Smokey Robinson

People all over the world recognize Smokey Robinson's sweet voice within a bar or two. His deceptively light sound defines soulful romance, and it helped place his band the Miracles at the top of the charts throughout the 1960s. Robinson is also an exceptional songwriter (with such credits as the Temptations' "My Girl" under his belt) and a businessman who helped Berry Gordy build the Motown juggernaut. During the sex-mad '70s, Robinson shifted into contemporary crooner mode and his excellent hit album A Quiet Storm provided the name and musical template for the simmering urban love genre that has helped keep our nurseries and daycare centers full.