Smokey Robinson Wins New Fans With Hit Album `Intimate'

Jet, March 6, 2000

Fortunately, some good things in life never change. And the voice, style and musicianship of Smokey Robinson are among those good things.

After more than 40 years in music, the consummate singer-songwriter continues to turn out some of the finest love songs ever.

He is winning new fans and pleasing his old fans with his Grammy-nominated hit album Intimate, featuring the hit singles Easy To Love and Sleepin' In.

Intimate features R&B ballads in the classic Smokey tradition. Easy To Love finds the legendary singer in a pensive mood, reminiscing about an old flame whose memory continues to haunt him. Warm and inviting, Easy To Love captures a romantic yearning in its memorable refrain: "You're easy to love, hard to forget."

Intimate finds Smokey singing and writing love songs at the top of his game.

Asked to share the secret to his longevity, Smokey allows, "My songs are written about love. It's an everlasting subject. If you write about dances, about cars or political situations, sooner or later, your material sounds passe, dated. But love always has significance. It never goes out of style."

A founding Motown Records executive, songwriter and producer, Smokey began his career fronting the Miracles, as well as composing tunes for other Motown recording stars. His hits with the Miracles include The Tracks of My Tears, Ooh Baby, Baby, The Tears Of A Clown and countless others.

Smokey is just as renowned for the songs he composed for other Motown groups including The Temptations' My Girl, Get Ready and The Way You Do The Things You Do; Mary Wells' You Beat Me To The Punch, My Guy and Two Lovers; Marvin Gaye's Ain't That Peculiar and I'll Be Doggone; and The Marvelettes' Don't Mess With Bill.

Now with the release of Intimate, Smokey is entering his fourth decade as a world-class singer, songwriter and producer.

A performer who refuses to rest on his past laurels, he notes, "I approach songwriting like there are no new words, no new chords, no new notes. There is a finite universe of elements. I have to try to use what is already there and say it differently, so what I say is something totally fresh."