On January 31, 2026, William “Billy Bass” Nelson Jr. died aged 75. He was musician (bass, guitar), recorded and performed with The Commodores, Chairmen of the Board, Fishbone, Jermaine Jackson, Parlet, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, and Lenny Williams, but was best known as the original bassist for Funkadelic. In 1997, he was inducted in to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” (together with the other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.)
Tag Archives: Smokey Robinson
The Mamas & Papas: Deliver
On February 2, 1967, “Dunhill” label released “Deliver”, the third Mamas & the Papas (The) studio album. It was recorded in `1966, and was produced by Lou Adler.
Personnel:
- Denny Doherty – vocals
- Cass Elliot – vocals
- John Phillips – vocals, guitar
- Michelle Phillips – vocals
- Jill Gibson – vocals
- Scott McKenzie – 12-string acoustic, guitar
- “Doctor” Eric Hord – guitar
- P.F. Sloan – guitar
- Tommy Tedesco – guitar
- Larry Knechtel – keyboards
- Joe Osborn – bass guitar
- Hal Blaine – drums, percussion
- Gary Coleman – percussion, bells, marimba
- Jim Horn – flute, saxophone
Track listing:
All tracks by John Phillips, except where noted.
- Dedicated to the One I Love – Ralph Bass, Lowman Pauling
- My Girl – Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
- Creeque Alley – John Phillips, Michelle Phillips
- Sing for Your Supper – Lorenz Hart, Richard Rodgers
- Twist and Shout – Phil Medley, Bert Russell
- Free Advice – John Phillips, Michelle Phillips
- Look Through My Window
- Boys & Girls Together
- String Man – John Phillips, Michelle Phillips
- Frustration
- Did You Ever Want to Cry
- John’s Music Box
The Jackson 5: Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5
On December 12, 1969, “Motown” label released “Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5”, the debut Jackson 5 (The) studio album. It was recorded May – August 1969, at “The Sound Factory” in Hollywood, California, and was produced by Bobby Taylor and The Corporation (Berry Gordy, Alphonso Mizell, Freddie Perren, Deke Richards).
Personnel:
- The Jackson 5 (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael) – vocals
- David Blumberg, David Van DePitte, Paul Riser, The Corporation – arrangements
- Curtis McNair – artwork direction
- Ken Kim – artwork, design
- Jim Hendin – cover photography
Track listing:
- Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah – Ray Gilbert, Allie Wrubel
- Nobody – The Corporation
- I Want You Back – The Corporation
- Can You Remember – Thom Bell, William Hart
- Standing in the Shadow of Love – Holland-Dozier-Holland
- You’ve Changed – Jesse Reese
- My Cherie Amour – Stevie Wonder, Sylvia Moy, Hank Cosby
- Who’s Lovin’ You – Smokey Robinson
- Chained – Frank Wilson
- I Know I’m Losing You – Cornelius Grant, Norman Whitfield, Eddie Holland
- Stand – Sylvester Stewart
- Born to Love You – Ivy Jo Hunter, William “Mickey” Stevenson
Smokey Robinson& The Miracles: One Dozen Roses
On August 27, 1971, “Tamla” label released “One Dozen Roses”, the eleventh Smokey Robinson & The Miracles album. It was recorded in 1966, 1969 – 1971, and was produced by Smokey Robinson and Henry Cosby.
