Around" and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me."

The close friendship Smokey forged with Berry Gordy clearly accounts for his early and lasting success at Motown, but it also weakens the book to some extent, since it's very clear that Smokey, the "favored son" in the Motown family, never saw (or chose not to notice) the darker side of the Motown system. Berry Gordy in these pages is always charming, shrewd, and successful -- but never ruthless, brutal and manipulative.

All in all, however, SMOKEY: INSIDE MY LIFE is a wonderful autobiography and I would recommend it to anyone who loves classic Motown Soul or is interested in songwriting and creative work.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I currently have some weird obsession with the whole history of Motown.

[Josephine Mattia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the only memoir of Smokey Robinson you will ever read! It has been on my wishlist for a long time, and I am so glad I bought the book to finally read it. It gives readers a glimpse into his world: his early beginnings, the birth of Motown, successes and failures, and his personal life.

[Jara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Praying for him to meet the real and love the real Jesus with all of his heart, mind, soul, and strength before he dies...

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I watched The Hitsville Documentary on Showtime during lockdown for Coronavirus. I was awestruck by Smokey Robinson’s green eyes! In the past, I had heard of him but really didn’t know who he was. I had no idea he was one of the starting singers at Motown. I really wanted to read his autobiography. I had a hard time locating a copy of the book. (The book is the same age as me lol!) I finally got my hands on a copy. As I was reading it I became mindblown about so many things. There’s some
things that should just be left unsaid. The amount of history talked about in the book is awesome in itself. What really bothered me was his affairs with many women even when he was married. The many miscarriages his wife had and 1 stillbirth shook me. At least, he kicked his drug habit and today at 80 he’s still drug free. This book I blew through. At times, I wished it was longer.

[Suzy Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

All about Motown- music, culture, business. It made me kind of sad about music today but enjoyed nonetheless

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty thick book, but it was such a good autobiography that you went through it pretty quickly. David Ritz seem to be the "go-to" writer for many famous black artist, but he does an excellent job of pulling the various stages of their lives into one fluid cohesive piece of work. I loved the relationship that Smokey had with his parents, especially his dad...they just loved him so much and that always superceded everything else. What can you say about one of the best song writers of all time. He truly had a gift for music. I don't know the exact numbers, but he wrote a large percentage of Motown music. I have loved music (and books) my whole life, so I really enjoyed reading his story and having a bird's eye view into the world of music. Great read...

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found an old notebook that said I read this book back in 1990/91... funny as I was reading it in 2010 I couldn't even tell that I had read it before. I never read a book twice so this is funny to me.

[Barbara Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such a pleasure to read this book about such an amazing
man. He has made so many contributions to music that it would be
almost impossible to name everything that he has written.

[Eleanor · Rating 1 out of 5]

yuck.

[Ruby B · Rating 3 out of 5]

good story on who he is.

[Diane Dunham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and easy to read book about Smokey and his life. Some people have a tendency to think celebrities are not real people. This book would definitely change that way of thinking.

[Vivian · Rating 4 out of 5]

great and interesting and surprising events in the book. Still love Smokey though.