"William Robinson Jr. was born to an African-American father and a mother of African-American and French descent in a poor family in the North End area of Detroit, Michigan. Robinson's ancestry is also part Nigerian, Scandinavian, Portuguese, and Cherokee. His uncle Claude gave him the nickname "Smokey Joe" when he was a child. In 2012, Robinson explained:
'My Uncle Claude was my favorite uncle, he was also my godfather. He and I were really, really close. He used to take me to see cowboy movies all the time when I was a little boy because I loved cowboy movies. He got a cowboy name for me, which was Smokey Joe. So from the time I was three years old if people asked me what my name was I didn't tell them my name was William, I told them my name was Smokey Joe. That's what everyone called me until I was about 12 and then I dropped the Joe part. I've heard that story about him giving it to me because I'm a light skinned black man but that's not true.'"
- Via the Wiki entry for Smokey Robinson. (Above) is Smokey Robinson and the Miracles performing one of their greatest hits (circa 1962) You Really got a Hold on Me.
Smokey Robinson was golden, is golden and forever will be golden (from 2018)!
(A belated happy & healthy Juneteenth to one and all.)
Later note: Those 4 amazing boys from Liverpool didn't do too badly with this tune either... and they wasted no time in snagging it! Smokey's hit went to the top of the charts in 1962... the Beatles covered it in 1963. And, to their credit, they covered it authentically (the BBC recording). (Hopefully, this was to Smokey's financial advantage.)
You relate an interesting story -- I had no idea how he'd gotten his name. Love it! AND, unlike many of the featured artists here, he's still alive! Yay! Happy Juneteeth to you and prepare for the Force of July!
ReplyDeleteGotta love Smokey... Re: "Force of July." Most definitely. :-)
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