Smokey is the first solo album by
Motown legend
Smokey Robinson after his departure from
The Miracles. It was released on Motown Records'
Tamla subsidiary label (T328L) in 1973, and featured the single "Sweet Harmony" which was his tribute to his former singing partners in the Miracles:
Bobby Rogers,
Pete Moore and
Ronnie White. The album was arranged by Dave Blumberg,
Gene Page and Willie Hutch. It also featured the song "Baby Come Close", his first solo hit single, and the single "Just My Soul Responding", a
protest song dealing with ghetto life in America, and the plight of the American Indian.
[1] All things equal,
Smokey was his entry to place him on creative and commercial footing with labelmates,
Marvin Gaye with his landmark 1971,
What's Going On,
Stevie Wonder and
Talking Book and
Diana Ross and her self-titled debut. However, performing his Vice-President duties at Motown, meant that his time would come a bit later. Producing the #7, "Baby Come Close", "Smokey" shimmers with brilliance on the medley of "
Never My Love"/"
Never Can Say Goodbye" and songs like the plaintive "Holly". But a couple of years later, he would get his well deserved moment.