Smokey Robinson rose to fame in the soul group ‘The Miracles.’ He wrote songs for them and performed as their lead vocalist. Over time, the group became known as ‘Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.’
Eventually, the group broke up and Smokey went solo with his talents. This performance features one of his hit solo songs ‘One Heartbeat,’ released in 1987. It is from the million-selling album of the same name.
As the song begins, a saxophone player wails on a solo over a marimba accompaniment. Both instrumentalists are standing on the beach. Then, Smokey appears sitting on a chair in a white t-shirt and black pants.
Two adults are dancing on the beach while background singers accompany Smokey in flowing white dresses. There are plenty of slow motion images as the song progresses. Smokey sings the song from a chair in the middle of the beach as the sunsets over him.
‘The Miracles’ were the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy’s Motown Records. They helped put the Detroit sound on the map and change the shape of music in the 60s and beyond.
Smokey was a part of the group ‘The Miracles’ from 1955 to 1972. He left to run ‘Motown Records,’ which was Berry Gordy’s hit music company out of Detroit. After only one year, he decided to return to become a solo artist.
Smokey’s album ‘One Heartbeat’ became his most successful solo album of all time. His talent and unique voice have led to success through the decades. Smokey’s songwriting has contributed to some of the most iconic American songs in music history.
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