Smokey Robinson
Smokey Robinson is an iconic American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the founder and frontman of the Motown group the Miracles.
William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. was born on February 19, 1940, in Detroit, Michigan, in a poor family from the North End neighborhood. He formed his first group, the Five Chimes (later the Matadors and then the Miracles), in high school around 1955, drawing influences from doo-wop and jazz like Sarah Vaughan.
In 1957, Robinson met Berry Gordy, impressing him with a notebook of 100 songs, which led to the Miracles signing with Gordy's Tamla Records (later Motown). Their 1960 hit "Shop Around" became Motown's first million-seller and R&B No. 1. Robinson served as chief songwriter and producer, crafting hits like "My Girl" and "The Way You Do the Things You Do" for acts including the Temptations and Mary Wells.
By the mid-1960s, he became Motown's vice president, talent scout, and in-house producer until 1990. He retired from the Miracles in 1972 but launched a solo career in 1973 with albums like Smokey and hits such as "Cruisin'," "Being with You," "Quiet Storm," and "Just to See Her."
Robinson earned a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1983, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1987 (both with the Miracles and solo), a 1988 Grammy for "Just to See Her," Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989, Gershwin Prize in 2016, and more. His velvet falsetto and poetic lyrics have shaped soul music over six decades.
A Quiet Storm
7:47
A2 The Agony And The Ecstasy
4:43
A3 Baby That's Backatcha
3:36
A4 Wedding Song
3:20
B1 Happy (Love Theme From "Lady Sings The Blues")
7:05
B2 Love Letters
4:04
B3 Coincidentally
4:22
Written by Michel Legrand (tracks: B1), Rose Ella Jones (tracks: A1, B2), William "Smokey" Robinson
Label: Tamla – T6-337S1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1975
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Motown
Smokey Robinson's 1975 album A Quiet Storm is widely hailed as a landmark in R&B history, famously credited with inventing the "Quiet Storm" radio format and subgenre. Following two underperforming solo records, the album revitalized Robinson's career by showcasing a mature, "contemplative romantic soul" sound that diverged from the upbeat pop of his Miracles era.
Critics emphasize that the album defined a late-night, soulful programming style—low, slow, and sophisticated—that dominated radio for decades.
Reviews frequently highlight Robinson's "breathy" and "intimate" vocal delivery, often recorded with close-mic techniques to enhance the "languid intimacy" of the tracks.
The album is often noted for its cohesive "concept," with the title track’s synthesizer-simulated wind effects appearing throughout to bridge the songs.
AllMusic awards it 4.5/5 stars, calling it a "crown jewel" of 1970s soul, while Q Magazine has ranked it among the greatest Motown albums of all time.