Personnel:
- Smokey Robinson – lead vocals
- Marv Tarplin – guitar
- Ronnie White, Bobby Rogers, Warren “Pete” Moore, Claudette Robinson – backing vocals
- The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
Track listing:
- When Sundown Comes – Smokey Robinson, Marv Tarplin
- No Wonder Love’s a Wonder – Smokey Robinson, Marv Tarplin, Al Cleveland
- The Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson, Hank Cosby, Stevie Wonder
- Satisfaction – Smokey Robinson
- Crazy About The La La La – Smokey Robinson
- Cecilia – Paul Simon
- I Don’t Blame You at All – Smokey Robinson
- That Girl – Joe Hinton, Hank Cosby, Candice Ghant
- Faces – Jack Goga
- I Love You Dear – Clay McMurray, John Glover, Pam Sawyer
- Oh Baby Baby I Love You – Smokey Robinson, Al Cleveland, Obie Benson
- The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game – Smokey Robinson
Rahsaan Roland Kirk: Brotherman in the Fatherland
On April 4, 2006, “Hyena” label posthumously released “Brotherman in the Fatherland”, album by Rahsaan Roland Kirk album. It was recorded in March 1972, at “Funkhaus” in Hamburg, Germany, and was produced by Joel Dorn.
Personnel:
- Roland Kirk – tenor saxophone, manzello, stritch, clarinet, flute
- Ron Burton – piano
- Henry Metathias Pearson – bass
- Richie Goldberg – drums
- Joe Habad Texidor – percussion
Track listing:
All tracks by Rahsaan Roland Kirk, except where noted.
- Intro/Like Sonny – John Coltrane
- Make It with You – David Gates
- Rahsaan’s Spirit
- My Girl – Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
- Seasons/Serenade to a Cuckoo
- Pedal Up
- Lush Life – Billy Strayhorn
- Afro Blue – Mongo Santamaría
- Blue Train – John Coltrane
Miracles: The Fabolous Miracles
On February 28, 1963, “Tamla” label released “The Fabulous Miracles”, the fourth Miracles (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1962, at “Hitsville USA” in Detroit, and was produced by Smokey Robinson and Berry Gordy Jr.
Personnel:
- Smokey Robinson – lead vocals, executive producer
- Ronnie White – backing vocals
- Bobby Rogers – backing vocals
- Warren “Pete” Moore – backing vocals
- Claudette Robinson – backing vocals
- Marv Tarplin – guitar
- The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
Track listing:
All tracks by Smokey Robinson, except where noted.
- You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me
- I’ve Been Good to You
- Such Is Love, Such Is Life
- I Can Take a Hint – Smokey Robinson, Janie Bradford, Stanley Ossman, Bobby Rogers
- Won’t You Take Me Back
- A Love She Can Count On
- Whatever Makes You Happy – Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
- Heartbreak Road – Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
- Happy Landing – Smokey Robinson, Ronald White
- Your Love
Smokey Robinson: Being With You
On February 17, 1981, “Motown” label released “Being with You”, the ninth Smokey Robinson album. It was recorded November – January 1981, at “Studio Sound Recorders” in Hollywood, “Motown Recording Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by George Tobin, Mike Piccirillo and Smokey Robinson.
Personnel:
- Smokey Robinson – lead and backing vocals
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars
- Reginald “Sonny” Burke – keyboards, arrangements
- Ronnie Rancifer – keyboards
- Bill Cuomo – keyboards
- Mike Piccirillo – synthesizers, organ, guitars, additional keyboards, percussion, steel drums, associate producer
- Scott Edwards – bass
- Robert “Pops” Popwell – bass
- Ed Greene – drums
- James Gadson – drums
- Scotty Harris – drums
- Howard Lee Wolen – percussion
- Mark Wolfson – percussion
- Joel Peskin – saxophones
- Harry Kim – trumpet
- David Strout – trombone
- George Tobin – arrangements
- Ivory Davis – backing vocals
- Patricia Henley – backing vocals
- Robert John – backing vocals
- Claudette Robinson – backing vocals
- Julia Waters Tillman – backing vocals
- Maxine Waters Willard – backing vocals
- Michael Lizzio – engineer, mixing
- Howard Lee Wolen, Mark Wolfson – engineer
- Richie Griffin, Ginny Pallante – engineer assistant
- George Tobin – mixing
- John Lemay – mastering
- Johnny Lee – art direction
- Ginny Livingston – design
- Gary Heery – photography
- Lisa Marie – production coordinator
- Randy Dunlap, Barbara Ramsey – project manager
Track listing:
All tracks by Smokey Robinson, except where noted.
