Smokey's TV show 1970

[soulwally]

Some performances from Smokey Robinson's 1970 television special featuring The Temptations, The Supremes, Miracles and Stevie Wonder.

Don't know if anyone's seen this clip before, but I found it a lot of fun and very interesting at the same time. There's some stilted link dialogue, but the ensemble's Smokey song medley after six minutes is good, and the clip closes with a belting Friendship Train with the lead shared by Smokey, Stevie, Jean Terrell, Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong and all the Tempts except Otis.

Missing in action though were Miracles Claudette and Pete.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySiqOOH_h3s

[franjoy56]

Thank you very much for posting this video, I would love for Universal to release this but all this legal mumbo jumbo will probably make it difficult for this to happen, especially with fees of all the artists on the show releasing their likeness with compensating etc, etc, Jean Mary and Cindy were at the top of their game in 1970 three top 20's in a row. i remember show in december of 1970.

[BayouMotownMan]

This was actually the second or third tv appearance Jean made with the group. It was taped months before it aired in early 1971. This is why some of the artists more recent songs were not included. It was designed to be Smokey's send off, but Tears Of A Clown changed all of that and he stayed on for another year. I remember being disappointed that the Supremes didn't sing Stoned Love which was a Top Ten hit at the time of the airing, but it was recorded before it was issued

[marv2]

This was actually the second or third tv appearance Jean made with the group. It was taped months before it aired in early 1971. This is why some of the artists more recent songs were not included. It was designed to be Smokey's send off, but Tears Of A Clown changed all of that and he stayed on for another year. I remember being disappointed that the Supremes didn't sing Stoned Love which was a Top Ten hit at the time of the airing, but it was recorded before it was issued

The television special aired before Christmas in 1970 on ABC. I remember watching it.

Yeah well Jean with the Supremes performed on television more than 3 times by the time this show aired on December 18, 1970.

I always find it interesting the claim that "The Smokey Robinson Show" television special was designed as his send off to a solo career, because when he finally ditched his group, supposedly it was to retire from the stage performing, touring and recording to focus on his family and his job as VP at Motown.........HA! He did eventually leave the Miracles in 1972 only to "resurface" in 1973 as guess what? A solo artist! LOL! So much for retirement and focusing on his job as VP at Motown. He helped them find a replacement [[Billy Griffin) before he left of course. They were NOT auditioning a Smokey replacement in 1970 or in '71!

[carole cucumber]

As Smokey states in his autobiography, " In 1969, I decided to quit the Miracles and get off the road. It was no easy decision because, after all we'd been together most of our lives. In fact, Bobby Rogers and I were born in the same hospital on the same day....No Matter, my peace of mind was slowly being destroyed, and I knew it was time to leave.
'I love you guys', I told them at a meeting at Ronnie White's house, 'We're brothers. We'll always be brothers. But there's a time when even brothers have to go their separate ways'
They heard me, my words were clear, but the reality of my decision didn't quite register with them..... they quietly accepted what I was saying. Only later did I learn that they didn't believe me.
I'm not sure I believed it myself, because somehow I didn't leave in 1969, or in 1970, or even in 1971. In 1972, I was still touring with the Miracles.
Part of the reason goes back to that Hitsville Christmas party with Stevie Wonder....
'The Tears Of A Clown ' turned out to be the Miracles biggest record ever, selling some three million copies. That was great. But it also put me in a bind. As a group we were hotter than ever; our performance fee zoomed to $25,000 a night, big money back then.
'Come on, Smoke' my partners pulled on me.'You've got to tour for another year. We need time to get ourselves financially straight.'
I agreed. I toured, but I hated it, hated it every time."

[carole cucumber]

Smokey also writes "The chapter was closed. I was out of the Miracles. It was June of 1972, and I could finally enjoy some peace of mind. For fourteen years I'd been running around- writing, producing, performing. Now I just wanted to kick back and be with the beautiful kids that Claudette and I had struggled so hard to have.
My retirement was sweet for as long as it lasted- a month.
'We can't talk about it anymore, Smoke' said Berry on the long distance wire... 'I can't see us not working together. You've always been part of this company. I've always counted on your input, man, and these days I need it more than ever. I need you out here. Now'
By August, only 2 months after I'd left the Miracles, I was living in a hotel on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood, waiting for Claudette to sell the house and settle our affairs so that she, the kids, Miss Lily and Daddy Five could move out and join me.
Strange, but during the interlude, my heart kept jumping back to the Miracles- not because I wanted to rejoin, but because, despite the discord with Pete at the end, the guys still meant so much to me.
I wrote a song for them called 'Sweet Harmony'
Suzanne Depasse, then head of our A & R department, heard the song and loved it. She urged me to put it on an album.
'But I'm retired', I protested.
'Youre retired from performing', she said, 'not from writing and singing."

[MIKEW-UK]

Smokey arrived 1940 - this video 2012 - words really superfluous. A one off wonder of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBCW1blyFZg

[glencro]

Never knew he had a television special. I miss the good ole days when artists had variety shows

[marv2]

Never knew he had a television special. I miss the good ole days when artists had variety shows

Glen, oh yeah even sponsored by Faberge'! LOL! Those were the good old days when you could see your favorite popular artists on television performing live!

[TheMotownManiac]

The Supremes had done a lot of TV by then and Jean is an old pro on Friendship Train. Mary sounds weak and lips poorly. They suffered a great deal visually after Diane left and this special is no exception. Mary's afro is unbecoming and the orange pantsuits look clown-like with those hideous yellow ties. Jean was already surpassing her co-workers in style and manner.

The television special aired before Christmas in 1970 on ABC. I remember watching it.

Yeah well Jean with the Supremes performed on television more than 3 times by the time this show aired on December 18, 1970.

I always find it interesting the claim that "The Smokey Robinson Show" television special was designed as his send off to a solo career, because when he finally ditched his group, supposedly it was to retire from the stage performing, touring and recording to focus on his family and his job as VP at Motown.........HA! He did eventually leave the Miracles in 1972 only to "resurface" in 1973 as guess what? A solo artist! LOL! So much for retirement and focusing on his job as VP at Motown. He helped them find a replacement [[Billy Griffin) before he left of course. They were NOT auditioning a Smokey replacement in 1970 or in '71!