Smokey Says They Didn't Have to Discover Diana!

[jobeterob]

https://www.whipclip.com/video/jhm6v

Smokey says they didn't have to discover Diana!

[rod_rick]

https://www.whipclip.com/video/jhm6v

Smokey says they didn't have to discover Diana!

Because she lived down the street, they didn't have to discover her and the other group members.

[captainjames]

LOL
It was meant to be.

[motown01]

The same interview also reveals that Smokey may be working on a project with Justin Bieber in the near future.

Woo hoo.....

[theboyfromxtown]

The same interview also reveals that Smokey may be working on a project with Justin Bieber in the near future.

Woo hoo.....

Please change your mind Smokey and find someone worthwhile!

[reese]

The same interview also reveals that Smokey may be working on a project with Justin Bieber in the near future.

Woo hoo.....

On TMZ a few weeks ago, they caught Smokey and his wife leaving a restaurant. They asked would he like it if Justin recorded one of his songs. His response was very enthusiastic. I gather he likes working with some of the newer artists, hence his last album.

[marv2]

On TMZ a few weeks ago, they caught Smokey and his wife leaving a restaurant. They asked would he like it if Justin recorded one of his songs. His response was very enthusiastic. I gather he likes working with some of the newer artists, hence his last album.

Nope, He likes making money! If one of these younger, popular artists records one of his songs.....KA -CHING! LOL!!!

[captainjames]

smokey always looks like he has never aged.

[stingbeelee]

I have never heard that Smokey discovered Diana Ross - where in the world did they get that information from? I think that the Supremes auditioned in front of Smokey, and that he "borrowed" their guitarist Marv Tarplin; perhaps my memory is getting bad, but I don't recall reading that Smokey discovered anyone at Motown...

[jobeterob]

Smokey discovered everyone with Berry is one of the versions of revised history!

Smokey looked a lot better in that interview than he has looked in recent years. So often his skin looks so stretched and waxed, unwrinkled and plasticized ~ but this time it kind of looked like the face of a celebrity that had some work but didn't take it too far.

For Smokey to be able to work with Justin Bieber would be incredible for Smokey in terms of keeping him out there. I understood Smokey has always fought the "oldies" labelling since the 1980's. He would love the opportunity I'm sure. I'd say go for it.

[vgalindo]

I have never heard that Smokey discovered Diana Ross - where in the world did they get that information from? I think that the Supremes auditioned in front of Smokey, and that he "borrowed" their guitarist Marv Tarplin; perhaps my memory is getting bad, but I don't recall reading that Smokey discovered anyone at Motown...

I have heard it said a few times by Diana and Smokey. One time was on the Motown tv special when they sing "Missing you" together. The story goes that Smokey got the Supremes their first audition at Motown due to Diana being his friend. So in a since he discovered them before Berry.

[marv2]

I have heard it said a few times by Diana and Smokey. One time was on the Motown tv special when they sing "Missing you" together. The story goes that Smokey got the Supremes their first audition at Motown due to Diana being his friend. So in a since he discovered them before Berry.

That was the audition when Berry told them to go away and finish high school, so it does count.

[marv2]

Mary Wilson has said [[and I believe her), that they were not discovered. They hung around Motown so much after being rejected the first time, that they made Motown take them. They worked their way inside and when the least little thing that was needed in recording studio, they volunteered. They volunteered to do handclaps on a Mary Wells recording as their first unpaid job at Motown. So this little tiny clip of Smoky from the show "The Real" is not enough to create a thread. The guy who did this is just deseperate to discuss Diana Ross in some kind of way. LOL!

[marv2]

I have never heard that Smokey discovered Diana Ross - where in the world did they get that information from? I think that the Supremes auditioned in front of Smokey, and that he "borrowed" their guitarist Marv Tarplin; perhaps my memory is getting bad, but I don't recall reading that Smokey discovered anyone at Motown...

That is because he [[Smokey Robinson) did not discover Diane Ross. Mary Wilson, The Primes and Milton Jenkins are the ones that got her involved singing professionally with them. Florence was the first "Primette".

[arr&bee]

Whoa,what's all this[smokey discovered]stuff...didn't they win the talent contest at the fair and that led them to motown?????

[vgalindo]

That was the audition when Berry told them to go away and finish high school, so it does count.

To me it doesn't matter who discovered who. It's all up everyone's own opinion on who discovered who. Bobby Taylor feels he discovered the Jackson Five and so does Gladys Knight. Bobby Taylor tried first but no one listened to him so I guess he doesn't count either! Smokey did help The Supremes get their first connection with Motown.

[marv2]

To me it doesn't matter who discovered who. It's all up everyone's own opinion on who discovered who. Bobby Taylor feels he discovered the Jackson Five and so does Gladys Knight. Bobby Taylor tried first but no one listened to him so I guess he doesn't count either! Smokey did help The Supremes get their first connection with Motown.

Evidently Motown must have thought Bobby T. did not count, until they were summoned into court. LOL!!!

[marv2]

Whoa,what's all this[smokey discovered]stuff...didn't they win the talent contest at the fair and that led them to motown?????