- Being With You
- Food For Thought
- If You Wanna Make Love (Come ‘Round Here)
- Who’s Sad – Gary Goetzman, Mike Piccirillo
- Can’t Fight Love – Gary Goetzman, Mike Piccirillo
- You Are Forever
- As You Do – Peter Kingsbery
- I Hear The Children Singing – Forest Hairston
Smokey Robinson: Smokey’s Family Robinson
On February 10, 1976, “Tamla” label released “Smokey’s Family Robinson”, the fourth Smokey Robinson studio album. It was recorded in 1975, and was produced by Smokey Robinson.
Personnel:
- Smokey Robinson – lead vocals, rhythm arrangements, engineer
- Marvin Tarplin – guitar
- Reginald “Sonny” Burke – keyboards, rhythm arrangements
- Scott Edwards – bass guitar
- Wayne Tweed – bass guitar
- Joseph A. Brown, Jr. – drums
- James “Alibe” Sledge – percussion
- Michael Jacobsen – electric cello, saxophone
- Fred Smith – horns, horn arrangements
- Ivory Stone Davis – backing vocals
- Carolyn Dennis – backing vocals
- Patricia Henley – backing vocals
- Melba Joyce – backing vocals
- Guy Costa – engineer
- Frank Mulvey – art direction
- Gribbit! – graphics
- Sam Emerson – photography
Track listing:
All tracks by Smokey Robinson, except where noted.
- When You Came
- Get Out of Town – Smokey Robinson, Rose Ella Jones
- Do Like I Do – Smokey Robinson, Rose Ella Jones
- Open – Smokey Robinson, Marv Tarplin, Pamela Moffett
- So in Love
- Like Nobody Can
- Castles Made of Sand
Tammi Terrell: Irresistible
In January 1969, “Motown” label released “Irresistible”, the only Tammi Terrell album, It was recorded 1965 – 1968, and was produced by Smokey Robinson, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fugua, James Dean and William Weatherspoon.
Personnel:
- Tammi Terrell – lead and additional backing vocals
- The Andantes, The Spinners – backing vocals
- The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
Track listing:
- I Can’t Believe You Love Me – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
- That’s What Boys Are Made For – Harvey Fuqua, Gwen Gordy Fuqua
- Come On and See Me – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
- What a Good Man He Is – Smokey Robinson, Al Cleveland
- Tears at the End of a Love Affair – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Sylvia Moy
- This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) – Holland–Dozier–Holland, Sylvia Moy
- He’s the One I Love – Smokey Robinson
- Can’t Stop Now (Love Is Calling) – James Dean, Stanley McMullen, William Weatherspoon
- Just Too Much to Hope For – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Clyde Wilson, Wilbur Jackson
- Hold Me Oh My Darling – Harvey Fuqua
- I Can’t Go on Without You – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Sylvia Moy
The Miracles: Hi…We’re The Miracles
In January 1961, “Tamla” label released “Hi… We’re the Miracles”, the debut Miracles (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1960, and was produced by Berry Gordy Jr.
Personnel:
- Smokey Robinson – lead and backing vocals
- Ronnie White – lead and backing vocals
- Claudette Robinson – lead and backing vocals
- Warren “Pete” Moore – backing vocals
- Bobby Rogers – backing vocals
- Marv Tarplin – guitar
- The Funk Brothers – additional instrumentation
- Wakefield & Mitchell – design
- Pictorial Studios Inc. – photography
Track listing:
- Who’s Lovin’ You – Smokey Robinson
- Depend on Me – Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy
- Heart Like Mine – Ronnie White, Smokey Robinson
- Shop Around – Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy
- Won’t You Take Me Back – Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy
- Cause I Love You – Ronnie White, Smokey Robinson
- Your Love – Smokey Robinson
- After All – Smokey Robinson
- Way Over There – Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy
- Money – Berry Gordy, Janie Bradford
- Don’t Leave Me – Smokey Robinson, Berry Gordy, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman
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