JAI, they did win the Emancipation Day Talent Show over in Windsor in 1960. Robert Bateman or Robert West took them to Motown for an audition. Smokey did not discover them and he says he didn't in that 23 second video clip Jobeterob used to start this thread. He created a thread title that is misleading.

[luke]

The girls recorded a decent record at Lupune. Pretty Baby with Mary on lead was as good as Mary Wells Bye Bye Baby.

[luke]

And Smokey is a bit unrealistic.most people agree Diana's voiced left a lot to be desired at that point. She is very blessed Mary thought of her as someone who wanted to sing and join a group.

[jobeterob]

It depends on what you mean by discovered. Certainly others met or "discovered" the Jackson 5 first, but to the world Diana "introduced" them and Berry found them and Suzanne discovered them and Gladys discovered them and Bobby discovered them.

It's only amongst the fans that the hairs are split.

And the Motown people just celebrate each other and pat each other on the back these days and thank God they were in the right place at the right time!

[midnightman]

The same interview also reveals that Smokey may be working on a project with Justin Bieber in the near future.

Woo hoo.....

That's some disturbing news.

[midnightman]

As for "discovery", doesn't that technically go to Milton Jenkins? He started the Primettes after all... "discovery" is a loosely based word since it really doesn't mean anything. They credit that white supremacist Christopher Columbus for "discovering" America for instance lol

The "discovery" part is what Motown PR used to fool the general public, who were more casual listeners than hardcore fans. The real Motown "purist" would know Smokey didn't discover anyone, even he says so...nowadays anyway.

[jobeterob]

That's some disturbing news.

But Smokey will be ecstatic about that. It will keep him out there and in demand.

[marv2]

The girls recorded a decent record at Lupune. Pretty Baby with Mary on lead was as good as Mary Wells Bye Bye Baby.

"Pretty Baby" sounded better than "Bye, Bye Baby" to my ears.

[marv2]

And Smokey is a bit unrealistic.most people agree Diana's voiced left a lot to be desired at that point. She is very blessed Mary thought of her as someone who wanted to sing and join a group.

It was more dumb luck than anything......LOL! I wished they had given Milton Jenkins a bit more credit that he gets in history. His name doesn't even get a mention in interviews.

[marv2]

It depends on what you mean by discovered. Certainly others met or "discovered" the Jackson 5 first, but to the world Diana "introduced" them and Berry found them and Suzanne discovered them and Gladys discovered them and Bobby discovered them.

It's only amongst the fans that the hairs are split.

And the Motown people just celebrate each other and pat each other on the back these days and thank God they were in the right place at the right time!

There is no such thing as splitting hairs when it comes to the truth. Everything you wrote in that first paragraph is either wrong or out of sequence. Berry, Diane and Suzanne had absolutely nothing to do with discovering the Jackson Five.

Watch this film jobeterob if you want to learn how and who discovered the Jackson Five. I am going to start another thread and post it so that others who may be interested may also learn.....the truth!

Gordon Keith's Steel Town Records-Untold Story Of The Jackson 5 Docu Movie

[captainjames]

This is all so funny to me each time I read this over and over and over. I don't think they were a group until all four were in the room at the same time. As a group the Primes or Jenkins formed the Primettes. They were just four girls from the projects until they got in that room and started a friendship.

[marv2]

This is all so funny to me each time I read this over and over and over. I don't think they were a group until all four were in the room at the same time. As a group the Primes or Jenkins formed the Primettes. They were just four girls from the projects until they got in that room and started a friendship.

Betty McGlown did not live in the projects.

[midnightman]

But Smokey will be ecstatic about that. It will keep him out there and in demand.

You mean desperate.

[jobeterob]

That too!

He was worried about the oldies label 30 years ago

[midnightman]

Betty McGlown did not live in the projects.

Where did Betty McGlown reside?

[marv2]

You mean desperate.

LOL!!!! Whoa...... LOL!

[marv2]

Where did Betty McGlown reside?

She lived in East Detroit, the eastside.

[midnightman]

She lived in East Detroit, the eastside.

Oh OK. Yeah because most bios, they usually just group all four of them as coming from the Brewster projects. We know where DMF were living before Brewster too so technically they weren't born in the projects either even though those three did move there.

[midnightman]

LOL!!!! Whoa...... LOL!

Haha

I mean it'd be one thing if it was One Direction because they're a pop group. But Justin Bieber is Justin Bieber, there is no way how that is acceptable. It'll be like Diana working with Chris Brown! Lol

[marv2]

Oh OK. Yeah because most bios, they usually just group all four of them as coming from the Brewster projects. We know where DMF were living before Brewster too so technically they weren't born in the projects either even though those three did move there.

I will tell you who else was from the Brewsters, Earlene DeBarge, the DeBarges mama, Val Young [[Rick James' protege), even the DeBarges spent some time there before moving to Grand Rapids.

[marv2]

Oh OK. Yeah because most bios, they usually just group all four of them as coming from the Brewster projects. We know where DMF were living before Brewster too so technically they weren't born in the projects either even though those three did move there.

Mary lived in Southwest Detroit in a nice middle class neighborhood before moving into the Brewsters with her mom, sister and brother.